Friday, March 20, 1998

NCAA hoops contest tonight not just a game

Local basketball enthusiasts were looking forward to watching former Cooper High standout Andrae Patterson lead Indiana into NCAA tournament action this weekend, especially after the university senior put up 26 points to propel the Hoosiers past Oklahoma in the first round. Fans know it always makes a game more than just a game to feel a personal connection.

Indiana's team effort, however, fell short in the second round against heavily favored Connecticut, despite Andrae's 23 points. Instead of further tournament glory, he had to settle for being named Player of the Game both times -- and for now choosing among a flood of offers from agents before graduating and turning pro. You can bet we haven't seen the last of Andrae Patterson.

Meanwhile, tonight's matchup between Valparaiso University and Rhode Island presents a compelling story that's much more than just a game. First, neither team was supposed to make it this far, and Cinderella tales are always captivating. Many basketball fans had not heard of Valparaiso, a school of 3,500 in northwest Indiana, and unranked Rhode Island came out of nowhere to upset vaunted Kansas on Sunday.

Second, the story involves two sets of fathers and sons. Valparaiso's star, Bryce Drew, the son of head coach Homer Drew, passed up the chance to attend schools with more prestigious programs to play for his father. And the son of Rhode Island head coach Jim Harrick is part of it, too -- as an assistant at Valparaiso.

Finally, for Rhode Island's Harrick, this tournament is about personal redemption. In 1995 he was at the top of the college basketball world, having taken UCLA to the national championship. A year later, he was out of a job, fired in a scandal over an expense account. Last year, Rhode Island took a chance on Harrick to put life in a flagging program. He's bound to feel he has already justified the risk.

Just a game? Don't tell that to Valparaiso and Rhode Island.