Sunday, March 07, 1999
Miami healing, hoping for NCAA bid
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Miami RedHawks, by all indications, have nothing to fret about as the countdown to NCAA pairings (6:30 p.m., CBS) approaches.
Although Miami (22-7) lost to Kent in the Mid-American Conference tournament finals last Wednesday, the RedHawks almost certainly will grab an NCAA at-large bid tonight.
Miami is heartened by the following:
• Its RPI rating, holding at No. 22 entering Saturday, should be more than enough to make the 64-team field.
• USA Today on Friday projected the RedHawks a No. 10 seed in the West Regional, facing No. 7 seed Purdue in Seattle.
• ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, in a conference call with national media Friday, said his top choices to pull early-round upsets are the RedHawks and De troit Mercy.
“We'll watch that (selection) show and pray,” MU star Wally Szczerbiak said after the Kent game. “If we're in, it's a blessing.”
Coach Charlie Coles said nothing will take away from MU's regular-season MAC title, but professed to be unsure about the RedHawks' NCAA chances.
“I don't know if we're in,” Coles said after the Kent game. “If we are, that's great.”
Miami, which took two days off after the disappointing 49-43 loss to Kent, returned to practice Saturday night with good news on the injury front:
• Szczerbiak, who was held to 17 points vs. Kent, reported progress with his injured right knee. MU's leading scorer at 23.6 points per game, Szczerbiak slightly dislocated his kneecap a week ago and shot poorly (9-for-32) over his last two games.
• Reserve guard Jason Grunkemeyer, who had been feared lost for the season, might return to practice by Monday. Grunkemeyer, MU's top three-point shooter, had been suffering severe back spasms since a hard fall Feb. 20 vs. Bowling Green.
Szczerbiak, who celebrated his 22nd birthday Friday, was named a first-team All-American this week by Sports Illustrated.
“The two days off helped his knee immensely,” said Mike Wolf, MU sports information director. “He seems ready to go.”
Grunkemeyer, son of Mount Healthy High School coach John Grunkemeyer, averages 4.2 points. He leads Miami in three-point shooting (25 of 47, for 53.2 percent) and overall field-goal shooting (54.5 percent).
“He is progressing,” Wolf said. “According to our medical staff, he has a good chance to come back and play.”
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