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| Mark Madsen in yesterday's practice. The Cardinal will tip-off its 1999 NCAA tourney today vs. Alcorn St. |  |
Men's Basketball Squad Won't Overlook Anyone
Cardinal faces obstacle in return to Final Four.
March 11, 1999
SEATTLE (AP) - Stanford's regular season ended ingloriously with a14-pointloss at Oregon State. In February, the Cardinal were embarrassed by 21 pointsat home by a Connecticut team missing its best player.
Now key reserve Jarron Collins, one of Stanford's best inside players, isusing crutches because of a sprained ankle. He's an athletic 6-foot-9 forwardwho is averaging 5.2 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Could Stanford be vulnerable when it opens the NCAA tournament againstAlcorn State on Thursday?
"Definitely, we have the most pressure on us," Stanford's Arthur Lee saidWednesday. "But we've had pressure on us all year long."
"Going to the Final Four is the ultimate," teammate Mark Madsen said. "Ithink we have the same hunger to make it back."
A Final Four team last year, Stanford is making its fifth straighttrip tothe tournament under coach Mike Montgomery with its highest seeding ever,No. 2in the West.
As Pac-10 champs, the Cardinal (25-6) are aiming to go farther than lastseason, when they lost in overtime in the NCAA semifinals to Kentucky.
In the tournament opener, they're matched against a No. 15 seed from theSouthwestern Athletic Conference from Mississippi. The Braves (23-6), fromLorman, Miss., got their first tournament berth since 1984 by capturing theSWAC tourney title.
Montgomery doesn't think he has to do a selling job to his playersabout thedanger of dismissing Alcorn State.
The Cardinal were guilty of overlooking Oregon State, Montgomery said. Ayear ago, Stanford beat College of Charleston 67-57 in its tournament openinggame.
"I would be disappointed if the kids didn't understand in a field likethisthat anybody can beat you," Montgomery said. "I think these kids are smartenough to recognize that."
The Stanford players will never be accused of not being smart. But aretheyas good as they're advertised?
"When you've been here before, it's like, 'Now we've had some successhere,let's have some more success,"' Lee said.
Alcorn State beat Prairie View, Mississippi Valley and Southern in theSWACtournament to earn a trip to Seattle. The Braves think they can add big-timeStanford to their list of victims.
"They've got everything to lose and we've got everything to gain," AlcornState coach Davey Whitney said. "I'll let you tell me which team is under themost pressure."
Said Braves guard Reuben Stiff: "We're not really intimidated by them.We're not in awe of them. We didn't come up here to lose."
Whitney playfully took a jab at Madsen, Stanford's 6-9, 235-pound seniorforward who fights for inside position on the blocks as tenaciously as awrestler goes after pins.
In fact, the Alcorn State coach compared him to a wrestler.
"What is the name of that wrestling thing?" Whitney said. "The WWF. He'sbe great doing that."
By JIM COUR
AP Sports Writer