St. John’s Captures Big West for Big East

DENVER —  The celebration began as the final seconds ticked off the clock at McNichols Arena Sunday afternoon. Tears of joy were already forming in the droopy old eyes of Coach Lou Carnesecca as he studied the scoreboard and realized, yes, it was true. His St. John’s team was winning the West Regional title.

He was going to the Final Four for the first time. At 60, after all those games, all those seasons, the sweet little man with the mah - velous outlook on life was finally on his way.

When it was official, when the scoreboard showed St. John’s the 69-60 victor over North Carolina State, his players hoisted him on their shoulders and paraded him off the court.

Later, before the gathered media, Carnesecca nodded and smiled and quietly announced: “This is the one--after a thousand games--this is the one I’m going to remember. When I’m going in the grave, this is the one I’ll remember.”

Of course, next week he hopes to be playing for the national title. St. John’s will play Georgetown next Saturday for the right to play in the championship game. Maybe next week holds the game to remember.

But Carnesecca cringed when he was asked about playing Georgetown.

“I’m pleased now. Don’t hurt me,” he said. “I’ve waited 35 years to get here, and now you ask me that? Ask me tomorrow. I’ll answer the phone for you tomorrow.”

But he did comment at least this far: “They are not an unknown quantity. I have numerous tapes and scouting reports and a vivid picture of what they do.”

St. John’s and Georgetown have already met three times this season. St. John’s won the first one, 66-65; Georgetown won the second, 86-69, and Georgetown won the third, 92-80, in the Big East Conference championship game.

Carnesecca is not a bit surprised that three Big East teams are in the Final Four. As he said, “I think it’s excellent. This year was the most competitive since the conference started. There were some bloodbaths in our league this year.”

St. John’s did not have to survive a bloodbath Sunday against its ACC opponent. As the top-seeded team in the regional, St. John’s was the clear-cut favorite and that edge proved out as the game wore on.

St. John’s is going on with a record of 31-3. St. John’s is the first New York City school to reach the Final Four since New York University, with Satch Sanders, in 1960. North Carolina State is going home with a record of 23-10.

“The biggest thing, when you look at the stats, is that they had us 12-4 from the foul line and they were outrebounding us,” Carnesecca said. “We just played better in those two areas in the second half. We used the same defense we have used for the last 30 years.”

In the first half, despite shooting 37% from the field, North Carolina State was within a point, trailing 30-29. The Wolfpack played catchup throughout the second half and, in the final count, just one field goal behind the Redmen. The difference was at the line in the second half.

With 2 minutes 31 seconds to play, the Wolfpack’s Spud Webb, an amazing 5-7 guard, had made a drive to the basket that resulted in a goaltending call on Walter Berry and a foul on Mark Jackson to give him a three-point play and to pull North Carolina State to within four points, at 59-55.

The next six points were scored by the Redmen--two free throws by Ron Stewart, two by Mike Moses and two more by Stewart.

North Carolina State Coach Jim Valvano said: “They did everything they had to do to win the game. Especially-- especially --shoot free throws.”

N.C. State had also pulled to within three points earlier, midway through the second half, when St. John’s suddenly found itself facing a strange matchup--little Spud Webb on Chris Mullin, St. John’s 6-6, 205-pound All-American.

Mullin had a three-point play (a layup with a foul on Webb) followed by an 18-footer over Webb. And Valvano called a timeout to change that strategy.

Later, he explained: “I needed (Terry) Gannon in the game to shoot it outside. I needed Spud to penetrate. Spud was supposed to front Chris. . . . I was hoping they might try to force something in to Chris. . . . I was hoping the 6-6 guy gets anxious and we look smart. But he didn’t get anxious. That’s why he’s an All-American. He made some great plays.”

Mullin said: “As soon as they put Spud on me, I was trying to get the ball in deep, but it was harder than I thought. It took me awhile to get the ball. For his size, he can dominate a game. It’s kind of unbelievable.”

Mullin, however, is expected to dominate a game. He had 30 points Friday night against Kentucky and 25 Sunday to be named the outstanding player of the tournament. Also on the tournament team were Berry, Lorenzo Charles and Webb of N.C. State and Kenny Walker of Kentucky.

Mullin played the last 5:07 of the game with four fouls. Asked if he had considered taking him out, Carnesecca said: “You go with your best. Frank McGuire told me that 30 years ago. How’s he going to score from the bench? How’s he going to play defense? You go with your best. In the tournament, there’s no tomorrow.”

With 3:35 to play Mullin stepped toward the basket as he released his shot and collided with Bennie Bolton, who was hit with a blocking foul. A charging foul on Mullin at that point would have given the Wolfpack a chance to pull within four points. Instead, Mullin made two free throws to stretch St. John’s lead to eight.

Did his heart stop when he heard that whistle? Mullin said: “No. I thought I had a step on him. I made the move and he moved with me.”

Berry had 19 points for the Redmen, although he put forth most of his effort trying to neutralize Charles, the Wolfpack’s big forward.

Charles, who battled throughout the game in the midst of Redmen, led N.C. State with 15 points and 11 rebounds. And, as Valvano pointed out: “It was a tough 15 points.”

Valvano concluded that his team had played hard, had not quit, and had lost to a very fine team. He added: “I hope the chance of an Italian winning the title again is very good.”