Tuesday, March 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Commissioner Karl Benson's happiness of a successful Western Athletic Conference tournament Saturday turned to sadness Sunday with the announcement of the postseason bids.
Yes, the WAC received high seeds from the NCAA Tournament selection committee with Utah a No. 2 seed, New Mexico a No. 3 and Tulsa a No. 5. But Benson was hoping for a fourth WAC school to make the field of 64, and none was forthcoming.
Then the NIT called. And instead of the WAC getting five teams in the 32-team field, it got just four. Colorado State was snubbed while UNLV, Hawaii, Fresno State and Texas Christian were in.
"The good news is we got a two, a three and a five in the NCAA and we got four in the NIT and they're all hosting the first round," Benson said. "But I think the No. 2 should have been a No. 1 seed and we deserved a fourth team.
"I feel UNLV, TCU and Hawaii are on par with USC, Georgetown, Oklahoma, UMass, Colorado and Texas. The Big East, Big 12, Pac-10 and Atlantic 10 all got bubble teams in and we didn't, and I think that's wrong."
And the committee didn't do Utah any favors despite keeping the Utes in the West. With Kentucky, Wake Forest, St. Joseph's, Boston College and Stanford joining Rick Majerus' team in the top six, the West is loaded.
While Majerus may be glad to launch an assault on the Mexican restaurants of Tucson, he could be suffering from indigestion by the time he reaches San Jose and a return date with Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons spanked Utah on New Year's Eve in Salt Lake City and figure to be as tough, if not tougher, on a neutral floor at the San Jose Arena.
Then there's the NIT's snub of Colorado State, which went 20-10 and had two wins over UNLV, which was selected to the tourney. Benson was counting on five WAC teams making the field. But when he talked to NIT executive director Jack Powers, the committee didn't want to take a fifth WAC school.
"Jack said there appeared to be a reluctance to go with more than four from the WAC," he said. "Their philosophy has always been to spread the selections around and soften the hurt of conferences that only get one team into the NCAAs.
"I can understand where he's coming from, but we felt Colorado State was deserving. I just feel the WAC was slighted by the NCAA. We deserved a fourth team and we didn't get it and that bothers me."
Happy camper
So, how does Utah's Majerus like the WAC tournament in Las Vegas now?
Just fine, said the coach, whose team pounded TCU 89-68 for the tourney title in front of 10,101 Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
"Vegas has been great," he said after the championship had been secured. "I love Vegas.
"I discovered a new restaurant (Manhattan). The people at the Riviera were gracious hosts. It was fine. I still don't believe kids should be staying at hotels with casinos, but that's me."
The Utes, who went an incredible 18-1 in WAC play, losing only to New Mexico at The Pit, have been the dominant team this decade in the conference. Majerus said whoever beats that mark will have to be a heck of a team.
"I don't see anyone running the table," he said. "I don't think this record will ever be broken.
"These guys have had a bull's eye on their back all year and I'm so happy for them."
And he's especially happy for tourney MVP Keith Van Horn. After getting Utah to the championship game with buzzer-beating shots to oust Southern Methodist Thursday and New Mexico Friday, Van Horn simply took over the game Saturday, pouring in 37 points to put TCU away.
Fish that saved Utah
Majerus had to laugh when he watched televised reports of Van Horn's heroics Friday against New Mexico and it was reported the Utah star tipped in a shot at the buzzer to beat the Lobos.
"I don't know where they get two tip-ins from," Majerus said. "He happened to be in a fortuitous place on the floor when the ball came to him against New Mexico and he got the shot up in time.
"He's like the fish that was 12 inches and suddenly became 20 inches."
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