Wednesday, March 26, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
SUN WIRE REPORTS
Having swept the Big East entries, Florida State needs to make it 2-0 against Michigan's Big Ten teams to win its first college basketball title.
James Collins matched his career-high with 29 points and Kerry Thompson added 20 as the Seminoles defeated Connecticut 71-65 in overtime Tuesday night to earn their first trip to the NIT final.
The Seminoles (20-11) have eliminated three Big East schools selected for the tournament and improved to 4-0 against that conference this season.
FSU's other NIT win came against Michigan State. Next up Thursday night: Michigan.
The Wolverines (23-11) had trouble putting away overmatched Arkansas, but used a 14-4 run in the final 3:57 to beat the Razorbacks 77-62 in Tuesday night's second semifinal.
Florida State's third victory over a Big East team in the tournament prompted FSU coach Pat Kennedy to joke about the school bolting from the ACC.
Kidding aside, Florida State is playing its best basketball of the season. Since a one-point loss to Wake Forest in the ACC tournament, the Seminoles have won four straight, including road wins at Syracuse and West Virginia, two of the Big East's toughest stops.
On Tuesday night, the Seminoles rallied from five points down in the final minute to force overtime when Thompson, a junior from New York playing with a dislocated finger, made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left in regulation.
"For us so far, this has been a tournament of big shots," Kennedy said, "and Kerry made the big shot."
Freshman Richard Hamilton scored 26 points to lead the Huskies (17-15), who will finish their season Thursday night against Arkansas in the third-place game.
Collins made eight of 12 3-pointers for Florida State, and picked up the scoring slack for center Randall Jackson, who came in averaging 18.3 points in the tourney, but managed just eight on 2-for-11 shooting.
"I didn't want to lose," Collins said. "As I said before, I wanted to play more games and get the returning players more experience for next year. I think we underachieved all year, but now we are showing the kind of team we really are."
* NEW LSU COACH: His voice breaking, his daughters wearing purple and gold cheerleader outfits, his wife and mother looking on, John Brady realized a longtime dream -- becoming LSU's basketball coach. Brady, the coach at Samford for the past six years, acknowledged he didn't have the credentials of many of the coaches the school considered. He acknowledged, too, that he was largely unknown outside of Birmingham, Ala., where Samford is located. And he didn't doubt there would be some second-guessing about his hiring. He also had no doubts about taking over for Dale Brown, who retired after 25 years at LSU. "There will be some who say I don't deserve what I've gotten, but I do deserve what I've gotten and the opportunity I've been given," Brady said Tuesday. "I have worked hard to get where I am."
* TULSA KEEPS ROBINSON: Coach Steve Robinson wanted commitment; the University of Tulsa gave it to him with a seven-year contract. Robinson said the university's contract offer through the 2003-2004 season shows its dedication to strengthening the men's basketball program and a desire to be more than a steppingstone for coaches. "I just wanted to make sure that there was a commitment that our program would try to compete on a national level and not just be content with where we are today," he said Tuesday after announcing he agreed to the offer.
* STANFORD EXTENSION: Mike Montgomery, who has coached Stanford's basketball team to postseason play nine times in 11 seasons, agreed to a six year contract extension. Montgomery, 204-128 at Stanford, agreed to the contract extension just a few days after the Cardinal reached the final 16 of the NCAA Tournament. It was the best showing for the Stanford men since they won the NCAA title in 1942.
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