Last year, Nazr Mohammed played no minutes in the NCAA championship game, and attracted about as much postgame attention as a potted plant.
Monday night, the Kenwood Academy graduate played 25 minutes and scored 12 points, had a team-high 11 rebounds and tied a title-game record with three blocked shots. But there were six other reasons why a media throng surrounded the sophomore’s locker.
“I missed all six of my free throws and we lost by five points,” said Mohammed. “It’s real tough.”
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Mohammed missed all six free throws in the second half, including two with 4 minutes 11 seconds left in overtime and Kentucky down 76-74.
“My teammates told me my free throws didn’t make the whole game, that there were other mistakes that hurt us,” said Mohammed, a 56 percent free throw shooter during the regular season. “But I wish I could take those back.”
Mohammed registered his seventh double-double of the season in the biggest game of his career.
“I’m really proud of Nazr Mohammed,” said Kentucky coach Rick Pitino. “If you could have only seen him a year-and-a-half ago. I saw a gentleman 315 pounds turn into such a marvelous player as a sophomore. And he’ll get better and better.”
First class: San Antonio forward Sean Elliott, a two-time All-American at Arizona, chartered his own jet to attend the title game and talked to the Wildcats before the team bus left for the RCA Dome.
“We could not have written a script better than what he had to say to our guys,” said Arizona coach Lute Olson.
Pitino hints he’ll stay: Pitino, who will likely be wooed by the Boston Celtics this summer, indicated he will return to coach the Wildcats.
“What would be the motive to go someplace else?” he asked. “You know how big Kentucky is and . . . that they pay me well enough to stay. After eight years, I don’t think too many people pay attention to rumors.””
Leaving Arizona: Olson twice was considered for the Kentucky job, in 1985 and again in 1989. The first time he actually went to Lexington for a look, but the second time he declined even that opportunity.
“I guess the turning point in that one was my wife had picked up two of the grandkids from school that day, and on the way home they said something to her about, `That’s OK if you and Papa Lute decide to go,’ while tears were streaming down their eyes,” Olson said. “For those of you who are grandparents, you’ll understand how that tugs at you. Family has always been very critical to us–four of our five kids live in Tucson–and that was why we decided that Arizona would be a good place for us to finish.”
Title rematch? The Maui Invitational has received commitments from Duke, Boston College, George Washington, Missouri, DePaul and . . . Arizona and Kentucky to play in the Nov. 24-26 holiday tournament.
The brackets have yet to be determined, but chances are the organizers would arrange things so Arizona and Kentucky could meet in the final. As it stands now, Arizona is expected to be the preseason No. 1, with Kentucky not far behind.