Highlanders happy to have the challenge of Tar Heels

RADFORD The really big screen television in Hurlburt Student Center at Radford University flashed the name "Duke," and the crowd went wild.

The Radford Highlanders wanted Duke in the first round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Duke, the No. 2 seed in the East Region, with its finesse game vs. the Highlanders, with the inside power of 6-11, 260-pound Art Parakhouski. Oh, yeah, the Highlanders liked that matchup a lot.

There was a mass groan when Binghamton drew the Blue Devils.

Moments later, when CBS sportscaster Greg Gumbel said, "Now for the South Region," the crowd burst into cheers again.

This was the only region left to announce. The Highlanders soon would learn their first-round opponent.

"North Carolina," the No.1 seed in the South, came on the screen, and the anticipation among the Radford players, cheerleaders and fans was palpable.

They knew what was coming.

When "Radford" appeared in the same box with North Carolina, players and fans, about 250, stood en masse and gave an ear-splitting cheer for almost a minute. They were ecstatic.

Uh, folks, think about that for a minute.

North Carolina is one of the great programs in college basketball history. The Tar Heels spent considerable time ranked No. 1 in the country this year. Playing them in Greensboro is practically playing them on their home court.

"I hadn't thought about that," said Highlanders guard and Richmond native Kenny Thomas. "Greensboro isn't too far from Radford, either, so we're going to have a good turnout ourselves."

After the initial thrill of seeing and hearing "Radford" on national TV, the magnitude of the challenge began to sink in, on the fans anyway.

Several stopped on their way out of the building and told the players, "You deserved a higher seed."

Yes, the Highlanders did.

Binghamton got a No. 15 seed. The NCAA selection committee must have missed the America East Conference championship game, won by Binghamton 61-51 over Maryland-Baltimore County. That winner of that game had "16th seed" written all over it.

Robert Morris received a 15th seed. Robert Morris scored all of 48 points in the Northeast Conference tournament title game. Seriously, how does 48 points in your conference championship game deserve a No. 15 seed?

And let's not even get started on how Cal-State Northridge, with its 17-13 record, earned a No. 15 seed.

Radford (21-11) has won 17 of its past 19 games, including nine straight on the road. Radford comes from a conference that had victories at Kentucky (by VMI) and at Virginia (by Liberty). Radford was 3-1 against Liberty and VMI.

The Big South Conference deserves a little respect.

"A 15 seed, a 16 seed, you're splitting hairs," said Radford coach Brad Greenberg. "This is a chance to play one of the more storied programs in NCAA basketball. If you can't appreciate that, you shouldn't be doing it.

"It's an exciting opportunity. If you had said before the season, 'You're going to win enough games to get in the NCAA tournament, get a chance to play North Carolina and have a chance to be the first 16 to beat a No. 1, would you like that?' I would say yeah. I would do it."

In the plus column, no one has to spend time researching the Tar Heels. If you live on the Eastern seaboard and haven't seen the Tar Heels play, you probably do not own a television or lost your remote and haven't been able to change channels since December.

"It's as if there's a Carolina basketball network, they're on so often," Greenberg said.

The Tar Heels are on the Highlanders' radar now, and the Highlanders have decided to like it.

"It would have been great to be a 14 or 15 seed, but it's fine," Thomas said. "Eventually, we're going to have to play a good team anyway, so we're just getting started early."

Confidence will not be a problem for the Highlanders. Dealing with the Tar Heels talent might be another matter. But for Radford, it's beat the alternative.