Sizing up Tucson teams requires big tape

The first thing one wonders when looking at Brad Millard is where to find a step ladder to climb in order to look him in the eye when trying to talk to him.

At 7-foot-3, 345-pounds, the sophomore from St. Mary's (Calif.) is just one chapter in the story that is the NCAA Tournament.

"I'm big," said Millard, with just a hint of an understatement. "Being that I'm seven-two or seven-three, people build expectations that you should be a great player. Then they see you play and say that you are a waste of height."

The first round games at McKale Center get underway today with UNC-Charlotte facing Georgetown at 12:42. Utah battles Navy, Wake Forest takes on St. Mary's and Stanford goes against Oklahoma in the other three games.

The 1,500 tickets that remain will go on sale today at 10 a.m. Tickets can be bought for $26 for one of the three two-game sessions - two today, one Sunday - or one can get all six games for $78.

The talk of yesterday's practice sessions and media press conferences was Millard's first round matchup with Wake Forest's All-America center Tim Duncan.

"He can score, rebound and play defense," said Millard of his counterpart. "He can do it all."

And that is no understatement. Duncan led the Atlantic Coast Conference in points (20.2) and rebounds (14.3). He also leads the Demon Deacons in assists (3.2) and blocks (3.2). By comparison, Millard put up 12.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per gam e.

Despite the focus on the Millard-Duncan matchup and the hype on Wake Forest, the Gaels are certain of one thing about today's game.

"They put their socks and jocks on the same way we do," guard A.J. Rollins said. "We're not going to be uptight."

One visitor to Tucson who's definitely laid-back is Utah coach Rick Majerus.

If his Utes get upset tomorrow by Navy, Majerus already has another career lined up.

"He has all the attributes of a superstar," Majerus said of Duncan. "If I could leave the tournament in any capacity other than Utah's coach, it would be as his agent."

First things first, though, coach.

"I have a great respect for the product the service academies put out," Majerus said. "I have a tremendous respect for Navy."

Georgetown coach John Thompson was just as respectful of his first-round opponent, UNC-Charlotte.

"We were impressed with a lot of things," Thompson said of the Conference USA tournament champ. "The discipline of their team is impressive. Just to be here you have to be good."

Charlotte will try to counter the Hoyas' quick, physical players with honorable mention All-American DeMarco Johnson and 7-foot-2 post player Alexander Keuhl.

"We know Georgetown pressures the whole game. They are quick and athletic," Johnson said. "We need to play poised the entire game."

The fifth All-American making an appearance in Tucson this weekend is Stanford senior guard Brevin Knight.

However, the story of coaches and friends will be interesting.

The Cardinal is coached by Mike Montgomery. Oklahoma is coached by Kelvin Sampson.

Montgomery and Sampson have been friends since the two coached at nearby schools in Montana and then when Sampson was the head coach at Washington State.

"Well we've never got into a fist fight," Montgomery said, laughing. "Although, I'm sure at one point we've wanted to."