By Ryan Schneider

Arizona Daily Wildcat

CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Top-seeded Arkansas will vie for its first ever national championship tonight instead of the Arizona basketball team _ the Wildcats will be reduced to

The Razorbacks' opponent is Duke, a team on the verge of putting an exclamation mark on a dynasty. The Blue Devils (28-5) will be the first team in nearly two decades to make four national championship appearances in five years.

After losing in the 1990 championship game, the Blue Devils won the national title in 1991 and 1992.

Marty Clark, Antonio Lang and three-time All-American Grant Hill were members of those teams and could join a select class with a win against the Razorbacks (30-3). Only 13 players in NCAA history have won three national championships, and all are from UCLA.

The two teams will meet tonight at 6:22 p.m. at Charlotte Coliseum. The game will be nationally televised and seen locally on KOLD-Channel 13.

Hill said he hadn't had time to contemplate his place in history since the start of the NCAA Tournament came right after the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament's conclusion.

"This year, this month and a half have gone by so fast at a hectic pace," said Hill, who is the only player in ACC history with over 1,900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocked shots. "I'll have the rest of my life to reflect back on my career here at Duke."

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Hill is the best player he has coached, and Krzyzewski has seen more than his share of NBA players walk through his office in his 19 seasons at

"I don't think I'm hurting anyone's feelings," Krzyzewski said. "There's no question _ Grant Hill is the best."

Arkansas will show off the other player that many say is among the nation's best _ Corliss Williamson. The sophomore center scored 29 points and had 13 rebounds in the Razorbacks 91-82 win over Arizona. In eight career NCAA Tournament games, Williamson is 64 of 90 from the field (71 percent), the highest mark in NCAA history.

Williamson may have an easier time in the post as it was announced yesterday that Duke center Cherokee Parks (11 points and 11 rebounds against Florida) woke up yesterday morning with a swollen left knee.

Clark said there is no doubt in his mind that Parks will be out on the court come tip-off.

"Cherokee is a team player and that is his priority," Clark said. "He'll do whatever he has to do to play and will play hurt." Read Next Article