Williams hopes to keep a dry eye for a while longer

By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Roy Williams isn't ready to burst into tears just yet.

Williams has accomplished just about everything imaginable in his 15 years as coach at Kansas except win the national championship.

It's become a sort of tradition for him to cry upon his team's elimination from the NCAA tournament.

``My goal and my dream at Kansas is every year we have a chance,'' Williams said Wednesday. ``I'd like to be the last guy standing at one time.''

The second-seeded Jayhawks (27-7) need four more wins to get the job done, starting Thursday night against third-seeded Duke (26-6) in a West Regional semifinal matchup involving two of college basketball's top programs.

The winner meets either Arizona or Notre Dame on Saturday at Anaheim Arena for a berth in the Final Four.

The Jayhawks have made it that far three times in Williams' previous 14 years as their coach including last year, when they lost to eventual champion Maryland 97-88 in the semifinals.

Kansas reached the championship game 12 years ago before losing to Duke 72-65 one of three NCAA titles the Blue Devils have won under coach Mike Krzyzewski.

``We beat two, three, four in the country and then we got to the national championship game,'' Williams recalled. ``I loved our kids that day. It was a 7, 10, 12-point game all the way, our kids kept fighting.

``We never got over the edge. We didn't have one kid who played a minute in the NBA.''

Kansas also reached the Final Four in 1993.

The second-seeded Jayhawks are winless in three games against Duke under Williams and 1-6 overall against the Blue Devils. The lone victory came in the NCAA semifinals in 1988, when Kansas won its last NCAA championship.

Williams was hired a few months later to succeed Larry Brown, who left to coach in the NBA.

Williams' 388 wins entering this season are the most for anyone in his first 14 years as a head coach 45 more than Jim Boeheim's teams at Syracuse won from 1977-90.

And Williams' current 415-100 record gives him the highest winning percentage .806 of any active head coach with a minimum of six years experience.

``Roy is one of the best coaches,'' Krzyzewski said. ``A really good coach allows the players to showcase their skills. A system can hold a kid back. Their system gives them a lot of freedom. They're allowed to follow their instincts; they're difficult to beat.''

Duke has been, too. In Krzyzewski's 23 years as head coach, the Blue Devils have a 590-174 record for a .772 winning percentage.

In addition, they've won three national championships and played in nine Final Fours under the man known as ``Coach K.''

``Their team has gotten better and better as the season went along,'' Williams said in what has to be the ultimate compliment. ``I have a great deal of respect for Mike. I love their kids and how they play.''

Krzyzewski had to deal with the early departure of Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer to the NBA.

So instead of having all five starters back from one of the nation's best teams, he had to make do with two.

And there are six freshmen and three sophomores on the roster.

``What I did this year was not put any expectations on them,'' Krzyzewski said. ``We've tried to coach this team based on its level of ability and experience.''

Three freshmen are among the team's top six scorers, including J.J. Redick, who established himself early as one of the nation's finest outside shooters.

Kansas, meanwhile, is led by seniors Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich. Krzyzewski called Collison the best player in the country and said Hinrich is among the top 10.

Hinrich said he believes the experience is an advantage, but added: ``They have guys who have been a part of a national championship team.''

Duke won the NCAA title two years ago and some expected the Blue Devils to repeat last season, but they were eliminated by Indiana in the third round.

Kansas hopes to repeat that feat.

Duke and Kansas have had two of the country's elite programs for years even before Williams and Krzyzewski were hired. They've played in 24 Final Fours between them 13 by the Blue Devils.

``You have two of the great programs in the history of the game,'' Krzyzewski said. ``So no matter who's playing or who's coaching, you're going to have a marquee event.''

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)