The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 7

THE COURIER-JOURNAL LOUISVILLE, KY. TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 1989. Michigae wims NCAA Me 80-79 to OT Associated Press SEATTLE Rumeal Robinson made two free throws with three seconds left in overtime to give Michi- oan its first nntinnnl rhnmninnshin Kf and cap the improbable ride of interim head coach Steve Fisher with an 80-79 victory over Seton Hall last night. Fisher had taken over the Michigan team just two days before the NCAA Tournament hppan and coached it to the six victories needed ill i'" esH for the title. The championship game was the fifth to go into overtime and the first since Loyola of Chicago beat Cincinnati 60-58 in 1963.

Glen Rice scored 31 points for the Wolverines (30-7), giving him a tournament record 184, breaking the 24-year-old mark of 177 set by Bill Bradley of Princeton. Robinson, who finished with 21 points and 11 assists, got his chance to be the hero when he was fouled by Gerald Greene, who had missed the front end of a bonus with 1:17 remaining and Seton Hall leading 79-76. Terry Mills hit a turnaround jumper with 56 seconds left to bring the Wolverines within one with 56 seconds remaining. Seton Hall (31-7) worked the 45-second shot clock down and John Morton, who finished with 35 points, tossed up an airball with 11 seconds left Michigan brought the ball down-court and Robinson began a drive to the basket when he was fouled before shooting. Robinson nailed the free throws, and after two Pirate timeouts, a final desperation three-pointer banged off the glass and rim and Michigan had its first national championship in three title-game appearances.

Michigan lost to UCLA 91-80 in 1965 and to Indiana 86-68 in 1976. Rice opened the overtime with a jumper that was answered by Andrew Gaze's three-pointer, his first field goal of the game. The teams ex- See MICHIGAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS Michigan's Rumeal Robinson (21) scored over Seton Hall's Daryll Walker in last night's NCAA championship game in Seattle. PAGE 3, col. 3, this section Seton Hall's Andrew Gaze, left, and Michigan's Glen Rice scrambled for a loose ball in the first half.

Louisville's Houston named new head coach at Tennessee GLANCE WADE HOUSTON AT A Resume Age: 44. College: Louisville. Three-year letterman, two-year starter, Received B.S. In 1966; received M.A. in 1973.

85, but lost to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The loss is a big one for of which elevated Houston to associate head coach last year in what appeared to be a move to cement his status as Cram's heir apparent. Ironically, that move came after Houston's name popped up as a candidate when DeVoe's job was considered in jeopardy. Houston didn't feel that was a strong enough guarantee to keep him at of L. "It would be nice if things were diagramed for you, and you could look four See HOUSTON PAGE 5, col.

1, this section By PAT FORDE Staff Writer After 13 years as an assistant at the University of Louisville and several attempts at landing a head coaching job, Wade Houston finally has a program all his own. Houston agreed yesterday to a guaranteed five-year contract worth $850,000 as the head basketball coach at Tennessee. The 44-year-old native of Alcoa, was a top candidate for the Texas job last year and the Temple spot in 1982, and he has! turned down offers from smaller schools. "It really does feel good, because you start to wonder after a while if you'll ever get the opportunity," Houston said last night from Orlando, where he is vacationing with his family. "I guess at my age now, you have to make a decision about your career.

I didn't want to continue on for the next four, five, six years and never have a chance to become a head coach." Houston, the Southeastern Conference's first black head basketball coach, succeeds Don DeVoe, who resigned under pressure last month. DeVoe was 204-137 in 11 seasons at Tennessee. The Volunteers were 19-11 this season, their best record since 1984- The Tennessee job Contract Five years, $850,000 guaranteed ($85,000 annual base salary; an equal amount each year in radio and television income). Predecessor: Don DeVoe. Resigned under pressure last month after compiling 204-137 record in 11 seasons.

1988-89: 19-11, first-round loss in NCAA Tournament. Returnees: Six lettermen, ft JMA High school coaching: Five seasons, 112-34 record. Ahrens High School (1971-73. 22-22); Male High (1973-76, 90-12; state champion in 1975, state runner-up in 1974). College coaching: 13 seasons.

of (1976-89); named associate head coach In February 1988. Houston Turner is paid tribute as model in courage O'Neill's 4 hits help Reds win opener 6-4 mKmmmmmnji RICK BOZICH SPORTS COLUMNIST No distractions for the Reds' Pete Rose for a day, anyway. Mets whip Cardinals 8-4. Orioles, 0-21 to start '88, win. Stories, Page 2 "We didn't start off too well, but it was good to come back like that against a team like the Dodgers," Reds manager Pete Rose said.

"We've got to play them 18 games, so if they're going to be one of the main contenders, we've got to take care of them." O'Neill, who hit .252 last year in his first full season in the majors, provided Cincinnati's spark by getting a double, a homer and two singles before leaving the game after the seventh Inning. "Everybody has good days," O'Neill said. "I was just lucky enough to have one of mine with 55,000 people out there." O'Neill's line-drive double down the right-field line in the second in- See O'NEILL PAGE 2, col. 1, this section fir i 'jttmtJL ilfc SEATTLE Basketball? There was no reason for Landon Turner to worry about that. First, he had to take his next breath.

One at a time, Landon, one at a time. Replaying the scene in his mind yesterday before the NCAA championship game, Landon Turner went through the details as though the car had just begun its slide off IND 46 just outside Columbus. July 25, 1981. Midmorning. Two couples riding from Bloomington to Kings Island amusement center.

Slick spot takes the car out of Turner's control and into a slight ditch. The car rolls, tossing a woman out of the front passenger seat and throwing Turner over into her spot His neck snaps, severely damaging his spinal cord. For five days Turner drifts in and out of consciousness. Memory One is of lying in the intensive-care ward at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, looking at a dozen wires and tubes flow from his body and wondering how severe and permanent the injuries were. "You think about a lot of things," he said.

"You wonder if you're going to make it. And if you make it, what will you be able to do? Will the ladies still come around you?" Turner laughed. "But I just decided right away I didn't want to quit," he said. "I was lucky to be alive, and very grateful By RUSS BROWN Staff Writer i CINCINNATI You'd never know it from his performance, but Paul O'Neill had a world-class case of the butterflies fluttering in his stomach on opening day at Riverfront Stadium yesterday. "I was too nervous," Cincinnati's young right fielder said after leading the Reds to a 6-4 victory over the 1988 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

However, O'Neill, 26, controlled his jitters enough to collect four hits, including a three-run home run, as the Reds began their quest to unseat the Dodgers in the National League West. Not bad for a guy whose name his own club apparently doesn't know how to spell. The name on the back of his jersey was spelled O'Neil, a mistake he hadn't noticed. "No way!" he said. "You've got to be kidding me.

That's crazy. I didn't even notice it Maybe I should just change my name." But not the way he hits. A crowd of 55,385, second-largest ever for a Cincinnati regular-season game, watched as the Reds fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, then rallied to score three runs each in the second and third innings. O'Neill played a role in four of them. for it.

"Instead of feeling sorry for myself I took the attitude that it's a blessing to be alive and try to be the best that I could be and maybe be an inspiration to others." Mission accomplished. The U.S. Basketball Writers Association honored Landon Turner yesterday with its Most Courageous Award for 1989. This award was not related to See TURNER PAGE 3, col. 1, this section i Corrections clarifications A story yesterday incorrectly said that Michigan interim coach Steve Fisher had more postseason victories than football coach Bo Schem-bechler.

Before last night's game Fisher had five wins. In 20 years, Schembechler's bowl record is 5-11. Cincinnati's Paul O'Neill, left, was safe at the plate when Los Angeles catcher Mike Scioscia was late with the tag in the second inning yesterday. ASSOCIATED PRESS INSIDE Sports People Major league baseball Scorecard Ball State's Majerus takes post at Utah See Page 5 BASEBALL OPENING DAY SCORES Cincinnati 6, Los Angeles 4 Mets 8, Cardinals 4 Baltimore 5, Boston 4, 11 Innings Toronto 4, Kansas City 3 Cleveland 2, Milwaukee 1 NFL free agency: plenty of changes See Page 5 .2 2 4 4 6 Harness racing Thoroughbred racing.