Dreadlocks Help Devin Davis Let It All Hang Out For Miami

DAYTON, Ohio - Miami forward Devin Davis gets as much media attention for his hairstyle as his basketball ability. Davis wears his dreadlocks like a carrot top. They bounce with every step.

He said one school that recruited him was concerned about his hairstyle.

"There was a rumor that they wanted me to cut it," Davis said. "I wasn't going to cut it.

"I get a lot of questions about my hair. `Why do I do it? Am I Jamaican?' Name-calling. I get tired of people asking, but sometimes it makes it more fun."

Virginia Coach Jeff Jones, whose team eliminated Miami yesterday in a Midwest Regional game, likes the hair. "Quite honestly, it fits his game," Jones said. "It just seems he lets it all hang out."

Murray State cheerleaders injured

NEWSTEAD, Ky. - A van carrying Murray State cheerleaders back from the NCAA tournament crashed and overturned on an interstate yesterday, injuring 11 people.

Two were critically injured and flown to a hospital in Nashville, Tenn., about 50 miles away. Four were hospitalized in stable condition.

The van, carrying 13 people, blew out a tire, crashed into the median and skidded several hundred feet.

The cheerleaders were returning from Tallahassee, Fla., where the Racers lost to North Carolina Friday.

Scoring like a Demon

BALTIMORE - Wake Forest's Randolph Childress, bothered by a cold, wasn't bothered by Saint Louis defenders in the Demon Deacons' East Regional victory. Childress scored 21 points.

"I felt weak because it was hard to eat," he said, "but now I have a couple of days off and can get some rest and fluids."

So long, Manhattan?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Manhattan College got lots of publicity for its first-round upset of Oklahoma, but the biggest winner may be Jasper Coach Fran Fraschilla.

Fraschilla, without trying to sound too eager to get out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, acknowledged that he's interested in a school at the "next level."

"I've gotta send Dick Vitale a check," he said of the ESPN announcer who has touted him the past several days.

Jeronimo no hero

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Manhattan's Jeronimo Bucero, a forward from Madrid, was a non-factor against Arizona State after emerging as a hero of the Jaspers' upset of Oklahoma.

Frieder made sure the Sun Devils got a hand in Bucero's face on the perimeter, and Bucero got off only one shot. Jeronimo - pronounced hee-ron-eee-mow - was scoreless in eight minutes.

"My wife rips us every time someone makes a three-point shot on us," Frieder said. "We were very aware of No. 32."

Unstoppable mouth

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - In Tulane's Southeast Regional loss to Kentucky, pro prospect Rayshard Allen did indeed appear to have all the makings of a pro - a Los Angeles Clipper.

Allen expressed pride in his 29-point performance, a justifiable emotion except that his team got blown out by 22 by an unselfish Kentucky team.

"Their guys weren't strong enough to stop me," Allen said.

Notes

-- Miami's Devin Davis went over 500 points this season with his 12 yesterday. The last Miami player to score 500 was Ron Harper (1985-86).

-- Michigan State's new coach, Tom Izzo, 40, spent 12 years as an assistant to Jud Heathcote, who retired after the Spartans' Southeast Regional loss to Weber State Friday in Tallahassee. Heathcote and his wife, Beverly, will retire near Spokane, where they are building a house.

-- Among those sighted at yesterday's Southeast Regional games: NBA general managers Wally Walker of the Seattle SuperSonics and Isiah Thomas of the expansion Toronto Raptors, who begin play next season.

-- Virginia freshman Curtis Staples, with two three-pointers, is within two of the ACC record for treys by a freshman. Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott had 98 in 1987-88.

-- Kansas Coach Roy Williams on free-shooting guard Billy Thomas: "I've never know Billy to get rattled. Drop him in the middle of the jungle or Saudi Arabia and he'll feel good about himself."

Seattle Times staff reporters Bob Sherwin and Tom Farrey contributed to this report.