Another Case Of The South Bends

Notre Dame's Royal, on the other hand had 14 boards and more than matched Comegys' offense with a game high 22 points, including 10 of 11 free throws Royal's 16 for 16 from the line in last year's Irish win over DePaul stands as the Notre Dame record Royal has not always been as reliable. "In the state semifinals my junior year," he says, recalling his days at St. Augustine High in New Orleans , "we were down by one point. I missed the front end of a one-and-one and the team we lost to went on to win the championship. After I missed that free throw, I swore to myself that I'd improve."

Voce has become a crowd favorite after what he admits were "a rough first couple of games." The Voce of the People, as he is known, was the hero against North Carolina with 15 points and 10 rebounds. "Voce [was] a big improvement from what I saw on the tapes." said Smith . Now when he does something sparkling, the Irish students extend their arms upward, angled like so many V's. Speculation on campus is rife that the upraised arms on the mosaic of "Touchdown Jesus" that adorns the main campus library is not signaling a TD at all but is rather just one more example of Voce fever.

For his part, Phelps emphasizes a slowdown, keep-it-close offense and a positive mental approach. To end Notre Dame's final practice before the Carolina game, the coach gave scissors to seniors Royal and Scott Hicks and told them to practice cutting down the nets—preparation that was not wasted. While getting ready for Duke, Phelps had Joe Fredrick, a seldom-used freshman guard, scrimmaging as a member of the Gold (first) team. "You're going to be the hero," Phelps told Fredrick over and over again. "Yeah, right," the freshman replied, remaining skeptical right up until the time he came off the bench to score the winning points in OT. And there was Phelps the day before the DePaul game, sprinkling blood in the water by saying. "I guarantee this game will be a classic in the tradition of Notre Dame basketball."

After he had proved himself prophetic, Phelps told the press, "What you saw tonight was vintage David Rivers ." It had also been vintage Digger Phelps , who scolded the zebras and masterfully orchestrated the crowd, to which the coach blew kisses after the win. "Did you see that?" said the Demons' Strickland , rolling his eyes.

"I can look at myself and laugh," Phelps says. "Hey, it's show business." But Meyer had remembered Phelps 's intense manner after Notre Dame's January loss in Rosemont Horizon. "He didn't smile. He just shook my hand and said. 'We'll get you next time,' " said Meyer , sighing. "And he did."

The message to other Goliaths lurking on the landscape is clear: Beware of crusading Davids and coaches sporting boutonnieres.