Syracuse University

The buzzards began circling the Kansas camp when power forward Wayne Simien went down with a dislocated right shoulder 12 games into the season. Then after he was declared out for the season, the Jayhawks were widely perceived as too soft, and not deep enough to make a legitimate run at a national championship.

John Wallace gets all the accolades and Lazarus Sims is regarded as Syracuse's floor leader, but the Orangemen would not be playing in tonight's NCAA championship game without junior Otis Hill. In the tournament, Hill has been Syracuse's most consistent player, averaging 16 points and 6.2 rebounds in five games. In the Orangemen's 77-69 victory over Mississippi State in Saturday's semifinal, Hill scored 15 of Syracuse's first 27 points.

With the coronation of Kentucky lacking only a final score and trophy presentation, Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim can only hope to become another notable exception to someone else's foregone conclusion. Politics had Truman and Dewey. Football had the Jets and the Colts. Boxing offered Buster Douglas versus Mike Tyson. "There's nobody in college basketball that's unbeatable," Boeheim contended Sunday. "Everybody knows that. And it's as simple as that. It's a one-game deal.

Mississippi State fans may want to point to the Bulldogs' 21 turnovers or their 35.3% shooting in the second half as the two biggest reasons why Syracuse will play in Monday's NCAA championship game. But for those who believe games are won or lost in the lane, Syracuse defeated the Bulldogs, 77-69, thanks to two key stretches of inside domination by Otis Hill and John Wallace. "They took away our inside game for the most part," Mississippi State Coach Richard Williams said.

Bill Scharr, Syracuse starting quarterback, quit spring football practice, although he left open the possibility that he could return for the fall season.