Van Horn

WASHINGTON -- In the midst of what was not the most heated of evenings, Juwan Howard's temper flared and he had to leave the game. But like most things in the final quarter of Washington's 120-99 victory over the New Jersey Nets last night, Howard's departure was oflittle or no consequence.Thus coach Bernie Bickerstaff's blase reaction to the ejection, one of the few blemishes in a game in which the Wizards posted their highest point total of the year and shot 57.9 percent, also a season-high.

For an NBA draft that was considered drab, there was quite a bit of drama leading to last night's gathering at the Charlotte Coliseum: Would Scottie Pippen be traded to the Boston Celtics, thus ending the Chicago Bulls dynasty? Would the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers pull the trigger on a rumored eight-player deal?By the end of the first round, there were few surprises and no announced megadeals. But the round did result in a thrill for a local star, Keith Booth. The former Dunbar and Maryland star was selected in the final pick of the first round by the world champion Bulls.

At San Jose, Calif.No. 1 Kentucky (33-4) vs. No. 2 Utah (29-3)Time: 6 p.m. todayTV: Chs. 13, 9Line: Kentucky by 7 1/2How they got here: Kentucky beat Montana, 92-54; Iowa, 75-69; and St. Joe's, 83-68. Utah beat Navy, 75-61; North Carolina-Charlotte, 77-58; and Stanford, 82-77, in overtime.Conference records: Kentucky was 16-3 and won the the Southeastern Conference tournament. Utah was 18-1 and won the Western Athletic Conference tournament.Rankings: Utah is No. 2 in AP poll, Kentucky is No. 5.NCAA tournament records: Kentucky is 75-34 with six national championships.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Utah's defense held North Carolina-Charlotte's two best players to nine points and the Utes advanced to the round of 16 on Thursday with a convincing, 77-58 victory in the West Regional yesterday.Charlotte's leading scorer, DeMarco Johnson, averaging 19.3 points, scored just six. Point guard Sean Colson, averaging 14.5, had just three points on a 1-for-13 shooting performance. They were a combined 3-for-22."I credit our guys," coach Rick Majerus said after Utah's 13th straight win. "We understand how to win. We win with defense and rebounding."

TUCSON, Ariz. -- In his final run at the Final Four, Utah's Keith Van Horn will leave no stone unturned. If this is March, the commitment is total.No distractions, no detours, no tests?"

TUCSON, Ariz. -- For all their hustle and effort yesterday, the Navy Midshipmen had to face a simple truth at the final buzzer of their West Regional opening- round game against Utah: The Utes belong in a higher basketball league.Ranked No. 2 in the country, Utah (27-3) took command with a 12-0 run early in the first half and cruised to a 75-61 victory over Navy (20-9) at McKale Arena. The Utes will play North Carolina-Charlotte, which whipped Georgetown, 79-67, in the second round tomorrow afternoon.

What: First round, NCAA West RegionalWhere: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.When: Today: 5: 12 p.m.TV/Radio: Ch. 13/WNAV (1430 AM)How they got here: Navy finished the season with nine straight victories and edged Bucknell, 76-75, to win the Patriot League crown. Utah has won 11 in a row, but needed last-second shots by senior F Keith Van Horn to edge SMU and New Mexico to advance in the Western Athletic Conference tournament before defeating TCU, 89-68, in the title game.Conference record: Navy won the Patriot League with a 10-2 record.

Ask Utah coach Rick Majerus about his senior forward Keith Van Horn, and his initial response has nothing to do with the All-American's extraordinary basketball skills."

Remember 1996? Of course not. Nobody was there for it. Everybody was too busy with the business of being busy.So, it's that time to offer the Best of 1996: the best in books, 'zines, theater, music, art and film. If you think you missed a good movie or book or play, you did. You missed the whole boat.Now don't go and get all depressed because you didn't get out more -- or any. Some of us didn't, either.BooksConsider just a few of the Best of '96: "The Autobiography of My Mother," "The Woman Who Walked Into Doors" and "The Origin of Satan."

Basketball coach Richard Williams of Mississippi State begins his watch early on game days, hoping he can quickly determine how much offense to expect from Erick Dampier.Williams is so accomplished at the process that the slightest glance, grimace or smile by Dampier is enough to reveal how the talented sophomore center is likely to play. But recently, the signs, and Dampier's play, have been less subtle.And not coincidentally, Williams said, the Bulldogs' fortunes in the NCAA tournament continue to improve.