Central Connecticut has 19-game streak, little respect

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- They aren't fond of being known as the "other team" from Connecticut, or the "other Blue Devils" in the NCAA tournament.

But the label Central Connecticut (27-4, No. 14 seed in the South Region) really hates is "Cinderella."

"You almost feel like a little girl or something," junior guard Damian Battles said Tuesday. "We're a small school, we're not a Pittsburgh, but we don't really consider ourselves Cinderellas."

Central Connecticut enters Friday's game with third-seeded Pittsburgh riding a 19-game winning streak -- the longest in the nation. This is its second tournament appearance in three years.

In 1999, the then-15th seeded Blue Devils lost in the first round to Iowa State, 88-78. Corsley Edwards, now a senior, scored 15 points in that game, going up against All-American Marcus Fizer, now with the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

But Central's players know that to gain national respect, they will have to take the next step.

"We have to build a reputation," said forward Ricardo Scott. "Gonzaga made it to the Sweet 16 three years in a row. We have to win one game, then two games the next year."

The Northeast Conference has just one tournament win in its history, a play-in game victory in 1983 by Robert Morris over Georgia Southern. Otherwise, the conference is 0-21, staying within 10 points of their first-round foe only seven times.

To stay in Friday's game, Central will rely on its defense.

Central Connecticut is 22nd in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 62.8 points. Pittsburgh is even better, allowing 61.0, good for 15th best.

"They play very similarly to us. They like to grind it out," said point guard John Alexander. "It's better for us when it's slowed down. We've been doing that all year."

The Blue Devils are 24-4 against teams ranked 110th or worse in the RPI (Rating Percentage Index). Against teams ranked better than 110th, Central Connecticut is 0-3, losing by a combined 66 points.

The team claims that those early season losses are meaningless, since they occurred while the team was still getting a feel for Alexander, their first-year point guard.

Against Pittsburgh, Alexander will be up against Brandin Knight, the Big East co-player of the year. Knight, averaging 15.6 points, 7.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 steals, is battling a knee injury, but hopes to play.

"John Alexander has to contain Knight, but we all have to help out," said Battles. "It's about team defense."

The Blue Devils are not short on confidence heading into Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh on Friday.

"If we go in thinking we can win, we've got a good chance," said forward Ron Robinson.