Teacher, pupil meet in first Sweet 16 bids

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- While Tulsa coach Bill Self is glad the man who gave him his first real coaching job has taken a team so far, he's ready to see Leonard Hamilton's success this season end Friday.

Wednesday, March 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- While Tulsa coach Bill Self is glad the man who gave him his first real coaching job has taken a team so far, he's ready to see Leonard Hamilton's success this season end Friday.

Pupil and teacher will be making their NCAA regional semifinal debuts together when their teams meet in Austin, Texas.

"I'm happy for him," Self said warmly Tuesday, "Of course, we're going to do everything we can to beat each other's brains in."

Phone calls from Hamilton came sometimes at 1 a.m. and again at 5:30 a.m. when he was a young assistant for four years under Hamilton at Oklahoma State. The coach, Self swears, never slept.

"He would say, `Hey, we need to work on this tomorrow,' " Self recalled. "I'm like, `Coach, couldn't it wait until I'm out of bed?' "

He expects the Hurricanes (23-10) to be as tough and as hard-nosed as their coach. "He'll get the guys to play with unbelievable intensity and fire," Self said.

In many ways, Self's Golden Hurricane (31-4) shares more than a common nickname with Hamilton's team.

Miami has power in its defense, Tulsa has speed. But neither team gives up easy baskets.

Tulsa only recently acquired an on-campus arena. Miami doesn't have one.

And both basketball programs are still fighting for recognition. "That suits me just fine," Self said of news reports that portray his team's advancement into the top 16 as a surprise. "I promise you, Miami struggles with the same thing."

And both Hamilton, 51, and Self, 37, are rebuilders who are fending off talk about hot job prospects.

Hamilton has taken the Hurricanes to a school-record three consecutive NCAA tournaments. And Self, in four years as head coach at Oral Roberts, took a team with a 5-22 record and led it to its first postseason tournament in 13 years.

If Hamilton sees something familiar in the Golden Hurricane, Self isn't afraid to admit to stealing. He said he took from Hamilton and the teachers who came before and after -- former Kansas coach Larry Brown and Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton.

He and Hamilton still talk on the phone, sharing wishes of luck and congratulatory exchanges.

"I know he's proud of me," Self said. "And I'm certainly proud of him."