With Duke waiting, 'brainwashed' Wildcats just keep getting better

BOSTON - Not all Sweet 16 appearances are created equal, the Daily News has learned.

Last March, this same group of Wildcats also made it this far, after almost making the NIT. They got there as a 12 seed, overcame an 18-point second-half deficit in their first game and played a 13 seed in the second. Then they ran into Kansas and reality set in. The next weekend, the Jayhawks were cutting down even more nets. And Nova Nation already was planning for a return trip to the third round. Or, dare we say, beyond.

Well, here we are again. Except this time it was pretty much expected, since the Wildcats (28-7) are a 3 seed. Especially after the Selection Committee sent them all the way to South Philadelphia to start their journey. Now, the next thing standing in their way is Duke (30-6), the No. 2 seed in the East Region.

They will play tonight at TD Banknorth Garden. The winner will get either top seed Pittsburgh (30-4) or No. 4 Xavier (27-7) in Saturday's Elite Eight. The Wildcats got that far 3 years ago. The Blue Devils have been to 10 Final Fours since Villanova's magical run in 1985. But they last got there in 2004. That's the longest 0-for since Mike Krzyzewski first did so in 1986.

Understandably, both teams are thinking big things. Soon, only one will still have a next step to think about.

A year ago, not many gave the Wildcats very much of a shot. Now, they're absolutely a live play.

"We're not just happy to be here," said one of their four seniors, starting forward Dwayne Anderson. "We definitely belong. We want to keep pushing. We don't want this to end.

"We want to keep it going, as long as possible."

They were rookies in 2006 when the top-seeded Wildcats beat Boston College in overtime.

"The first time meant a lot," Anderson went on. "Each time you go back, it means even more. And for a lot of us, this is our last time. Some teams plateau out. We just keep progressing, each and every time we take the court.

"Yesterday we actually had our best practice. And this is March. We know what we have to do, to have another game. It's like we've been brainwashed. We don't know any other way. Duke will be ready for us. It's up to us to match their approach."