March 9, 2003
They shoot, they score: 2003 With March Madness upon us, two NCAA basketball standouts go one on one for USA WEEKEND. By Frappa Stout

Luke Walton School: University of Arizona Position: Forward Class, age, height: Senior, 22, 6-foot-8 Academics: Family studies major Hometown: San Diego Favorite movie: "The Big Lebowski" Favorite basketball movie: "Hoosiers" Dream one-on-one opponent: Larry Bird

Kara Lawson School: University of Tennessee Positions: Point guard, shooting guard Class, age, height: Senior, 22, 5-foot-8 Academics: Finance major Hometown: Alexandria, Va. Favorite movies: "The Shawshank Redemption", "Primal Fear" Favorite basketball movie: "Hoosiers" Dream one-on-one opponent: Michael Jordan

Once again, USA WEEKEND gets fans pumped up for March Madness by bringing together two of the most talented college basketball players -- this year, Tennessee's Kara Lawson and Arizona's Luke Walton -- for a spirited, battle-of-the-sexes-style round of "one-on-one" jawing, conversationally speaking. The two have dominated the game all season. Both are preseason All-Americans and candidates for player of the year. Coming back from an ankle injury, forward Walton is the spark plug behind Arizona's dominating season, the go-to guy for that clutch basket, pass or rebound. (Having good genes never hurts, after all; his dad is hoops legend and ESPN/ABC commentator Bill Walton.) Meanwhile, Lawson combined a fiery vocal leadership style with a lethal three-point shot to lead the Lady Vols to another standout season, helping coach Pat Summitt earn her 800th career win this year.

When will the women start tossing down the dunks, the way the men do?
Kara: For now, we only have a couple of players who can dunk and do the kind of highlights the men's game has. Michelle Snow dunked three times, but she graduated last year and is now in the pros. We have one player that dunks in practice but hasn't done it in a game yet.
Luke: That Snow girl, she can dunk better than I can. ... I think there's more skill involved in the women's game, because they're not overpowering and dunking the ball. There's a lot of fundamentals involved in their game.

Have you checked out Kara's game, Luke?
Luke: Yeah. They're on TV all the time. She's a baller. She's the most likely to beat me.
Kara: I don't know about that. You've got a size advantage!

How would you get him off his game?
Kara: I'd hope his ankle was hurting that day! Really, going right at him down inside would not be a good option for me, because he's so big. I'd probably have to bring him outside, and shooting threes is my specialty, so I'd take it out there.
Luke: Then I guess I'd have to call in my teammate, Jason Gardner, to come and double-team you.
Kara: At least Jason is smaller! [He's 5-foot-10.]

Does either of you indulge in any pregame superstitions?
Kara: I always take a shower and put on my shorts before my shirt. I always put my left shoe on before my right.
Luke: We've got the whole-day routine: We shoot around, have our pregame meal, then come home and take a nap, then shower and get ready at the gym.

Did you learn a lot about hoops from your dad, Luke? Were you born with a basketball in your crib?
Luke: Pretty much. We always had his teammates over at the house, and my brothers and I had our friends over so we could play two-on-two or three-on-three pretty much any time of the day. We usually played all day, every day, or until someone got beaten up in a fight.
Kara: I think he takes a lot from his dad's game. His dad played more in the post than Luke does, but one thing I remember is that he had great fundamentals and great footwork.

Have you heard him announce a game?
Kara: [Laughs]. Oh, yeah.

Can you imitate him for us?
Kara: [Laughs.] No! I just remember when he used to do games with Steve Jones and they'd fight the whole game, going back and forth.
Luke: About 15 people on my team would love to imitate him for you!

Luke, your dad is also a huge Grateful Dead fan. That must have made for an ... umm ... interesting life growing up.
Luke: My brothers and I grew up listening to them all the time. They've been to the house. Jerry Garcia was there a few times. We have pictures of when we were about 5 or 6, sitting backstage at their concerts. When we got into junior high and high school, we started going with our friends.

We usually ask, for the last question, about a playful "Let's pretend" premise, as if the two of you were romantically matched. So, Luke, if you were on "The Bachelor", what would Kara have to do to get a rose?
Luke: I'd give Kara a rose anyway. She wouldn't have to do anything.
Kara: I'd probably have to do something.
Luke: All right, then, you'd have to give me a foot massage or something.