he Massachusetts backcourt has taken its share of hits during the national collegiate tournament, mostly from skeptics, who consider it the soft spot in an otherwise solid team. But the latest blow is not verbal, but physical, and the ramifications could affect UMass's chances of reaching the Final Four in Seattle.

The starting guard Edgar Padilla will not be available for today's East Regional final when second-seeded Massachusetts (29-4) meets fourth-seeded Oklahoma State (26-9) at 2:40 P.M. in Byrne Meadowlands Arena. The sophomore guard will be sidelined by a sprained left foot suffered in Friday's semifinal victory over Tulsa. The absence of Padilla, who averaged 7.1 points in 21 minutes per game, is a critical loss for UMass, already without its best guard, Mike Williams, who was suspended in mid-February for breaking team rules. With Padilla out, the starting point guard Derek Kellogg will play close to 40 minutes. Carmelo Travieso will start in Padilla's spot, while Dana Dingle will also see time at the off-guard position.

"Obviously, it's going to hurt us," UMass Coach John Calipari said of losing Padilla. "One of our biggest strengths is our depth, playing nine or 10 guys. But now Derek will have to play 40 minutes if he has to. Marcus Camby might even see time at the point."

Calipari was just joking about Camby, the 6-foot-11-inch center, who will have his hands full contending with Oklahoma State center Bryant (Big Country) Reeves. Camby was a key contributor to the Minutemen's 76-51 triumph over Tulsa with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks. Reeves had 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Cowboys' 71-66 victory over top-seeded Wake Forest.

For Reeves, it will be much like playing against Wake Forest center Tim Duncan, who like Camby is lean and athletic. Duncan used his quickness against the burly 7-foot, 292-pound Reeves to collect 22 rebounds and block 8 shots. "He's quick and a great athlete," Reeves said of Camby. "I'll have to force him off the block and try to make him complete the play away from the basket."

Reeves's wide body and ability to set screens could aggravate UMass's troubled situation at guard. Kellogg, Travieso and Dingle figure to take a physical pounding running around and into Reeves, who uses his body well to free Cowboys guard Randy Rutherford, who scored 23 against Tulsa.

"We just have to keep playing aggressive defense, regardless of foul trouble or fatigue factor," Kellogg said. "I can play 40 minutes, I'm fresh. I've averaged about 27 minutes a game this year (actually 28.2). So I don't think I'll have any problems."

Said Calipari: "A lot of people have bumps and bruises. Unless there is bone sticking through flesh, we'll be playing like we always do."

The tempo of the game also will be important. Oklahoma State favors a deliberate style that patiently works for good shots. UMass prefers more of a transition game. The Minutemen have averaged 81.7 points per game during the season, while Oklahoma State has averaged 78.2. Oklahoma State Coach Eddie Sutton would like to see today's game stay in the 60's. "The halfcourt game will be important," Sutton said. "We want to make them play as much defense as we do. We're not going to shut them out, but we'd like to see the game in the 60's."

Both teams have used tenacious defensive play to reach this point. In UMass's six postseason games, including the conference tournament, the Minutemen have not allowed an opponent to shoot better than 38.9 percent. The Cowboys's three national collegiate tournament opponents have shot 25.4 percent, 36.1 percent and 40.7 percent.

"The key to the game will be defense," Sutton said. "They dominate people off the glass and that gets them into a transition game. We'll have to keep them from doing that."

While UMass will be looking for its first trip ever to the Final Four, Oklahoma State is gunning for its fifth trip, but its first since 1951. Sutton is making his fourth appearance in the Elite Eight and last advanced to the Final Four in 1978 with Arkansas.

"I've been fortunate to have made it one time," Sutton said. "A lot of great coaches have never been there. Hopefully, I'll be there one more time after tomorrow."

REBOUNDS
In an attempt to quiet rumors that he is interested in jumping to the National Basketball Association, JOHN CALIPARI said he'll be the UMass coach next year. "These rumors always start up about recruiting time," he said. "I'll be the coach at UMass next year." Then he added, "Me going to the N.B.A. means nothing. The big question is whether Marcus is going." MARCUS CAMBY, a sophomore, said he was undecided about entering the draft. "Right now I'm just concentrating on getting to Seattle," he said. "But I know that league is a whole different world. I still have to improve on my stamina and strength."

f ever a team appeared ripe for the picking, it was the Oklahoma State Cowboys at halftime of their East Regional final against Massachusetts this afternoon at Byrne Meadowlands Arena.

Through a grueling 20 minutes, the fourth-seeded Cowboys had limited second-seeded UMass to 28.6 percent shooting from the field and had contained Marcus Camby and Lou Roe to a combined 9 first-half points. It was Coach Eddie Sutton's brand of basketball at its best, except for two problems.

Despite all that hard work, the scoreboard had UMass leading by 32-27, and the Cowboys were experiencing some potentially serious foul problems. Their top reserve, Chianti Roberts, was whistled for his fourth foul with three-tenths of a second remaining in the half. Forward Scott Pierce, whose task was to bang bodies with Roe, already was saddled with his third personal. Furthermore, Pierce was in need of some dental work after having a cap knocked off his left front tooth, courtesy of an elbow by the driving UMass point guard Derek Kellogg.

Everything seemed set for a second-half UMass romp. Certainly, Camby and Roe would improve in the second half, the shots would start falling and UMass's seemingly endless bench would wear down the slower Cowboys. That would be UMass basketball at its best.

"There's always a point in life where you step it up or quit," Pierce would say later. "Us four seniors got together and said no matter what happens, we're going to win."

That is exactly what the Cowboys proceeded to do in astonishing and convincing fashion. Camby and Roe never became an offensive factor. And if any team wore down, it was UMass, which gave in to a tenacious and physical defensive effort that earned the Cowboys a 68-54 victory and a trip to Seattle for the Final Four. Oklahoma State (27-9) will play the West Regional champion, U.C.L.A. (29-2), on Saturday in a national semifinal.

"We got beat a lot of different ways today," said John Calipari, coach of the Minutemen, who saw his team's halftime lead erased early in the second half. "They played very physical and they banged us. They did what they had to do to win. We just didn't do enough on the offensive end."

The Cowboys, who will be making their fifth trip to the Final Four and their first since 1951, got 24 points from center Bryant (Big Country) Reeves and 19 from shooting guard Randy Rutherford while holding UMass to its worst shooting game of the season, 27.6 percent.

Thanks to Reeves's 7-foot, 292-pound presence in the middle, and aggressive reinforcement from Pierce, Roberts and Terry Collins, UMass missed 42 shots, making 16 of 58. Roe and Camby were a combined 5 of 21, with Roe finishing with 9 points and Camby 6.

U.C.L.A., take note. In four National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament games, the Cowboys have limited opponents to an average of 32.2 percent shooting.

"There were no clean shots without body contact," Calipari said. "That's the way they play and they did a good job of it. They beat us to every loose ball and rebound. That's how we win games. Take that away from us and we don't get enough baskets."

Neither Roe nor Camby could deal with Reeves's size, especially Camby, who had averaged 18.3 points in three previous tournament games, but made just 2 of 10 shots today and wound up fouling out with 1 minute 23 seconds left.

"They just banged him off-balance," Calipari said.

With Edgar Padilla sidelined with a sprained left foot, the UMass guard rotation consisted primarily of Kellogg and Carmelo Travieso. Though they played well, combining for 21 points, they couldn't match Rutherford, who made up for a quiet first half with plenty of heroics later on.

After missing his first four 3-point shot attempts of the first half, Rutherford made his first attempt after intermission, a bomb from the key off a Reeves pick that gave the Cowboys their first lead of the half at 36-34. "It was due time," said Rutherford.

UMass (29-5) regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Travieso from the corner, but Reeves got it back with a jumper in the lane over Tyrone Weeks. Reeves, who scored 14 points in the second half, made 10 of 21 shots for the game and led all rebounders with 10. By the time he nailed a 9-footer from the baseline with 6:25 to play, Oklahoma State was up, 58-43.

"Reeves is overpowering and he has five inches on me," said Roe, who played with a badly pulled groin. "I was trying to use my quickness. But he's so big, they just lobbed it into him."

UMass trimmed the Cowboys' lead to 10, at 58-48, with a chance to cut it to 8. But Kellogg, after dishing a nice pass to an open Camby, was called for charging into Reeves.

"Next thing I knew," said Kellogg, "I was bopped in the jaw and lying on the ground."

Said Reeves, who also was sprawled on the floor, "I may have done a little acting, but it was good enough."

A minute later, the Minutemen were within 10 again, trailing by 61-51, but Rutherford drained a 3-pointer from the key and UMass was done.

At No. 4, Oklahoma State will be the lowest-seeded team at the Final Four. But the Cowboys take with them a seven-game winning streak. They are also 23-1 when their opponents score fewer than 70 points.

"We believed in ourselves that we could do it," said point guard Andre Owens. "Some people didn't believe in us, but we stepped it up each and every game and now we are on our way to Seattle."

Said Sutton, "Since I've returned to my alma mater, I've had some great players and great assistant coaches and we reaped the benefits today."

Before heading to Seattle, Pierce, who Sutton called "a blue-collar player," will visit the dentist to get his cap replaced. The original tooth was knocked out about 10 years ago when he was playing against his older brother in the driveway.

"I'm getting this fixed Monday, I can't walk around looking like this," Pierce said, flashing a toothless smile. "I look like Jethro."

Carmelo Travieso slips in to snatch the rebound.

Dana Dingle battles for the loose ball.

Tyrone Weeks takes it right at Bryant Reeves.

John Calipari and Rigo Nu�ez try to help out from the sidelines as Lou Roe catches a breather.

A thin Marcus Camby couldn't stop beefy Bryant Reeves...and Camby paid for it by fouling out.

MASSACHUSETTS (54) -- Dana Dingle 3-10 3-6 9, Donta Bright 0-4 3-5 3, Derek Kellogg 3-10 2-2 10, Louis Roe 3-11 3-4 9, Marcus Camby 2-10 2-3 6, Carmelo Travieso 4-10 0-0 11, Jeff Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Tyrone Weeks 0-2 3-4 3, Rigoberto Nunez 1-1 0-0 3. TOTALS: 16-58 (27.6%) 16-24 (66.7%) 54.

HALFTIME: Massachusetts 32, Oklahoma State 27. 3-POINTERS: Oklahoma State 4-12 (Rutherford 4-10, Roberts 0-1, Collins 0-1), Massachusetts 6-17 (Travieso 3-8, Kellogg 2-6, Nunez 1-1, Dingle 0-1, Bright 0-1). REBOUNDS: Oklahoma State 49 (Reeves 10), Massachusetts 39 (Roe 7). ASSISTS: Oklahoma State 16 (Owens 5), Massachusetts 11 (Kellogg 6). FOULED OUT: Roberts, Camby. TOTAL FOULS: Oklahoma State 18, Massachusetts 18. ATTENDANCE: 19,689. RECORDS: Oklahoma State 27-9, Massachusetts 29-5.

Oklahoma State         27     41  --  68
Massachusetts          32     22  --  54