Bob Ford: Forget history: Neither team is awed by the mystique or reputation of the other.

BOSTON - At this point of the college basketball season - well, at every point depending on how early a coach goes to the cliche bench - you hear a lot about playing for the name on the front of the uniform and not the name on the back.

It's a nice sentiment, and the University of Utah took things to a new level last week in Miami when the team came out wearing uniforms that all had "UTAH" on the back where the player names usually go.

This didn't impress the Arizona Wildcats, however, and the Utes, whatever their names were, took the next wagon train back home.

The list of basketball teams that benefit from the school's name, whether on the front or the back, isn't that long, particularly at this time of year. One of the exceptions is Duke University, the team Villanova must beat this evening at TD Banknorth Garden to reach the NCAA East Regional final Saturday.

In good years and not-so-good, there is still a psychic value to those blue block letters on a basketball jersey. Three national championships and 14 Final Four appearances will do that for a program.

In some quarters, against some opponents, Villanova has the same sort of mystique. That comes from playing in the Big East Conference, reviving its own storied legend, and now, making the Sweet 16 in four of the last five seasons.

What you get from that is hard to quantify: maybe an easier whistle here, maybe a shakier opponent there, maybe a better recruit here and there. There is something to being considered a national power, and Villanova could burnish its reputation with a couple of more wins this season.

"I think there is a value to that, and I think there are times when we benefit from that value. When you play UCLA or Duke, we don't benefit. I think they do," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "That's just having that name on the front of your chest. You expect good things to happen. You expect to win close games. You expect the [other] team to respect you.

"I was a little concerned about that going to the UCLA game, and our guys handled it well. So I'm a little bit less concerned about Duke. One of the things is that our players know their players pretty well. I hope that familiarity can lessen that Duke mystique a little bit for them."

Corey Stokes of Villanova and Lance Thomas of Duke went to high school together in New Jersey. Scottie Reynolds roomed with Kyle Singler at a USA Basketball development camp, and has known Jon Scheyer since the sixth grade. Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson went to high school in Washington with Nolan Smith of Duke.

And, of course, everyone knows and has played ball with Gerald Henderson, who was very nearly a Wildcat himself.

"If you were a little younger, you might see a team and say, 'Oh, wow, Duke. If I ever played them . . .,' but at this level, at this age of your life, it's not the case," Cunningham said. "We know them. They tie their shoes the same way we do."

It's just that, for Duke, its players usually tie their shoes in the McDonald's all-American game at the end of high school. That doesn't necessarily impress Villanova, which has its own high-level recruits, but it adds to the general aura of the program.

"I don't think of our program with the word 'mystique.' But I do think we're a brand that has produced good things," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I don't think that helps us at all tomorrow night. But it doesn't hurt us, either. When we play somebody, nobody is mystified. You've got to beat them. Villanova is a team that doesn't lose; you have to beat them."

The Villanova players are well-versed in how to answer these kinds of questions. They remind you that all opponents are worthy of respect, but none is worthy of fear. They tell you they are aware of Duke's accomplishments over the years, but still feel the score will begin at 0-0 tonight.

They don't add - so we'll do it for them - that as legendary a program as it might be, Duke has been to the Final Four just once since its 2001 national title, and is making its first appearance in the Sweet 16 in three years. By getting to this round for the fourth time in five years, Villanova is in nice company - Memphis and North Carolina equal that - but the Blue Devils are not in that company.

"They have great history and great tradition, but we're not playing against a team that has won a championship, although they're good enough. We're playing against a new team," guard Reggie Redding said.

The Duke kids could say the same thing. These are two teams that know each other. They know the names on the front and the names on the back of the shirts.

But the names don't matter either way tonight.

On other nights, perhaps. Not this time.