BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

INDIANAPOLIS - 'Twas the night before Christmas 1995, and spindly Kentucky freshman Ron Mercer was asked what he wanted for Christmas. He answered, ''A championship this year, and then another one next year.''

Someone up high heard him.

''We laughed,'' UK coach Rick Pitino said. ''It was on our highlight tape. And now we're one game away from making that possible.''

Much of that tape has since been filled with Mercer's magic. Now a chiseled sophomore swingman, Mercer is on the brink of leading the Wildcats to the second part of that two-title wish.

Tonight's NCAA championship game against Arizona will be Mercer's last collegiate game, as he has declared his intentions to turn professional.

After playing a reserve role as a freshman, he picked the title game against Syracuse for his debutant dance, scoring 20 points to make the all-tournament team. UK will need much of the same from him tonight to claim its first back-to-back championships since 1948-49.

Mercer, content to play second fiddle to star senior Derek Anderson early this season, had to become the focal point of Pitino's offense after Anderson tore up his knee Jan. 18. He adapted his game to an all-around assault, finishing as UK's leading scorer (18.3 points per game), the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American.

''He has become a better defensive player, a better passer, a much tougher individual,'' Pitino said.

Mercer has also extended his shooting range to beyond the three-point arc. As Pitino puts it, he's now a shooter instead of just a scorer. He curls around screens, catches and elevates for a shot in one quick motion. Pitino insists
that he does so better than most professionals.

He now has exactly 1,000 points in his UK career, becoming just the 11th Wildcat to reach that mark in two seasons. But before he takes flight for the NBA, Mercer wants to leave one last mark in UK history.

''My main goal when I came to Kentucky was to win a national championship,'' he said. ''I never thought I'd have a chance to win two.

''I want to be remembered as not an outstanding individual. I want people to say they remember me as being on both teams that won national championships.''

No player has won NCAA titles in each season of his career since UCLA's seven-year title run in 1967-73. Mercer says the experience of this title run will remain special.

''I know the NBA is not going to be anything compared to this,'' he said. ''It's going to be more of a business thing, so I want to take as much as I can from the college level and enjoy the moments I have right now.''

In Saturday's semifinal victory against Minnesota, Mercer finally looked mortal. Swarmed by Minnesota defenders, he suffered through a 7-for-21 shooting night, struggling for his 19 points.

He had cramps in both legs much of the second half but said that won't keep him from going full-bore tonight.

''There's no time to be tired,'' he said. ''We have one more game left, and it's for the national championship. We can rest Tuesday.''

Final Four stories

KENTUCKY 78, MINNESOTA 69 March 30, 1997
BOX SCORE
March 30, 1997
ANDERSON RETURNS, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING March 30, 1997
DAUGHERTY COLUMN March 30, 1997
KAISER COLUMN March 30 , 1997
'CATS, GOPHERS HUNGRY FOR MORE March 29, 1997
EPPS: FROM WALK-ON TO CO-CAPTAIN March 29, 1997
WILDCATS BOMBING AWAY March 28, 1997
FOND MEMORIES FOR PITINO March 27, 1997
PRICKETT GETS HIS CHANCE March 26, 1997
PITINO MASTER MANIPULATOR March 25, 1997
39 MINUTES? NO PROBLEM FOR MERCER March 24, 1997

NCAA Tournament stories

UK: 'TWO MORE TO HISTORY' March 23, 1997
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WAYNE March 23, 1997
DAUGHERTY COLUMN March 23, 1997
KENTUCKY THE UNDERDOG? March 22, 1997
MILLS BECOMES MR. BIG March 22, 1997
DAUGHERTY COLUMN March 22, 1997
KENTUCKY 83, ST. JOSEPH'S 68 March 21, 1997
WITH ANDERSON OR WITHOUT, UK KEEPS ROLLING Daugherty column, March 21, 1997
ST. JOE'S ASSUMES 'ROCKY' ROLE March 20, 1997
WILDCATS SUDDENLY DEPLETEDMarch 20, 1997
DECISION BELONGED TO ANDERSON Daugherty column, March 20, 1997
UK ROLLS DICE WITH ANDERSON March 19, 1997
ANDERSON RETURNING TO WILDCATS March 18, 1997
BUCKLE UP, UK FANS; ANOTHER TOUGH ONE COMING March 17, 1997
UK 75, IOWA 69 March 16, 1997
UK'S DEPTH NOT JUST PERCEPTION, IT'S REALITY March 16, 1997
PITINO PAINTS SCARY PICTURE March 15, 1997
TURNER, MILLS EMERGING March 15, 1997
UK 92, MONTANA 54 March 14, 1997
PITINO URGES UK TO KEEP FOCUS March 13, 1997
NCAA DROPPED WHOPPER ON MONTANA March 12, 1997
PITINO: SEEDING COMMITTEE 'BLEW IT' March 11, 1997
WILDCATS SIGHT BIGGER GOALS March 10, 1997
MONTANA SHEEP FOR SLAUGHTER March 10, 1997

SEC Tournament stories

UK 95, GEORGIA 68 March 10, 1997
UK 88, MISSISSIPPI 70 March 9, 1997
UK 92, AUBURN 50 March 8, 1997
PITINO SEEKS BETTER SHOOTING, FEWER FOULS March 7, 1997
CATS START TOURNEY AS PAPER TIGERS March 6, 1997
CATS HAVE NINE LINEUPS March 5, 1997
SEC FINAL: UK-CAROLINA? March 3, 1997