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Early bird
chases
prediction
worm
At least once each year, sportswriters
are met head-on by a temptation to make
predictions. ! have encountered such a
temptation, and have succumbed to it.
In this case, predictions are for the Big
8 basketball race next year. It may seem
early, with the postseason tournaments
not yet finished, but there are reasons.
For example, if the guesses are
part!cuUrly poor, nobody should
remember a year from now. Likewise, if I
do we!!, I can claim to bo the first to have
made predictions.
There are several factors which make
predicting now dangerous. Teams may
add key player to their rosters through
spring recruiting. Also, players who
would be expected to return might not
because cf injury, illness, scholastics, or
for any number of reasons.
The predicted finish:
1 . The University of Kansas
(KU)-The strong point of this year's
championship Jayhawk team was balance.
The team had five players with average
game scoring in double figures. What's
bad for the rest of the league is that all
five players are returning next year.
Starters returning are forwards Norm
Cook and Roger Morningstar, center
Danny Knight and guard Dale Greenlee.
The fifth player is Rick Suttle, who led
the Jayhawks in conference scoring but
did not start a game.
2. (tie) UN L The Huskers top KU by
returning their six leading scorers, and
they probably will be led e-jain fey All-Big
8 guard Jerry Fort. Experience pined
this season should have been cf
immeasurable value to the freshman laden
team. The younger players should play an
even bigger role next season.
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2. (tie) University of Oklahoma The
Sooners always will be near the top as
long as they have Ail-Big 8 player Alvan
Adams at center. This season, he led the
conference in scoring and finished third
in rebounding as a sophomore. His
presence should make up for the loss of
two starters.
4. Kansas State University-The
Wildcats lose four starters, including
All-Big 8 player Lon Kruger, so one might
expect them to drop completely out of
the picture. However, their rich
basketball tradition and exceptional
returning substitutes should keep them in
the first division.
Cyclones return high scoring guard Harcle
Ivy end fine frontliners Larry Loots and
Craig DeLoss, but they must coma up
with two other capable starters if they
expect to finish any higher In the
standings.
S. Oklahoma State University
Scoring leader Kevin Fitzgerald h the
only starter leaving, and guards ICC.
Kincaide and Ronnie Daniel should ba
able to pick up tfrs scoring slsdk. But the
overall quality In the team is fust net
there, making It bard for the Cowboys to
record a better finish, m msttsr tew
much experience they have.
7. University of Colorado Three
sport performer David Logan is th only
quality player returning.
8. University of Missouri-Ail-Big 8
forward Al Eberhard did just about
everything for the Tigers this year except
run the scoreboard, but the team finished
only seventh after winning the Big 8
tournament Eberhard is gone next year,
which indicates what kind of a year
Missouri is in for.
Fort heads my picks for. the Ail-Big 8
team next year. Joining him at the guard
position is ISlTs Ivy. My pick at center is
Adams, with KU's Knight and Suttle at
the forward positions. Both Jayhawks
have played center this year, but are just
too good to leave off the team. j
Have a good vacation
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Gymnasts anticipate
2nd place title fight
By Larry Stonkal
During most of this season, the only thing that UNL
gymnastics Coach Francis Allen talked about was his
underclassmen. But Allen had special praise this week for his
seniors, who close their careers today and Saturday at the Big 8
gymnastics tournament in Norman, OWa.
"I've been real pleased with the seniors we've got," said Allen.
"Barry Cross, Bob Bowden, Hal Traver and Alan Everett have
supplied a lot of leadership for the team." -
"The younger guys were better et the first of the ytar ' ha
added, "but they the seniors) just kept working. Tbsy'ra resJfy
dedicated, and I'm proud to have them." ' ' '
Defending NCAA and conference champion iowa State
University wi'l again dominate the Big 8 meet as they have the
past five years, Allen said. The Cyclones boast two of the nation's
top all-around performers in senior Doug Fitzjarrell and Junior
Mark Graham. The team leads the conference rankings in all but
one event.
it's that kind of depth, with four of the top eight men in the
conference in each event, that promoted Allen to label the
Cyclones probably the best team ha's seen in collegiate
jjymnsstics.
The Huskers and the University of Oklahoma are expected to
battle for second place in the tournament. Earlier in the season,
the Sooners won a 161.85 to 157.8 dual meet ever UNL in
Norman, in which Allen criticized the officiating.
Alien thinks that situation may reverse itself at the
tournament.
"At the conference meet, each school bring one Judge, and
they get two at large who have been voted on by the coaches, so
there is no partiality." he said. ' '
Individu&lt on whom the Husker hopes rest are freshman
Duarw West, who is rated second in the conference on hig? bar;
sophomore Pete Studcnskl, ranked second on rings; Steve Dickey,
number three on pommel horse; Jim Ungsr and Eworett, who art
rated sixth end seventh respectively In the floor exercise. !
Other Huskers with an opportunity to place are Tracer on the
pommel horse, Cross on the parallel bar and fresbmsn Gary
Jeurink in vaulting, Alien said.
"Wa Ehrsisld haws a In of man in h f!nlt." h
"In fact, I wish the meet had been Monday. We've really bs&n
ready and have wor ked real hard."
' - '. 'i 1
f fir"
The Hwker base-tell team
continues its swing through
Texas with a doublchcader
against Hardin-Simmons
College today and another
against Abilene Christian
College Saturday.
In a gams with Southern
Methodist University
Wednesday, the Huskers
carried a 0-8 lead into the
bottom of the seventh inning
before a 2-run home run by
-Rusty Bourquein gave SMU the
win. The 109 loa dtoppd
Utll't record to 0-3.
The U.'L tennis team wiil
bo looking for lU first victory
when the Husksrs travel to
Crete for a match with foutii
Dakota Stata University today.
In last weekend's opening
match, the HusKsrs dropped a
0 dc'ilon to Northwest
Missouri Stata University. UfL
&!so mtsftj Desna In Crcia
aturdsy.
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