page 10
daily nebraskan
friday, december 9, 1977
Defense is the key in long-awaited
Cornhusker-Bluejay cage showdown
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Husker center Carl McPipe (with ball) can expect
man-to-man coverage from BlueJay center Dave
Wesely tonight at the Sports Complex.
By Jim Hunt
The basketball game many Nebraskans have waited
for-the first Creighton University-UNL shootout in 45
years-is scheduled for the UNL Sports Complex tonight.
:'We think it is a big game," fourth-year BlueJay bas
ketball coach Tom Apke said. "It is a big game because of
the rivalry aspect. It is a game that will be good for both
schools."
Husker basketball coach Joe Cipriano said he is excited
about the eighth meeting between the two schools. The
last was in 1932. Creighton leads the series 4-3.
"This is a game the entire state, and especially the two
schools, have been waiting for," Cipriano said. "Creighton
is a very talented ball club who can beat you at either
end of the court.
"This will be a real test for our defensive game, facing
Creighton's disciplined offense."
The BlueJays are led by Apke's younger brother Rick,
a 6-foot-8 senior from Cincinnati.
Leading scorer
Apke is leading the Jays in scoring with an average of
21.6 points a game as the BlueJays jumped off to a 3-0
start. In his third year as a starter, Apke already has
received pre-season All-Missouri Valley Conference
and honorable mention All American honors.
"I'm very happy that he (Rick) came to Creighton,"
coach Apke said. "We have had no problems with him so
far.We thought some problems might come up, but we
decided he was just too good of a prospect not to re
cruit." Coach Apke said they had a small problem Rick's
freshman year when some fans thought Apke should
start but was held out because there were better players
in front of him.
The BlueJays have received balanced scoring from the
rest of their line-up with three players averaging at least
11 points a game. They are forward Tim McConnell
(1 1 .6), center David Wesely (1 1) and guard Randy Eccker
00- .
The Jays other starter is freshman guard Kevin
McKenna, who averaged 7.6 points a game.
Two suspended
The Jays will be without the services of John Johnson
and Kevin Kuehl, who are finishing an NCAA suspension
for playing in a summer tournament in Omaha. Wesely
sat out a game earlier in the season for the same infrac
tion along with Jerry Newell, who will be eligible for the
first time this season.
"Obviously, we would rather have him (Johnson) in
the line-up " Apke said. "However, we've played well
enough to beat teams without him so far this season."
Apke said the return of Wesely has helped compen
sate for the loss of Johnson. Wesely scored 18 points in
the Jays win over Chicago-Loyola and was instrumental
in their win over the University of Nebraska-Omaha
despite playing with a 102 temperature.
The Jays probably will start a man-to-man defense and
may use some zone defenses, Apke said.
UNL had problems getting the ball to drop against
the zone defense of Missouri Southern State College
in their opening season win last Friday.
37.5 percent
UNL hit only 37.5 percent of its shots in its 61.-54
victory over the Lions.
Cipriano said he expects the offense to pick up with
the return of guard Bob Moore. Moore, a junior college
transfer from northeastern Oklahoma A & M, was
benched the first game by Cipriano for missing practice,
He scored 24 points in the Red-White game and is con
sidered the UNL's best outside shooter.
Joining Moore in the starting line-up will be a pair of
juniors from Hammond, Ind., Brian Banks and Carl
McPipe. Banks scored 16 points and McPipe chipped in
1 1 for UNL's opener.
UNL will start a pair of Lincoln natives as forwards:
senior Terry Novak and junior Curt Hedberg.
Freshman Mike Naderer, a 6-foot-guard from Scotts
dale, Ariz., will be the top reserve off the Cornhusker
bench. Starting his first game at UNL last week filling in
for Moore, Naderer scored 10 points.
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Daily Nebraskan Photo
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KU's Owens confident of recognition
despite lack of strong schedule play
Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of seven
reports on Big 8 basketball teams. Today's report is on
the University of Kansas team, coached by Ted Owens.
By Jim Hunt
If putting the ball through the hoop is what basketball '
is all about, beware of the University of Kansas this
season.
The Jayhawks are off to a 5-0 start, averaging 108
points a contest and are ranked 15th in the nation in this
week's UPl poll and 19th by AP.
"I think we are playing well enough to get some re
cognition," KU coach Ted Owens said. "However, it
should be noted that we haven't played a strong schedule
yet."
Owens returns four starters from last season's 18-10
squad, but two of the starters, Donnie Von Moore and
guard Clint Johnson, have been replaced by freshmen.
Freshmen Darnell Valentine, a 6-foot-2 guard is from
' Wichita. Valentine earned all-American honors at Heights
uign acnooi. rresnman starter vvumore howler, a 6-tooM
guard from Pallmeto, Fla., also has earned all-American
honors.
The two freshmen have allowed Owens to move
John Douglas, a first team All-Big 8 Conference perform
er at guard last year to forward.
Douglas is joined on the front line by senior forward
Ken Koenigs and junior center Paul Mokeski.
Koenigs, a 6-foot-10 native of Goddard.Kans. averaged
nine points and seven rebounds a game his junior season.
He also led the Jayhawks in field goals and freethrow per
centages. Mokeski, a 7-foot-l native of Encino, Calif., averaged
6.1 points and an identical 6.1 rebounds a contest.
However, Mokeski has been plagued by injuries his first
two years at KU.
Top reserves off the bench' for the Jayhawks are Von
Moore and Johnson.
Although Kansas has shown a high-powered offense
this season, Owens has credited the defense with helping
produce the points.
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Photo by Td Kirk
Bloody Ken Koenigs goes to the Jayhawk bench after suffering a cut during the UNL-KU game at the Sporti
Complex last year. Koenig returns this year after leading the Jayhawks in free throw and field goal percentages
List season.
Starting line-ups
Tipoff at 7:35 tonight in the Sports Complex
Creighton
Rick Apke, 6-8, 205, Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio F
Tim McConnell, 6-7, 215, Sr., Eugene, Ore. F
Dave Wesely, 6-7, 199, Jr., Omaha C
Randy Eccker, 6-0, 192, Sr., Denver, Colo G
Keven McKenna, 6-7, 190, Fr., Palatine, 111 G
Nebraska
Terry Novak, 64, 200, Sr., Lincoln F
Curt Hedberg, 6-8, 190, Jr., Lincoln F
Carl McPipe, 6-8, 200, Jr.. Hammond, Ind .C
Brian Banks, 6-0, 155, Jr., Hammond, Ind. , C
Bob Moore, 6-3, 175, Jr., Pittsburgh, Penn G
Coverage on KFAB, KLIN. KFOR, KRNU. KYNN. KOCU
radio stations. KOLN-TV and KMTV-TV if game is a sellout.
sports
shorts
1 he UNL women's swim
team will host South
Dakota State University Sat
urday 2 p.m. in the Sports
Complex.
The UNL men's swim
squad travels to Chicago
Saturday for a 2 p.m.
meet with Chicago Sta'e
University, the University of
Wyoming and Western llli
nois University.
UNL powerlifting team,
ranked second in the nation,
had some of its members
capture places in tourna
ments last weekend. Bill
Toscas placed first in the
1 65 -lb. class in a Denver
tourney, Toscas' bench,
squat and deadlift total was
1,350 lbs. Two other UNL
lifters placed in the int.
Steve Knuth, competing in
the 165-Ib. total lift and
f Jan I orsman placed third
900-lb hfi. n a mee ,
Anamosa, Iowa, four UNL
lifters placed. Monte Lofing
finished first with an 845 -lb.
effort in the 132-lb class
and Jim Dier grabbed a first
place with an 845-lb total
lift in the 114-lb. division.
Other Huskers who placed
were Howard Huffman in
the 181 -lb. class and Doug
Dobney in the 165-lb class.
Huffman's 1,075-lb lift
earned him seventh, while
Dobney finished fourth
with a 9654b. total lift.
Tickets for the UNL
Creighton University men's
basketball are available at the
south stadium ticket office.
Reserved seats are $3 and
student general admission
seats are $1.
Bill Bennett, UNL's assist
ant sports information dir
ector, said officials will
know today if the game is
a sellout J if it is, KOLN
TV and .MTV-1V will
broadcast the game.
Ihe UNL men's rugby
club will meet Tuesday 7
p.m. in the Nebraska Union.
The room number will be
posted on the Union's
bulletin board.