Iowans from a perfect slate.
Third Is Previous High.

They thus qualify as the high-
est barrier to.a Missouri repeat.
This is rare stature for a team}
which never has finished higher
than third in nine previous meets
(1948 and 1954); nas languished
in last place twice and seventh
three times.

_ Happily ‘the Cyclones - and ic
Tigers are in opposite brackets.
The former will run into im-}

mediate trouble since it drew
Kansas State
round in the nightcap of tomor-
irow’s opening card. This s uld
ibe the tightest battle of the fi

‘round 4-game set. Kansas State,

   

3-3, has played a tougher pre-

liminary slate, losing only 79-86
to well-regarded Houston Thurs-
day in Houston in its final pre-
meet test.

Here’s the way the first poune
bracket lines up:

TOMORROW.
%:30 p. m.—Colorado vs. Oklahom: ma,
9200 Fe Ea

7:30 p, m.—Missouri vs. Nebraska. ,
9:30 p, m.—Kansas vs, Cornell

| Iowa State is the meet’s
‘youngest team with only one
‘senior. figuring prominently and|}
as many as three sophomores

|
\
|
|

frequently starting. It will throw
its sophomore center, 6-foot, 8-
inch Don Medesker against K-
State’s 6-9 rookie, Jack Parr,
in a duel which could = dR
outcome.

Comparison Is Close.

Some idea of how close this

one will be can be found inj}

scores against one common foe,
Texas ..Tech, The Cyclones
whaled the Red Raiders twenty
points (72-52) at Ames. The
Wildcats beat them nineteen
(89-70) at Manhattan.

If the Cardinal and Gold can
get by K-State, it will own a bet-
ter than even chance to reach
the finals. For it figures to han.
dle either Colorado or Okla-
homa in the semifinals.

Missouri remains a light fa-
vorite. The Tigers will bring in a
4.2 level, but only seven points
are between them and an un-
blemished record. Purdue beat
‘them, 62-58, at Lafayette and
‘Indiana clipped them, 81-78, in
‘Columbia. The Hoosiers are
ranked eighteenth on the latest

in the ofening|cei

vs. Kansas State,

Gary Thompson, clever Lowa
State junior, second at 23.2.
Rolles is only two-tenths behind.
High for Thompson.
‘Thompson exceeded two tour-
nament records against Vander-
bilt in collectin i

  
  
   

ied by the O. U,}

s cine tree throws
veyond the tournament
now held jointly by Kan-
tate’s Dick Knostman and
1 Brainard of Kansas.
Rolles scored _ thirty-seven
points against Brown while
Stewart has games of thirty,
thirty-one and thirty-six on his
ledger. All three pose threats to
Clyde Lovelette’s single-tourna-
ment mark of eighty-two which
the old Kansas mastadon estab-
lished in 1950.

Here are the top fifteen pre-
tournament Scone leaders.

 

G.FT-FTA. TP. Avg.
Norm Stewart, M. oe 9 39-52 157 26.2
S}Gary Thompson, I. E 6 43 53-73 189 23.2
Chuck Rolles, Cornell 5 46 23-31 115 23.0
Leroy Bacher, O. U. 7 42 37-56 121 17.3
Hint dangoe' or oi ¢ 49. 3543 88 188
une Smith, N. UL. 7 35 41-60.111 15.9
Jimmy Peck, 0. U... 7 38 sous rae 14.9
Dallas Dobbs, K. U... 6 33.23-32 89 14.9
Maurice King, K.U... 6 30 27-39 87 14.5
Pachin Vicens, K: U. 6 24 33-46 81 13.5
Don M CT id. Sas, Gs 82712617 3 -76.12.7
Chuck Vogt, £8... 6 25 21-35 71 11.9
Joe King, O,o0 55.8 2438-453, 81 21.61
*Rex. BH wall, N. Uh... 5 18 22-31 58 11:6
*Missed two games because of illness,
Previous Tournament Champions.
; . Champion ne up}
1946 8, M. s 49

WAG ci sscccsnsncveueates Kan }
1947 Kansas me 50, Oklahoma A. & A, 43
1948 Oklaho tae ».- Kansas 49

  
 

 

1949" Miscourt ae Oklahoma 42
950 Kansas State 70 . Minnesota 62
1951 Kansas 75 ., «. Missouri 65
1952 Kansas State 93 muah ansas 8

1953: KAnses (82h. iciversessoessate Oklahoma 73,
1984 Missouri 89 vioccssscs Kansas State 71