not end merely with a coterie
of veterans. Coach Bebe Lee
‘owns the indispensible big man
in 6-7, 207-pound Burdette Hal-
dorson, defending league scoring
king. His stable of forwards pos-
sibly is the loop’s best all-around
to a depth of four men. Hi
backline tandem Charli

ball-handling unit,.
-A Strong Finish.

This is the Cinderella gang
that leaped all the way from a
last place finish in 1953 to a co-
title in ~’54, the school’s first
Since joining ‘the old Big Six in
1948. This was a double boot-
strap act since. -C€. °-U. also
dropped its first seven games
last season, a sorry beginning
for a team that was to vault

into the N. €, A. A. regionals
at Stillwater at the season’s end.

The Herd has designs on
something even better this win-

ter. Haldorson, Harrold and
Forward Bob Jeangerard are
playing their fourth seasons.
, phere are four other seniors on
‘this squad. It must shoot the
works, for-its losses will be ter-
rific at the season’s end. The
“tournament would be a _ good

 

her title contender, 86- Bf;

-game series with San Fran-|
cisco, newly-crowned All-College}|:

.|tournament monarchs. The U.S.

F. loss is the lone blemish on
the Bruin record at this writing.
And C. U.’s showing in the
Bruins’ home ‘den followed a
pair of 13-point defeats at the
hands of California, the tourna-
ment guest team,

Mental Boost for Buffs.

Aside from the talent and ex-
perience, Colorado will carry a
psychological weapon all season.
The Buffs would like to give the
lie to the label of ‘‘a 1-shot
champion playing over its head.”’

If they reach the semifinals
against Missouri : . . and both
are heavy, first-round. favorites
- . » there:is going to be con-
siderable vibration. For the
Herd started its surprise title
march last year by nipping M.
U. 66-62, in the conference open-
er at Columbia, then repeated
with\ an 80-69 pasting in Boulder.

Past Big Seven tournament
champions;

 

Champion and. Runnerup.

4946S. M. Yi. 49; Kansas, 46..

eeeseenee eer

Teams Champion
Pts. Op. Pts. |
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1947—Kansas State, 50; Oklahoma A. and M., 43. SF aicsaion
1948—Oklahoma, 52: Kansas, 49 eeeeeeen eeereeeosn eeeeeees 163
1949—Missouri, 44: Oklahoma, Be cub aneasnnecgesese.cr boo
1950—Kansas State, MOS AVEIRDESOES, OF: ss scswcciepereasalot
4951-—Kansas, (9; 7MISSOUrI, G2 <5 0s cccececcscsssseces cal
1952—Kansas. State, 93; Kansas, 87 pas Lede ds coke es see OD
1953—Kansas, 82; Oklahoma, Hoaesiheats weevctWiae cnt 230