Big Seven Quintets
Tip Off Pre-Season
Tourney Tonight

By JAY SIMON
(Daily Oklahoman Sports Writer)

anes CITY, Dec. 26—The ninth annual Big Seven basketball

tournament opens at Municipal Auditorium here Monday
night with guest team California apparently having the best
chance to lift the championship from conference members since
Southern Methodist won the initial meet in 1940.

Coached this season by Pete Newell, who shifted from Mich-
igan State, California has compiled a 7-1 record in pre-tournament
action, including 57-44 and 59-45 decisions over Colorado, one of -

the favorites to win the Big
Probable Starters

Seven crown. ,
OKLAHOMA Pos. COLORADO

 

The Golden Bears, paced
by all-America hopeful Bob

McKeen, trimmed Ohio State, 3 US. Thompson f B, Jeangerard 3
Tate inane ad Suan: | EAL, ¢ Renae

rro.

tae first ieicats of the cone 5 gimmy Beck 5 Chas, Mock 60
paign. Cal’s only loss thus far | terium, Kansas City.
was an 88-77 double-overtime

 

NEBRASKA Pos. MISSOURI

6-2 Stan Matzke

decision to College of Pacific.
Kansas, which seems to
have another title contender
despite the loss of three reg-
ulars from last year’s co-
champions, enters the four-
day mixer with the only
unblemished record. The Jay-
- hawks have rushed past Louis-
iana State, Tulsa and Rice
twice while remaining at home
and preparing a deep squad of
youngsters for the tournament
and the league race which be-
gins the following week.

6-2 Chas. Smith

 

f Norm Stewart 6-4
6-5 W. Fagler f Med P
6-5 G.Rentzelman c
5-10 Duane Buel ¢&

g Red. Reichert 6-1
TIPOFF—9:45 p. m.

The Pairings

Here are first-round pairings in
bracket order with won-lost records
of teams in parentheses:

UPPER BRACKET

8 p. m. Monday—Colorade (3-3) ys.
Oklahoma (0-4).

9:45 p. m. Monday—Missouri (4-2)
vs. Nebraska (2-3).

LOWER BRACKET

8 p. m. Tuesday—Kansas (4-0) vs.
Towa State (4-1).

9:45 p. m. Tuesday—California (7-1)
vs. Kansas State (3-2).

 

 

Missouri, claiming three triumphs/ over Big Ten quintets;
Kansas State, winner of its last three Atarts over major foes, and
Colorado, which didn’t lose a single’man from last year’s team
which tied Kansas, all must be gonsidered serious challengers
along with California and Kans

Oklahoma, still seeking its
Iowa State and Nebraska, b
all are capable of springing
for the title.

Iowa State, guided byfiormer Colorado A&M coach Bill Stran-
nigan, boasts a 4-1 récorg, but hasn’t beaten a real good team yet.
The loss was to Bra by 12 points.

EBRASKA, which stands 2-3, riddled Bradley 93-68 at Peoria

but in turn lost to Memphis State as well as Iowa and Ala-
bama. The Huskers are coached this season by Jerry Bush, who
fashioned winning teams at Toledo before moving into the Big
Seven last summer.

Oklahoma, which has bowed to Ohio State, Wisconsin and
Baylor twice, tips off the tournament at 8 p. m. Monday against
Colorado. The second game Monday night matches Missouri and
Nebraska.

The first-round will be completed Tuesday night with Kansas
and Iowa State colliding in the opening game and California op-
posing Kansas State in the other. Semifinals are slated Wednes-
day night and finals Thursday night. The four first-round losers
will play consolation bracket games Wednesday and Thursday
afternoons. :

After Southern Methodist won the first Big Seven tournament
title in 1946 the only guest teams to reach the finals were Okla-
homa A&M in 1947 and Minnesota in 1950. Both were beaten by
Kansas State in the title match. Last year’s guest team, Washing-
ton, failed to win a game.

_ Oklahoma was runnerup to Kansas last year, the Jayhawks
winning in the finals, 82-73, for their second title. Kansas State...
owns three tournament crowns and Missouri and OU one apiece,

rst victory after four starts, and
rebuilding under new coaches,
prises, but do not figure to contend