PRESENT JAYHAWK SQUAD TAKES
CUE FROM LAST YEAR'S.
hy Allen Says His Team Was
Under Against M. U.,. but
Sparky Stalcup Praises
Efficiency.

m.—Colorado vs. Washington (con-

fatho third place)
Sojation i Kansas. State vs, Iowa State |

Dp. . A
i hampionship). ;
eae ee Alanson vs. Nebraska - (third

pigeg cin championship, 80 Oy shoma
(championship). #
By Ep GaRICcH.

(A Member of The Star’s Sports Staff.)

Kansas’s_ pressing defense,
which was a large factor in the
success of the 1952-53 basketball
team, was the big element in,
last night’s 69-67 victory over)
Missouri in the Big Seven bas-|
ketball. tournament.

Phog Allen, Kansas coach,
wasn’t too happy over the Kan-
sas performance although he
gave Missouri's eager Tigers
credit,

Tigers ‘‘the Best.’
“'They’re the best team we've
met this season,”’ said Allen
after the hectic struggle. |
“The fifth foul called on. Pat)
(Bob Patterson) was a big fac-)
tor in Missouri’s comeback,’’|

TODAY’S BIG SEVEN SCHEDULE.
|
|

 

 

BIG SEVEN NONCONFERENCB
STANDINGS.
mes of December 29).
ween ere W.. dec Oh See 9

Kansas State
Kansas

 

 

Phog said. ‘‘Pat was the only
one outside of B. H. Born who
was playing any kind of ball
last night. When he went out
(6:01 of the third quarter re-
maining) we were really in
trouble.”’

Phog’ said the Kansas effort,
was definitely under par and
that the boys never got relaxed.
He said there was little differ-
ence in the two teams and that
Missouri displayed an aggres-
sive brand of ball. He picked
Missouri and Nebraska as the|
dark horses of the Big Seven.

Phog wa a little critical of
the rest of his boys, ‘‘Kelley)
played like he thought he was in|
Nova Scotia,’ Phog remarked,|
“and the rest of them are going
to have to do a lot better.”

From Sparky Stalcup, the
Missouri _Coach, came some
pretty high compliments for
the Kansas team. ) |

_. “Almost as

~“They’re as good as the 1952-
53 team,’”’ Sp said—‘‘well,
jalmost as good anyway.’

|_ That was high praise since the!
|Jayhawk machine of last year.
| was only a 1-point loser to
Indiana in the N, C. A. A, finals
here.

“That boy Dallas Dobbs (K. U,
sophomore from Bartlesville,
|Ok.) really has filled Dean Kel-
ley shoes.’’ Sparky said. Dean
Kelley was key factor in Kan-
sas’s rise to success last year.
after losing almost all the Olym-|
pic team of the year before.

Stalcup felt that Missouri
could have won the game had
the Tigers kept closer to the
Jayhawks in the first half. —

“We got too far down and
jnever could quite make it back,”’
said Spark.
| For the Kansas rooters, they
;Came way too close.