Drawings

Tonight

For N.CAA. Play

By Louis Clapper

None of the teams in the N. C. A. A. Western Divisional
Basketball Tournament, which begins at Municipal Auditorium to-
morrow night, are distinct underdogs, but Rice Institute’s quintet
isn’t receiving much play in the championship consideration.

And that is just fine, according to Coach Byron (Buster) Bran-

non, who gave his Owls a short¢#—-

drill at the auditorium yesterday.

Has Even Chance

“T don’t think it would be wise
to come out and say we'll win,”
Brannon drawled in the most be-
coming Texas manner, “but I do
think our chances are about even
'with the other clubs.”

“The Southwest has always had
a bad basketball rating—we spe-
cialize in football,” he continued.
“But in the last three or four years
we've improved a lot and I think
our game is as strong as in most
of the other sections.

“That’s why I believe we’ll have
_a good chance,” Brannon concluded.

The lanky mentor then went on
to point out that the Owls defeated
Bradley Tech and Loyola, of Chi-
cago, two good ball clubs, and gave
Purdue, Big Ten champion, a good
battle on a Christmas road tour.
Rice also downed Southern Meth-
odist by about the same scores as
did Kansas, another entry in the
tournament.: The Rice record of
21 wins in 24 starts speaks well for
the team’s power.

No Honor to Uphold

Rice wijl have one consolation
even if the Owls lose. The South-
west Conference N. C. A. A. dis-
trict representative has yet to win
a game in the annual classic, either
championship or consolation.

Frank Carswell, the only senior
on the squad and one of the two
injured’ players, will be in shape
for the tournament, but Levi
Craddock’s game time will likely be
limited. Both of the players are
regular starters.

Rice brought only«a squad of
nine men to the tournament.

 

 

Large Crowds
To See

N.C.A.A. Games

The “world series of basket-
ball,” the N.C.A.A. western
divisional play-offs, which will
be staged in the Municipal
Auditorium tomorrow night and
Saturday, is finding a warm
place in Kansas City’s athletic
heart.

While plenty of choice seats
will be available with no dan-
ger of a sell-out, the advance
sale for both nights already
assures the largest crowd the
auditorium has accomodated
for an athletic event in quite
some time.

If the attendance is good,
N.C.A.A. heads may make Kan-
sas City the permanent home
of the big tournaments as does
the National Intercollegiate
Association.

 

 

Other Teams Arrive

Southern California, amour |
team” from Los Angeles which is
one of the favorites, and Kansas,
“home town team” for Kansas City
fans, arrived today in time for
short workouts. Colorado has been
here since Tuesday.

Drawings for the tournament will
be made about 9 o’clock tonight at
the Hotel Continental after South-
ern California arrives at 8:15 o’clock.
Chief of Police L. B, Reed will act
as “puller.”