Page 4 University Daily Kansan Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1953 KU TRIPS CATS. 80-78 Jayhawks Near Title With 3 Games To Go Bv CHUCK MORELOCK Kansan Assistant Sports Editor Manhattan—A fighting Kansas team shocked a partisan crowd of 12,500 in the Kansas State fieldhouse last night by scoring a nerve-jarring 80-78 victory to become the first Big Seven team to whip the Wildcats in the big Manhattan arena. The defeat was the first for the $ \textcircled{8} $ The defeat was the first Wildcats in the fieldhouse since December, 1950, when Indiana took a 58-52 decision. K-State then proceeded before falling to an overnight before falling to the amazing Jayhawks, popular favorites for a Big Seven second-division spot in pre-season forecasts. The Wildcats threatened to break the game wide open several times in the first half, but the Jayhawkers came roaring back each time to keep the contest on a nip-and-tuck basis. Kansas now has a stranglehold on the conference race with a 7-2 record, while the Aggies are far behind in second with a 4-3 mark. KU has three more Big Seven tilts left, two in Hoeh auditorium and one in Columbia, Mo. K-State took a 40-39 halftime lead, but the Kansas went into control early in the third quarter. Al Kelley put on a dazzling show to open that period. Gli Reich scored the first Kansas tally on a free throw, then Kelley fired in three quick jumps, a set shot and free throw to put Kansas on top, 51-47. K-State started to close in on the Jayhawkers, but two hook shots by B. H. Born and Harold Patterson balanced set shots by Dick Knostman and Jesse Prisock. Kansas led at the quarter, 65-61. Kansas pulled off the most spectacular play of the evening to start the scoring in the dramatic fourth quarter. It came when Patterson jumped under the Wildcat net, caught a pass from Dean Smith in mid-air, and laid the ball up for two points and a 67-63 KU lead. Knostman initiated a Kansas State drive on two lay-ups, a free throw, and a hook to tie the game at 70 all. Born then tossed in three clutch free throws, Gary Bergen scored on a hook, Gene Stauffer hit a set shot, but Born built the margin to four again, 78-74, on a lay-up and two more clutch charity tosses. Bergen tipped one in with 40 seconds left to put the Wildcats behind by one, 78-79. Ken Buller missed two free throws for Kansas, then fouled Bob Smith with 30 seconds left as the K-State crowd went wild. But Smith turned the cheers into groans by missing both of his free throws. Kansas State grabbed the rebound and took two more shots, but Kansas got possession of the ball. Bob Smith fouled Dean Smith and the 5 foot 11 inch KU guard sank the free throw to put Kansas ahead to stay. 80-78. Peck Mills fired from the field with seconds left, but missed. Born grabbed the rebound and the Jayhawkers stalled until the final gun. Born played one of the greatest games of his career to tie with Knostman for scoring honors with 27 points. Patterson played another fine game for the Jayhawkers with tremendous rebounding, ball-handling, and shooting performances. The 6 foot 2 inch junior grabbed five ogensive and defensive rebounds each to lead the Jayhawkers in that department. Knostman was t the game's top rebounder with 3 defensive and 11 offensive swipes. The Kelley brothers sparkled also with each getting 13 points. Their floor play and ball handling was great and each hit well in the clutch. Prisock was the second leading scorer for the Wildcats with 13. Bergen had 11 and Bob Rousey 8. Rousey and Dean Smith of Kansas almost came to blows following a fight for the ball midway in the fourth quarter. The Jayhawkers hit 27 out of 65 attempts to finish with a good 42 per cent average. K-State had 28 of 79 for 35 per cent. The victory put coach Phog Allen ahead of Jack Gardner by one, 12-11, in their bitter duel. The upset also was the second for Kansas over State this season as Kansas whipped the Aggies 80-66 in Hoch last month. K-State won 93-87 in the conference win in Kansas City. Born scored the first basket in the game on a tip-in. Kansas State then ran up a quick 7-3 lead on goals by Knostman, Gene Stauffer, and Jim Smith, but Kansas came right back on two Born hooks and a set shot and layup by Dean Kelley and Patterson to go ahead, 11-10. The teams stayed even from that point on until three late K-State free throws gave the Wildcats the first quarter lead, 24-21. Kansas State broke to a 32-26 lead early in the second quarter on tip-ins by Jim Smith, Bergen, and Jack Carby plus free throws by Peck Mills and Knostian. Kansas rallied again, however, and aided by some sparkling floor work and rebounding play, tied it up at 34 all. Born scored a fielder on a book, Reich raced in for a layup, Born tossed in a free throw. Al Kelley hit a jump shot, and Dean Kelley added a free throw. The fast-breaking Jayhawkers then built up a 39-35 lead, but K-State went ahead again on five straight points by Knostman to take the 40-39 halftime lead. Oh Happy Day! KANSAS (80) G-Ga F-Fa Pf Pt A. Kelley 6-11 1-7 5 13 Davenport 0-2 1-7 1 15 Patterson 6-10 3-9 1 14 D. Smith 0-2 1-6 4 13 Born 8-18 11-17 4 27 Anderson 1-8 0-2 0 27 D. Kelly 3-8 7-11 4 13 Alves 0-8 3-5 1 13 Reich 3-12 1-3 2 7 Squires 0-0 0-0 0 0 Buller 0-0 0-2 1 0 Totals ... 27-65 26-45 29 80 G-STATE (78) G-Ga G-Fa Fp Tp Priock ... 3-9 7-7 2 13 I. Smith ... 2-7 1-1 1 4 Gnostman ... 11-28 5-14 5 27 Stuart ... 2-8 2-5 1 6 Mousey ... 1-26 1-5 1 6 Bergen ... 5-8 1-4 3 11 Carby ... 5-8 1-4 3 12 Mills ... 1-5 4-10 3 1 R. Smith ... 0-0 0-2 1 0 Adams ... 0-0 0-2 1 0 Totals ... 28-79 22-48 27 78 Half-time score: K-State, 40; KU, 39. Officials: Collins and Enright. Freshman men interested in serving on the Kansas Relays student committee should submit applications to the committee by Feb. 27. The Kansas Relays, to be held April 17-18, is considered one of the top four outdoor track carnivals in the country, but is the only one where the responsibility for performing much of the promotion and administration of the meet rests on a student committee. Applications Due For Relays Board Letters of application should include last semester's scholastic average, a listing of experience that might be of help in performance of the job, and a statement of ability to operate a typewriter. Applicants should have a high degree of interest in work of this type. Applications should be addressed to Jerry Brownlee or Ed Taylor, senior managers of the Kansas Relays committee, athletic office, University of Kansas. Interviews of those applying will be held March 2 and 3 in 203 Robinson. KU Fast Break Hope of NCAA Repeat Increases with Win By RICH CLARKSON "As long as we have a mathematical chance at the (conference) title, we'll be trying," he concluded. Kansan Sports Writer But perhaps the State feeling was best summed up by forward-center Jack Carby, who remarked while walking past the noisy Kansas dressing room. "They're just too tough for us!" "I didn't feel there was any particular turning point in the game—there were so many climaxes. We certainly had plenty of chances to win. Of course, losing Dick Knostman (lost on fouls in the game) or Winifred Dickel-clutch player who usually comes through under such circumstances, For on the heels of last night's 80-78 thumping of Kansas State's threatening Wildcats, the Jayhawkers began to think seriously for the first time of making a whole-hearted defense of their 1952 national crown. The 1953 NCAA national basketball tournament was one of many topics of boisterous discussion by a tired but happy gang of Kansas basketball players as they rode home from Manhattan in the early hours this morning. But Manhattan was quiet Tuesday night as over 10,000 Kansas State fans understood full-well what the Wildcat's first conference loss in the fieldhouse meant to the title-aiming Cats. Kansas State coach Jack Gardner talked quietly with sportswriters in the death-like gloom of the Wildcat dressing room following the game. "Boy, I sure didn't think we would be where we are now at the start of the season," captain Dean Kelley exclaimed as the excited group still tried to comprehend what they had done—a task that even last year's national championship team couldn't match. "It was a great ball game from the spectators point of view," Gardner said, "but it wasn't a particularly well played game—both sides were trying too hard. Kansas coach F. C. "Phog" Allen wore a wide grin as he boarded the Lawrence-bound bus. "It was a typical fighting Kansas team that displayed the old tradition of never-say-die tonight. "The victory was a great team victory, exemplified by the loyalty of our coaches to the director of athletics. Such loyalty as this is most satisfactory when all parties are working together and the team has most happy relationship with each other," he added. Allen was referring to the squabble, currently raging throughout the Kansas State camp regarding Gardner's acceptance of an invitation to coach an all-star team, without first consulting athletic director Larry "Moon" Mullins. The conflict broke into print last week and has become a major issue on the Manhattan campus. "But talk about courage when the chips are down," the musing Phogger continued, "B. H. Born showed the greatest courage in the clutches tonight when he cashed in on every opportunity with victory or defeat in the balance." Born had to play most of the game with a knee injury suffered when the contest was just five minutes old. Allen and trainer Dean Nesmith worked on the lanky Born's knee, injured in a collision, while the opening quarter was still underway and Nesmith further bandaged the knee at halftime. Allen went down the list of players, doling out the compliments. "Reich showed superlative generalship—Pat (Harold Patterson) was a thing to behold—the Kelley boys were simply great—just mention every one of the boys in the superlative—they were all that good!" Kansas Crowd Gives Support By PHIL NEWMAN Manhattan-Although their cheers were practically inaudible to most of the 12,500 persons in the Kansas State college fieldhouse in the course of Kansas' 80-78 basketball victory at Manhattan last night, about 500 KU students, alumni and officials, plus eight cheerleaders, were on hand to lend their vocal support to the Jayhawkers. Grouped far up behind the Kansas State band, on the south end of the fieldhouse, the Jayhawker supporters began cheers only to be methodically drowned out by organized mass Kansas State chants of "Beat KU—Beat KU." Here and there on the west side of the big sports arena were "islands" of Kansas boosters among the sea of vociferous Wildcat fans. parents and friends of the KU players were some of the most ardent Jayhawker supporters, but often were too far apart to do much good. Wherever groups of Kansas and K-State followers were mixed together, the usual bantering took place, although there were no reports of any rough stuff being started. Jayhawkers were entertained durin halftime by a stunt staged by K-State pep club members. Students carried a huge cage onto the floor containing a "Jahawk" The "Jahawk" escaped, but was frightened back into the cage by an approaching Wildcat who symbolically locked him in. With the contest drawing rapidly to a close and neither side being able to build up a comfortable margin, the tension in the stands increased. Followers of both teams pleaded for their favorites to pull this big one out (at least you guessed the Kansas followers were doing this, although you couldn't hear them). As hopeful--yet, to the final seconds, doubtful-Kansas fans saw the clock run out with a margin for the Jayhawkers, there were several gleeful demonstrations from a general jumping into the air to an improvised polka-like dance participated in by the cheerleaders--all to the music of the Kansas State band. Everybody was letting the Wildcat followers know what it was like to be the first Big Seven school to defeat Kansas State at home. BROKEN L OCK S. BROKEN HEARTS—Shortly after the above picture was taken the Kansas Jayhawk broke out of its cage to defeat Kansas State 80-78 last night in Manhattan. The Jayhawk was locked in his cage by a Wildcat as a halftime stunt by the K-State pep club. At the time the Wildcats led 40-39.