Monday. March 14. 1900 University Daily Kansan
Page 5
THE DESPAIR OF DEFEAT . . . KU cheerleaders share the anguish of the team's ups and downs against Cincinnati.
It Was Almost Great
CINCY GRABS ANOTHER—Larry Willey (23) hauls in another rebound for the Bearcats in their 82-71 victory over the Jayhawkers Saturday night at Manhattan in the NCAA Regionals.
For probably the first time in history, KU and K-State fans joined together to back a team.
The voices of the crowd reached a near-hysterical pitch at the calling of each foul, the sinking of each free throw and the swish of each field goal during the contest between KU and Cincinnati.
Boos for the officials and Oscar Robertson came from the KU side just as their cheers filled the huge Ahearn Fieldhouse at each of the scores of the KU team.
For each of the 22 points by Hightower and Bridges the crowd roared and stomped in the traditional manner just as they booed the referees' decision on most of the Jayhawker's 18 fouls.
Never has one crowd followed so closely the play-by-play action of a game but the backing wasn't enough to give the crown of victory to KU. Cincinnati won the trip to California by 11 points leaving the team from Kansas and its backers tired, dejected and disappointed.
Who was at the game?
Seniors in education and juniors in journalism and English; math professors and physical education majors; football players and premed students; married couples and freshmen with their dates were there in full force backing the KU players and their coach. Men and women from every phase of college life made the trek to Manhattan to witness the all-out effort of the team.
Were they disappointed? Sure. Were they disillusioned? Never! Pride in their team for making it as far as they did was foremost in their minds. They were proud that their "cinderella team" made it to the semi-finals and pushed "Big O" and his teammates to the wire for the tickets to California.
15.
NOT THIS TIME, OSCAR—Kansas' Al Correll blocks one of Oscar Robertson's 30 attempts as Jerry Gardner and Bill Bridges stand watching the action.
(Left). Kansas players Howard Parker, Pete Woodward, Bill Bridges, Bill Elstun and Bill Goetze show the strain of playing four "do or die" games in a week's span.
(Right). Kansas head coach Dick Harp answers questions in the dressing room after seeing his team lose a six-point lead and the game.