UDK picks Nebraska No.1;
Assistant Sports Editor By JERRY KLEIN
NEBRASKA
Coach: Joe Cipriano
LAST YEAR: Won 12, lost 2;
20-5 overall, second.
HIGH SCORER: Tom Baack.
HIGH SCOREER: Tom Baack,
15.4 points per game
TOP REBOUNDER: Stuart
Lanz 149 rebounds.
THIS SEASON: Nebraska, the pre-season Big Eight favorite, is coming off its first winning season since 1949-50, its best in 45 years. Named last season's Big Eight Coach of the Year, Joe Cipriano already terms NU his best pre-conditioned team ever.
Cornhusker strength lies in a pressing defense, speed and quickness, versatility and experience. In all, four starters return from a team that battled Kansas for the championship into the final weeks of the season. They are Nate Branch (6-4), Stuart Lantz (6-3), Tom Baack and Willie Campbell, both 6-5.
Aided by the press, NU won three games by two-point margins, one by four points and one in overtime by two points. And Cipriano admits the press will have to hold up for the Cornhuskers to continue winning.
"We snuck up on a few people," he says, "but we still lack the big, strong center predominant of other teams. Everyone's improved in rebounding and that's where we would have liked to been last year."
NU does not have strong leadership in the backcourt. Graduated is district all-America, Grant Simmons, who provided good leadership and was second in scoring. Battling for the fifth position is Jim Damm (6-3), Ron Simmons (6-0) and Frank Empkey (6-8).
DEPTH IS A problem, too. With no junior college transfers, four sophomores, who all received letters, still won't play much. It will be too tough to move out four veterans.
Nebraska, which has received
much pre-season recognition, should definitely finish at or near the top.
"I feel we have a good team. We don't have to sell the team as far as winning goes," Cipriano says.
"I don't have the team reading the newspapers and magazines. They have to play together as a unit."
KANSAS
Coach: Ted Owens
LAST YEAR: Won 13, lost 1;
23-4 overall. first.
HIGH SCORER: Walter Wesley (graduated, 23.7). Joe White 11.3 points per game (9 games).
TOP REBOUNDER: AI Lopes (graduated, 208). Ron Franz, sounds.
THIS SEASON: Kansas, which went to the finals of the Midwest regionals and lost to Texas Western. 81-80 in double overtime, will miss four key players—all-America Walter Wesley (6-11), Del Lewis (6-1), Al Lopes (6-5) and Riney Lochmann (6-6). They averaged 45.5 points and pulled down 634 rebounds.
But studious coach Ted Owens and assistant Sam Miranda, two of the most dedicated and hardworking in the conference, should field a strong team provided: (1) the veterans improve and (2) the sophomores develop.
Improvement is needed from Ron Franz (6-7), Rodger Bohntenstieh (6-6), Bob Wilson (6-7) and Jo-Jo White (6-3).
Franz, a rugged forward provided he can stay out of foul trouble early in the game, can score well and rebound strongly. The Jayhawks will need considerable help from Bohnenstiehl, who sparked the team to several wins coming off the bench and replacing Wesley. Versatile enough to play center or forward, and one of the league's top clutch shooters, he must improve his defense.
Wilson, who saw limited action
Big 8 Ratings
1. Nebraska
2. Kansas
3. Iowa State
4. Kansas State
5. Colorado
6. Missouri
7. Oklahoma
8. Oklahoma State
last season, will be counted on to give KU strength on the boards.
JUST ABOUT ready to become one of the outstanding guards in the country. White will attempt to compensate for the loss of Lopes (extremely quick who came up with many loose balls) and Lewis (team leader and good ball-handler).
"He's completely dedicated, has tremendous stamina and can do everything," Owens says.
Owens is highly confident White can do the job. He has good moves and superb reflexes.
Including White, who became eligible at mid-season last year, the Jayhawks have eight sophomores on their 13-member team. As a result, KU may lose a few tight games because of the traditional game-killing sophomore mistakes. But Owens says he has no complaints so far, and the sophomores have been everything "we've asked them to be."
The biggest player on the team, sophomore Vernon Vanoy, will start at center. Owens is impressed with Vanoy's hustle, size (5-8, 235) and willingness to learn.
TOP FIRST-YEAR men include Howard Arndt (6-7). Phil Harmon (6-4) and Bruce Sloan (6-5).
The Jayhawks have a tough pre-season schedule meeting top ranked teams such as Xavier, University of Pacific, Texas Western and St. John's.
Owens and Miranda have gained the respect of their players—and they'll put out. KU will show a lot of pride and a lot of hustle to win.
IOWA STATE
Coach: Glen Anderson LAST YEAR: Won 6, 10
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HIGH SCORER: Don Smith,
17.9 points per game.
YEAR: Won 6, fost 8;
11-14 overall, tied for fifth.
4QF REBOUNDER: Don Smith,
226 rebounds.
THIS SEASON: Iowa State is an "if" team, the darkhorse in the Big Eight, and could be a top notch contender "if" everything goes okay. The big "if" seems to revolve around junior Don Smith (6-8), one of the finest shooters and rebounders in the conference.
"We hope that Smith develops into a great player, and if he does, we could be a contender," Anderson saws.
"His attitude is terrific and he is in good physical shape." As a sophomore center, Smith led the league in rebounding and was fourth in scoring.
Of course, one player can't carry the entire team. Returning starters who will add solid support are Raul Duarte (6-9), Dave Fleming (6-5) and John McGonigle (6-2).
Just the same. Anderson admits not knowing much about his team, which lost four conference games last season by two points each.
"IVE NEVER known so little about a club and how it is going to fit together. I just don't know how good and how strong a club we'll be." Anderson says.
□ definitely □ definitely not □ not indefinitely
"With Duarte, Smith and Fleming playing on the front line at the same time, we'll be big, but slow. Take one of them out and we're small. I don't know if we are going to be a big, slow team, or a small, quick team, or somewhere between."
Iowa State's biggest problem is in the backcourt with no outstanding leadership there.
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Of course, that rather limits the number of beers that qualify. In fact, you can count'em on one finger.
He puts it this way: "Just continuing to store beer in lagering tanks at a brewery will make it continually older. But not continually better. Storing a case of beer in your basement for a couple of months won't help it any either. What's really important is how the beer is aged."
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"If we can get the type of leadership from the guards as we have in the past, we will be better this year. Poise comes from leadership," Anderson said.
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KANSAS STATE
LAST YEAR: Won 9, lost 5;
14-11 overall, third.
HIGH SCORE
Coach: Tex Winter
HIGH SCORER: Nick Pino, 10.9 points per game.
TOP REBOUNDER: Nick Pino,
176 rebounds.
THIS SEASON: Kansas State fans are probably now glowing with enthusiasm that the basketball season is here and the winless football team can be forgotten for awhile.
The Wildcats have the tallest team in the Big Eight and its five biggest stand at least 6-10. But the biggest are not always the best. Despite seven lettermen returning, K-State may have a weak offensive attack.
In fact, only Nick Pino (7-1) is the only starter who scored in double figures, 10.9. Pino, who is most effective in 5-8 minute stretches, will not start.
His replacement will be Roy Smith (6-10), more rugged and durable than Pino.
Says coach Tex Winter, "Smith is outstanding on defense and is one of the finest men I've ever had. He's strong, a raw-boned guy
6 Daily Kansan Wednesday, November 30, 1966
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