KU, Colorado brace for crucial weekend
That muddled-by-upsets Big Eight basketball scramble could be untangled this weekend. Maybe a little, anyway.
Colorado, just one furlong ahead of KU's Jayhawks as the race reaches the homestretch, travels to Iowa State for a Saturday afternoon TV match then journeys to Nebraska Monday night. The Buffs carry an 8-2 conference mark.
The Jayhawks (7-3) brace themselves for Allen Field House invasions by Nebraska and Oklahoma. The Cornhuskers come to Lawrence for a Saturday night skirmish and Oklahoma follows Monday night. Tipoff for both games is 8:05 p.m.
"We know what we have to do," offered Kansas coach Ted Owens. "We've got to win our four remaining games. If we do that we are assured of the championship and the right to play in the NCAA tournament."
Still alive
Despite the 56-55 loss to Missouri last Saturday, the Jayhawks can still tie for the Big Eight title under their own power.
In the event Kansas sweeps its last four league tests, the Jayhawks would receive the NCAA bid by virtue of having defeated the Buffs in both regular-season meetings. KU and Colorado tangle March 1 in Boulder.
The Big Eight's "sleeper" - Kansas State-hosts Oklahoma State tomorrow night, then meets Missouri on the road Monday night. The 'Cats take a 6-3 conference mark into those battles.
In the five years Owens has been coaching the Jayhawks, his teams have enjoyed great success against Oklahoma and Nebraska-but both have been tough on KU this season.
Owens has a personal record of 11-0 against Oklahoma, his alma mater, including a recent 66-59 overtime decision at Norman. The KU mentor has had 9-2 success with Nebraska.
Another milestone
Kansas trimmed the Cornhuskers 82-56 in the Big Eight tournament and escaped from a 56-52 squeaker at
Lincoln. A KU victory tomorrow would give the Jayhawks their first three-game slam over the 'Huskers in one season since 1953.
A triumph over Nebraska would also provide Kansas with another milestone in a season already noted for the school's 1,000th win and No. 100 for
Owens. It would be KU's 100th victory over the Huskies in a long-time basketball series that dates back to 1900.
Sophomore pivot Dave Robisch, slow getting started against Mizzou, tallied 16 points and pushed his season total to 409 points—an 18.6 average.
A sweep of the doubleheader would boost KU's season record to 20-4 and make the Jayhawks prime candidates for the National Invitation Tournament, even if they miss out in the Big Eight race and NCAA.
Kansas went to Madison Square Garden for its first NIT appearance last year, finishing runner-up to Dayton. The Jayhawks played in the NCAA tournament each of the two previous years.
KU thinclads shoot for CCC Indoor win
Record-setting shot-putter Karl Salb headlines a 24-man Kansas contingent at this weekend's Central Collegiate Conference indoor track championships at Notre Dame.
The meet should serve as a good tune-up for the KU thinclads, preparing to defend their Big Eight indoor title next Friday and Saturday in Kansas City.
Coach Bob Timmons will have Jayhawks going in all 19 events with hopes of making a strong run for the team crown.
Joining Salb, who last week set an all-time Big Eight best of $65'51/4", will be Steve Wilhelm and Doug Knop—the other members of Kansas triple threat of shotputters.
The conference's two best long jumpers, Stan Whitley and Ron Jessie, will give KU a good chance to nab the top spots in this event.
Jim Ryun, hobbled last week with a foot injury, will run only the two-mile as he attempts to get back into competitive shape. Ryun has participated in only
Feb. 21 1969 KANSAN 11
two meets since last fall's Olympics.
Timmons feels confident his squad will turn in some strong performances, mentioning that it has an excellent opportunity to capture the team championship.
"This is the first Central Collegiate indoor we've ever competed in, and we're really looking forward to it." he said.
"We'll use it to get ready for next week, and perhaps more important, qualify some of our boys for the NCAA Indoor three weeks from now in Detroit."
Spring sports open indoors as weather slows practices
Hopes are high that the Kansas baseball team will climb out of the Big Eight cellar this year as Coach Floyd Temple prepares his squad for their March 26th opener against St. Mary's University at San Antonio, Tex.
“Spring” training for the Jayhawks has been underway since Feb. 5th, but workouts have been limited to the makeshift confines of Allen Field House.
"We're ready to go outside as soon as the weather let's us," said Temple. "Those Texas schools we'll be facing to open
the season already have about a two-month jump on us as far as outdoor work is concerned."
Weather has also hampered the training schedule of KU's tennis and golf teams.
Coach Jim Burns' tennis squad has stayed inside for the most part, sharing facilities with the basketball, baseball, track and football teams—adding yet another dimension to the field house hall of sounds.
Wilber Mills, golf coach, has said his practices cannot begin until the air warms up and the courses become playable.
Benefit for Biafra
Governor Docking has declared February as "Keep the Planes Flying" month with the objective of raising $125,000 to maintain relief flights to Biafra/Nigeria. As an extension of this effort, the K.U. coalition to Keep the Planes Flying is sponsoring a benefit dance from 9:30 to 12:30 on Sunday, Feb. 23 in the Wesley Foundation.
During the dance, films will be shown of Mary Umolu discussing the current problems and taped interviews of Biafra's Col. Ojukwu and Nigeria's Gen. Gowon. Admission will be 50c per person. For further information, contact Judith Kabane at VI 3-8003 or Joe Van Zandt at VI 3-1529.
The American Committee to Keep Biafra Alive Co-chmn., Joe Van Zandt 706 Illinois Lawrence
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