Playboy's College Basketball Preview

The Jackals are on the loose again. Unprincipled scavengers always start sniffing around when talented amateurs begin to show signs of becoming potential money machines. It's true in every sport, and it's no less so in college basketball. This time, it's the professional players' agents who have discovered a way to legally and profitably undermine the spirit of amateurism by tempting the avarice of unsophisticated high school and college cagers.

Fans have wondered in recent years how so many of the better college athletes from modest backgrounds could drive expensive cars, purchase elegant clothes and wear jewelry that rivals Queen Elizabeth's. Some observers have suspected under-the-table handouts from coaches or wealthy fans. But that, as it turns out, is rarely the case.

A confidential conversation with a college basketball player a few months ago gave us an inkling of the true state of affairs. So we set out--Diogenes-like--to find an ethical agent to tell us how his less admirable peers work their game. After receiving assurances of anonymity, our informer outlined a variation of the ancient and dishonorable loan-shark rip-off:

Industrious and farsighted agents, he explained, retain the services of a number of college assistant coaches (off the record, of course), whose duty it is to report to the agent the identities of any sure-fire future basketball stars discovered in the course of their scouting travels. Impoverished players from ghetto schools are preferred; the sons of financially secure parents are poor game.

Once the hot prospect is identified, the agent goes calling and cuts a deal. The kid signs a binding player-agent contract that will take effect when his college playing career is finished. The agent, in turn, keeps the young man supplied with spending money and assorted goodies throughout the remainder of his high school and college years--surreptitiously, of course.

The contract is perfectly legal, but if its existence should become known, the player would lose his college eligibility. If the N.C.A.A. should find out that his coach knew of the existence of such a contract, the school would be slapped with a painful and embarrassing probation. In short, the tempter is taking no chance, but the temptee is risking his athletic career. Needless to say, college coaches are very careful to appear to remain unaware of such arrangements. And that, perhaps, is where the major blame lies for the increasing perversion of college athletics. No one is in a better position to notice a player's unexplained affluence than are his coaches. If the phony amateurism of college athletics becomes a country-wide disgrace, they'll have only themselves to blame.

But what if the player doesn't make it to the pros? No matter. An agent may be nursing as many as 25 such undercover arrangements, and if only four or five work out, he still makes out like a bandit. A top professional basketball player can earn as much as $10,000,000 in his playing career, and 20 percent of that (the usual agent fee) is a lot of loot.

Will all of this explode in some kind of scandal someday and thereby end such shenanigans? Don't hold your breath. The only developments that could affect the situation would be if pro basketball should lose much of its enormous entertainment appeal, thus greatly reducing the monies available for player salaries, or if the young athletes should wise up and realize that they may wind up paying, in effect, $2,000,000 interest on a $10,000 loan. Since neither of the above eventualities is likely to occur, these latter-day gold-brick salesmen will undoubtedly continue to prosper.

So while we wait in vain for amateur athletics to become less professional, let's take a look at the teams around the country and their prospects for this season.

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The administration at the University of Pittsburgh has made a public commitment to improve the Pitt basketball program. It made a similar commitment about football in 1973 and it has paid off handsomely. The payoff in basketball should begin to show this season. New coach Roy Chipman inherits four of last season's five starters and has landed a brace of blue-chip recruits, Clyde Vaughn and Brett Crawford. Pittsburgh will become a national basketball power in the near future--maybe this winter.

St. Bonaventure and Rutgers could give Pitt a tussle for the conference championship. Both teams have all their big guns back from last season and each school has a hot-shot newcomer--guard Norman Clarke at St. Bonaventure and forward Clarence Tillman at Rutgers.

This will be a rebuilding year at Duquesne. Graduation took much of the scoring punch and the guard ranks are thin.

Rhode Island makes its entry into (continued on page 360)Basketball Preview(continued from page 254) Eastern Eight competition with all its top players back, but the schedule is considerably upgraded. If a good point guard can be found in preseason drills, the Rams could make an impressive debut.

West Virginia will have to rebuild its backcourt. At best, the guards will be inexperienced. Top candidates are sophs Greg Jones and Diego McCoy, plus transfer Quentin Freeman.

Graduation cut severe inroads in the George Washington team, taking four of the top six players. Transfer guard Wilbert Skipper looks like the best of the rookies. This campaign will be an uphill climb for Massachusetts, which won only two games last season.

Despite the loss of Craig Shelton and John Duren, Georgetown will again be one of the better teams in the East. Freshman guard Fred Brown, a sensational passer and ball-control artist, will help ease the loss of Duren. The Hoyas will still have the benefit of Eric "Sleepy" Floyd's awesome outside shooting.

The Louie-Bouie show has left town, but Syracuse retains all the ingredients lor another potent team. Dan Schayes will inherit Roosevelt Bouie's center job and transfer Leo Rautins, a former member of the Canadian national team, will strengthen the front court.

The Connecticut team lost only one starter to graduation. The experience the squad has garnered, plus the arrival of center Chuck Aleksinas (a transfer from Kentucky), should enable the Huskies to post 20 or more wins.

Villanova's entry into the Big East Conference will be a pleasant one if its bench strength holds up and if the front-court one-two punch of Alex Bradley and John Pinone melds.

It will be difficult for St. John's to overcome the loss of guards Reggie Carter and Bernard Rencher. Likely replacements will be Curtis Redding and transfer (from Texas Tech) Larry Washington.

A good recruiting season will give Boston College a taller team, but the schedule will be tougher. Seton Hall, sustaining no graduation losses, will benefit from gained experience, but there is still a need for a power man under the boards and the schedule is also rough.

St. Joseph's should be the favorite in the East Coast Conference, mostly because center Marcellus Williams returns. Also, coach Jim Lynam landed prime recruits Tony Costner and Lonnie McFarlan, two of the best prep players in the Philadelphia area. Both Lafayette and Bucknell sustained severe graduation losses. The same problem will be largely solved at Lafayette, because new coach Will Rackley garnered the finest group of rookies in school history. Bucknell will be a team of average players surrounding one great performer, guard Al Leslie.

Temple is the conference dark horse. The Owls are experienced, quick, and deep, and will be reinforced by three blue-chip recruits, the best of whom is Pete Aguilar.

It should be an off year for La Salle, because the Explorers lost all of last winter's top scorers. Hofstra will have a veteran squad, but Dick Berg is the third head coach in as many years, and that can affect any team's stability. The Rider team will be vastly improved from accrued experience alone--four of last season's starters were freshmen, as were four of the first five players off the bench.

American University will still have superscorer Boo Bowers and the Eagles will be reinforced by nugget transfer (from Texas Christian) Mark Nickens. Drexel, Delaware and Lehigh had minimal graduation losses, and all should be stronger teams than a year ago. West Chester State has been playing over its head in the East Coast Conference in recent years, but athletic director Dick Yoder is in the process of overhauling the whole athletic program. It will take a while.

This year's Ivy League race should again be a down-to-the-wire affair between Princeton and Pennsylvania, with Columbia playing the dark-horse role. All three teams had few graduation losses, were very young teams last season, and will therefore benefit from their experience. The Princeton team must improve its game at the offensive end of the court and Pennsylvania must find an adequate replacement for its only graduated starter, team leader James Salters. Columbia's fortunes will depend largely on the continued improvement of Vernon Outlaw (one of the two dominant big men in the league) and the contributions of freshman center Gerome Quinn.

The Harvard team last season was disadvantaged by an unusually short group of players; but, fortunately, the incoming freshmen are the tallest group of recruits in school history. Joe Carrabino and Monroe Trout appear to be the best of the lot.

Yale's graduation losses were severe. Luckily, freshman guard Butch Graves arrived to soften the loss of Larry Zigerelli, who was the Elis' main man last winter. Center Tim Daaleman will compete with Columbia's Outlaw for the honor of being the Ivy's best big man.

Dartmouth will have a much-improved team because of the return from injury of forward Larry Lawrence and guard Tony Woods. Add blue-chip freshman Brian Burke and the win total should double that of a year ago.

Graduation took the top scorers from both the Brown and the Cornell teams and no equivalent replacements are in the offing at either school. Brown's main strength will again be its defensive play. New Cornell coach Tom Miller has brought in eight recruits, so chances are good that there will be a couple of nuggets in the group.

Old Dominion should have the winningest team among the Eastern independents. The Monarchs' major assets will be team speed and quickness, but a suitable replacement must be found for the graduated stellar forward Ronnie Valentine. Either of two recruits, Tom Perry or Ray Broxton, could fill the void.

Iona's top five players of a year ago have departed, but there is a bonanza group of recruits to take their place. All five starters on this year's squad could be newcomers. If they get their act together, Iona could be a strong team by season's end.

Penn State plays a much tougher schedule than many of the other Eastern independents and will likely be much stronger than some teams with better records. The Nittany Lions' only weakness is a lack of quickness. If coach Dick Harter can solve that problem, the Lions could surprise several supposedly better teams this winter. Two incoming freshmen. Brian Dean and Dick Mumma, should make big contributions.

A strong bench will help Holy Cross overcome the loss of top gunner Ronnie Perry. With everyone else -back, this could be a good year in Worcester.

St. Francis, Niagara, Fordham and George Mason will have much-improved teams and the various won-lost records will be largely a reflection of the schedule strengths. St. Francis lost only one starter and the three other teams didn't lose any.

The Big Ten has emerged as the dominant conference in college basketball. The major disadvantage each of its member teams faces is the fact that all must play one another twice every season. It all comes down to who beats whom with a last-second tip-in.

Indiana will be the favorite as the season opens, largely because of the impressive veteran talent. The best is Playboy All-America guard Isiah Thomas. Isiah is so spectacular that it's hard to believe what he does, even when you see it again in instant replay. He has so much fun playing the game that the feeling is infectious; the fans love Isiah and lie loves the fans. Another plus for the Hoosiers is the unlikely possibility of a repeat of last season's series of injuries. The biggest suspense factor in Bloomington is coacli Bobby Knight. Hoosier fans keep holding their breath, waiting for him to self-destruct a la Woody Hayes.

If Indiana should falter, Ohio State is waiting in the wings. The Buckeyes will have to learn to play without graduated Kelvin Ransey, who was the backbone of the team for three years. Playboy All-America forward Herb Williams will take up much of the leadership burden, and supersoph Clark Kellogg should be much improved and more consistent with a year's maturation.

The Illinois team set a school record of 22 wins last winter, largely because of top-quality forward play. Last spring, coach Lou Henson recruited a couple of gem-quality guards, Derek Harper and Craig Tucker. Harper could be the best freshman guard in the country this season. Forwards Eddie Johnson and Mark Smith could both go in the first round of the N.B.A. draft next year. The Illini bench depth, however, is suspect, so injuries could wreak havoc.

Iowa's only significant graduation loss was Ronnie Lester, but the Hawkeyes are a balanced team, will have excellent bench strength, and last winter's long skein of injuries probably won't recur.

Minnesota also lost its best player (Kevin McHale), but everyone else is back and--just like Iowa--the Gophers have excellent team balance. Any improvement this year will likely be keyed to the further development of 7'2" sophomore Randy Breuer.

Although it will be difficult for the Purdue team to adjust to the loss of Joe Barry Carroll, part of the void will be filled by 6'11" freshman Russell Cross, a consensus prep All-America. New coach Gene Keady plans to install a three-forward offense to take advantage of the wealth of quality front-court players.

Michigan was the surprise team of the Big Ten last year, but opponents won't be caught napping this time. The Wolverines' graduation losses were minimal. A great recruiting year was highlighted by the signing of 6'10" blue chipper Tim McCormick. Another freshman, Dan Pelekoudas, with great ball-handling ability and lots of smarts, could fill the Wolverines' need for a flashy point guard. Forward Mike McGee should become the school's all-time leading scorer by season's end.

The emphasis will be on offense at Wisconsin this year. The Badgers have a dearth of experience and the lack of depth could hurt, because several of the players are foul prone.

Last year's Northwestern team was big and slow, but this edition should lie just the opposite. Sophs Michael Jenkins and Gaddis Kathel both have tremendous quickness and rookie Art Aaron will add even more explosiveness to the Wildcat attack.

The Michigan State team this year will again suffer from a lack of height. Several quality recruits (the best of whom are Ben Tower and Richard Mudd) will see much action. The abundance of inexperience on the floor will hurt.

Bowling Green and Northern Illinois should be nearly dead-even favorites to win the Mid-American Conference title. Almost everyone returns to a Bowling Green team that won 20 games last season. Northern Illinois has such a bonanza of recruits that three of last year's returning starters may find themselves on the bench much of this winter. Best of the Huskie newcomers are Ross Kingsley and Leonard Hayes.

Graduation losses will likely make it impossible for Toledo to duplicate last year's heady success. It will be a young team and, with Harvey Knuckles' leadership, should improve as the season progresses. Ball State, Central Michigan and Kent State all have enough experienced depth to make a run for the title if luck favors them. Kent State will get much help from superrecruit Robert Brannon.

Western Michigan and Ohio University will have improved teams but are still a year away from title contention. Eastern Michigan and Miami University suffered too many graduation losses to be a factor in the championship race this season.

This year's squad should be the best Evansville team in school history. Three returning starters are joined by a dazzling crop of recruits. Rookies Kenny Perry (a 6'11" prep All-America) and Emir Turam (a 7'1" former member of the Turkish Olympic team) will give the Aces their tallest team ever.

Loyola will again have a short but scrappy team. Darius demons is one of the best defensive guards in the country. Oklahoma City, Butler and Xavier will all have improved teams. Xavier, especially, has the ingredients to be the surprise team of the conference. Both Detroit and Oral Roberts will be weakened by the loss of graduated players.

Believe it or not, DePaul should be an even stronger team than a year ago, when the Blue Demons lost only two games. Only one of last season's top ten players is missing. Playboy All-Americas Mark Aguirre and Clyde Bradshaw are among the dozen best players in the country. Two other returnees, sophomores Terry Cummings and Teddy Grubbs, should benefit greatly from a year's experience. The Demon squad is so deep in talent that only one newcomer, transfer center Brett Burkholder, is expected to log much playing time tin's winter.

Whether or not Notre Dame makes it to the N.C.A.A. tournament for the eighth straight year will depend largely on how well this autumn's super crop of freshmen fit in. As usual, the Irish have a wealth of front-court players, best of whom are Tracy Jackson, Kelly Tripucka and Orlando Woolridge. The key factor in preseason drills will be settling their guard positions, where both of last year's starters have graduated. Best of the gilded cache of newcomers is Joe Kleine, who, at 6'11" and 240 pounds, should be the muscle man coach Digger Phelps has been looking for.

Although stellar guard Sam Worthen has graduated, Marquette now has the depth that was so obviously missing last year. Promising transfer center Brian Nyenhuis will also give the Warriors much-needed height.

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There is so much talent in the Atlantic Coast Conference--and it is so evenly distributed--that all the teams except Georgia Tech have a chance to win the conference title. Maryland looks like the best bet to us, because the Terps have all their top players (including Playboy All-America forward Albert King) returning from a team that won 21 games last season. Last winter's only discernible weakness, a thin bench, will be helped by the arrival of three prime recruits, Charles Pittman (who could usurp a starting role by season's end), Steve Rivers and Pete Holbert.

Playboy All-America center Ralph Sampson, only a sophomore, has provided the key element in Virginia's emergence as a basketball power. Sampson's presence has taken the defensive pressure off Jeff Lamp, who has subsequently emerged as the most dangerous shooting guard in the conference. Last season's weakness, backcourt speed, has apparently been cured by the addition of lightning-quick guards Othell Wilson and Ricky Stokes.

This year's Duke team will be very different from the last one. The Blue Devils will be missing the big guy in the middle, so new coach Mike Krzyzewski will use a motion offense, with the five starters playing interchangeable roles. Such a style should help showcase the considerable talents of Gene Banks, Kenny Dennard and Vince Taylor, who have been somewhat stifled by the inside-oriented attacks of recent years.

The best news at North Carolina is that James Worthy's broken ankle has healed. He could become the finest front-court player in school history. Worthy and Al Wood (already the best shooter in school history) will give the Tar Heels an awesome pair, but the rest of the starting line-up could be in doubt until midseason. Incoming freshman center Sam Perkins looks like a future great and could quickly win a starting role.

New North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano inherits eight of last winter's top ten players; but, unfortunately, the lamented departees, Hawkeye Whitney and Clyde Austin, were the two top scorers. The key to the Wolfpack's fortunes this season may be 7'5" Chuck Nevitt, who, if he can develop his stamina and add some weight, could intimidate opposing teams. A methodical club a year ago, the Wolfpack will use racehorse tactics this season to take advantage of the squad's over-all quickness.

Severe graduation losses will prevent the Clemson team from duplicating last season's success. The Tigers will be heavily dependent on the play of center Larry Nance and the quick development of newcomers Clark Bynum and Raymond Jones.

With all key players returning and a prime crop of recruits (Glenn Mayers is the best newcomer), Wake Forest will have a much stronger team, but tough conference competition will make it difficult for the Deacons to have a winning season. The return of Frank Johnson, whose foot injury has healed, will give their backcourt play the speed and leadership it needs.

Georgia Tech, newest member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, lost four of its top five players to graduation and faces a long uphill climb to conference respectability. Forward Brook Steppe, who would be a guard on a team with deeper talent, will have to carry most of the load this season.

Reinforced by two bonanza recruiting years, Kentucky has everything necessary to be the nation's top team. Although the Wildcats will be a very young team (nine of the top 11 players will be frosh or sophs), their depth will be the envy of every other school in the country. Playboy All-America center Sam Bowie may find himself playing at a forward position at times if superrookie Melvin Turpin, a seven-footer, matures quickly. Kentucky's biggest advantage is its basketball reputation; recruiting is a cinch, because being a second-stringer at Kentucky carries more prestige than being a starter at most schools. The Wildcats' other major advantage is the coaching of Joe Hall, a low-key, perspicacious sort who uses brains instead of bombast and motivates his players with paternal concern instead of intimidation. In recognition of those qualities, we have selected Hall as Playboy Coach of the Year.

Louisiana State will field a formidable starting five, but bench depth is questionable. The Tigers could be vulnerable if center Greg Cook gets into foul trouble, because there is no experienced substitute to replace him. The main man will surely be Playboy All-America forward Durand Macklin. A speedy group of guards will drive opponents berserk with their constant pressing. The student Front Row Fanatics will again make Baton Rouge visits miserable for opposing teams and unpopular officials.

Vanderbilt could field one of the most improved teams in the country. Six of last year's top eight players will return. Immensely skilled Charles Davis is back after a year's medical leave, and superrookie Jeff Turner will reinforce an abundantly talented front line. If coach Richard Schmidt can find a couple of dependable guards, the Commodores could be one of this season's surprise teams.

New Alabama coach Winfrey Sanderson takes over a team that is still very young (there's only one senior on the roster) but will be much more experienced than a year ago. The addition of transfer forward Desi Barmore will help.

The Georgia team recorded its first winning season in eight years last winter, largely because of fabulous freshmen Dominique Wilkins and Terry Fair. Their return is a cause for optimism in Athens, but depth and experience will still be big problems; of the 12-man roster, ten are freshmen or sophomores.

Tennessee coach Don DeVoe's main task in preseason drills is finding a dependable point guard. Michael Poole is the prime candidate. The Vols will be thin inside this year, so newcomer Dan Federmann, an awesome specimen, could make a big contribution immediately.

Both Mississippi State and Mississippi have blue-chip recruits to ease the loss of their superstars. Freshman Michael Green will help fill the large void left by the graduation of Rickey Brown at Mississippi State, and Rob Drum may well ease the loss of John Stroud at Mississippi. Both teams will, fortunately, have better depth than a year ago. Optimism is especially high in Oxford, where last season the Rebs posted, their best record in 42 years and made their first postseason tournament appearance.

After a couple of respectable recruiting years, Auburn's manpower is improving, but coach Sonny Smith is still trying to find a high-caliber point guard and his team still suffers from the lack of a big man in the middle.

Nearly everything is new at Florida: new coach, new players, new arena. The rookie coach is Norman Sloan and the best of a large contingent of recruits are blue chippers Vernon DeLancy and Ronnie Williams. Only a couple of the few returning vets have a chance to log much playing time.

Despite the loss of Darrell Griffith, the Louisville team will still have the inside track in the Metro Conference race. The four other starters from last year are back and Scooter McCray returns after sitting out a season with a knee injury. Add two talented frosh, Charles Jones and Lancaster Gordon, and it all adds up to another contender for the N.C.A.A. championship.

Florida State will be aided by the return to active duty of center Kris Anderson and forward James Bozeman. Guard Rodney Arnold could develop into one of the most exciting players in the country. The Seminoles still need more help from their bench.

With its top six players returning and a better familiarity with second-year coach Dana Kirk's system, Memphis State should have a much-improved team. Two prime recruits are Phillip Haynes and Johnie (that's the way it's spelled) Gipson.

The combined effects of graduation and incoming talent will make the Virginia Tech backcourt much stronger than the front court, the reverse situation of, a year ago.

With minimal graduation losses, the Tulane team should benefit from added maturity. The Greenies will need a big man in the middle. If seven-footer Steve Carpenter continues to develop, he could fill the bill and the Greenies could make a lot of waves.

The morale factor should be a big asset at Cincinnati this winter. The Bearcats are off N.C.A.A. probation for the first time in two years and the squad is loaded with senior leadership.

St. Louis coach Ron Ekker will have to find three new starters this fall, but a good crop of recruits will give him plenty of talent to choose from. The top newcomer will likely be Leon Van Hook.

South Alabama appears to us to have the best chance to win the Sun Belt conference title, but any of the other teams--with the possible exceptions of South Florida and Georgia State--could take the crown with a little luck. South Alabama, an extremely well-disciplined team, will get back all its starters from last winter's 23--6 team. Jacksonville, Virginia Commonwealth and UNCC each lost one prime player, but all three schools have some promising recruits to flesh out their rosters. The Alabama-Birmingham team, decimated by graduation, must face a fearsome non conference schedule. Transfer forward Craig Lane should make a big splash.

Healed injuries and the further development of last winter's freshman sensation Mont Sleets should make Murray State the hot team in the Ohio Valley Conference. Challenges could come from Morehead State, if its young but talented squad matures quickly, or from Western Kentucky, if its team can smoothly adjust to new coach Clem Haskins. Both the Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Tech teams will be much stronger, due to more experience and depth.

Western Carolina, Marshall and Fur-man will fight it out for the Southern Conference title, with Western Carolina having the best chance because of the presence of scrapper Greg Dennis. Chattanooga, benefiting from a bumper crop of recruits (Russ Schoene is the number-one catch), could be a dark-horse team.

It's back to the drawing boards at South Carolina. The squad was gutted by graduation. New coach Bill Foster may wind up with a starting five consisting of four freshmen and one sophomore, Kevin Darmody.

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The Missouri team won 25 games last season and could well have been the best team in the land with adequate bench strength. But, after late-season injuries, the Tigers had only three substitutes. Said coach Norm Stewart, "Sometimes it was frustrating to look down the bench and see more coaches than players." The return of forward Lex Drum and guard Barry Laurie, plus the addition of four freshman recruits, should take care of the numbers problem. Then, if Stewart can find a capable replacement for graduated point guard Larry Drew, the Tigers will be a strong contender for the national championship.

Nebraska, last winter's Big Eight Cinderella team, will have its 11 best players from a year ago back and will be Missouri's challenger for the conference crown. The Huskers' main liability is a lack of height. If 6'7" center Andre Smith were three inches taller, he would be rated as one of the top post men in the country.

Guard Rolando Blackman returns as the sparkplug of the Kansas State team and will be joined by four part-time starters from last year. The Wildcats will be a balanced team, with finely meshed skills. With a bit of good fortune, they could be one of the nation's top teams.

Colorado is on the verge of turning the corner in basketball. The four top players of last winter are back and are joined by a great group of recruits. Best of the bunch are center Joe Cooper and point guard Jay Humphries.

The Kansas team retains the invaluable services of Playboy All-America guard Darnell Valentine, plus eight of the top ten other players on last winter's squad. The Jayhawks will therefore be much improved, but it will be difficult to enhance the won-lost record, because most of the other conference teams are also stronger. This year's recruiting plum, 6'10", 240- pound Victor Mitchell, figures to fill the Jayhawks' need for a dominating inside player.

Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma all lost their two best players to graduation and will have a hard time improving on last season's records. New Iowa State coach Johnny Orr got a late start in the recruiting wars and landed only three players, so the Cyclones will be few in number, as well as short in size. The schedule is also much stronger than a year ago. Give Orr a couple of years and he will have the Cyclones banging on the Big Eight throne-room door, but this may be a lean winter in Ames.

The Oklahoma State team will benefit from the return of premier guard Matt Clark, who was redshirted last season with an injury. New Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs inherits only one full-time starter (guard Raymond Whitely), but landed a gem-quality recruit in massive Charles Jones, who could dominate the boards.

Texas A & M coach Shelby Metcalf insists his team was only a jump shot away from the national championship last winter. The Aggies' only perceptible weakness was poor point production from the backcourt, but three prime rookie guards should fix that problem. The front line will again be formidable and will be considerably reinforced by transfer (from Florida) Maurice McDaniel, who should make a big splash his first year. With all that front-court talent on hand, Metcalf may use a three-forward offense.

Although Arkansas won 21 games last season, it was considered a disappointing performance by Razorback fans, who have become accustomed to league championships. The Hogs suffered from poor shooting, but that could be remedied this fall by two incoming hot-shot guards, Darrell Walker and Ricky Norton. If both work out, U. S. Reed will be moved to the front court, where his superb jumping ability can be utilized. With a little help, Scott Hastings could become a prolific scorer.

Texas Tech returns three starters and eight lettermen from the best-shooting team in school history. The Raiders, should be improved with the addition of freshman point guard Bubba Jenning, who arrives with awesome credentials. Tech still lacks a domineering big man in the front court, so coach Gerald Myers may adopt a fast-break running game.

Baylor forward Terry Teagle is probably the finest player in the Southwest Conference, but he got very little help last winter from his teammates, who were neither very tall nor very physical. A productive recruiting year fortunately brought in much added height and muscle in the persons of Ozell Hall and Tommy Temaat. They should make life much more pleasant for Teagle.

Guard Rob Williams will again be Houston's big gun. He will get a lot of help from an outstanding collection of recruits. Michael Young and Clyde Drexler could be instant starters in the front court, and both Eric Davis and Lynden Rose will clock much time as guards. The Cougars could astonish if all this new talent learns to play together smoothly.

The Texas team was maddeningly inconsistent last season--some nights it looked unbeatable, other nights it smelled up the arena. With last season's top two players missing, this team could be just as unpredictable. One key to the season will be the play of LaSalle Thompson, who has the tools to become one of the best big men in conference history. Another key will be the contributions of newcomers, best of whom is forward Mike Wacker.

Almost everything is new at Southern Methodist. Graduation nearly wiped out the squad; new coach Dave Bliss will assemble a team made up largely of rookies and inexperienced reserves. The style of play will be different, too, changing from a run-and-gun attack to a methodical defense-oriented system.

Don't be surprised if Rice turns out to be the dominant team of the year in the Southwest Conference. All the necessary ingredients are there, if coach Mike Schuler can put them together. Although the Owls won only seven games a year ago, forward Ricky Pierce emerged as the kind of talent who can meld a team into a winner. Last year's ten best players return and a prime crop of freshmen could help cure last winter's lack of quickness and speed. Their easier schedule should help, too.

The Texas Christian team boasts more maturity and more height than a year ago. Darrell Browder could become one of the standout guards in the conference.

It looks like a beautiful winter in Peoria. Last season, Bradley became the first team in the 61-year history of the Missouri Valley Conference to go from last place to first place in one season. All five starters and two thirds of the best bench in the league return. Best of all, the Braves have Mitchell Anderson, a superstar player who can galvanize a team. The Braves are quick, disciplined and skilled defensively. Look for them to wind up in the nation's top 20 at season's end.

If Bradley falters, Wichita State could take the conference crown. The Shockers also return all their starters and inexperience will not be the problem it was a year ago. Two rookies, forward Donnell Allen and guard Tony Martin, will make big contributions their first year.

The main strength of the West Texas State team will again be the running game, led by guard Terry Adolph. A group of junior college transfers will add bench depth, an important element in this run-oriented team.

Both the Creighton and the Drake squads return nearly intact, and each team has a star forward who can make the difference in close games. Creighton's Kevin McKenna is a superb outside shooter and a slick ball handler. Drake's Lewis Lloyd seems to do everything better than anyone. The Bulldogs still need a big man in the middle.

Graduation took a devastating toll at Indiana State, New Mexico State and Tulsa. But all three schools got lucky in recruiting. Lester Wright and Robert McField are the prime catches at Indiana State. Jaime Pena and Paul Atkins, both junior college All-Americas, will be immediate starters at New Mexico State. Tulsa's rookie crop is especially impressive, with the newcomers reputed to be more talented than the starters they will replace. Best of the lot appears to be Paul Pressey, who can play any position.

Last season's incredible string of bad luck at Southern Illinois (transcript foul-ups, injuries, illness) will presumably not be repeated this winter, so the Salukis should enjoy a more productive season if last year's top two scorers can be adequately replaced.

Center Cherokee Rhone will again be the dominant player on the Centenary squad. Last year's internal squabbles will be missing and two rookie forwards. Rusty Ward and Willie Jackson, will give the Gents added scoring power.

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Last season, the Oregon State team won 26 games, took the Pacific Ten championship and wound up ranked fourth in the nation. The Beavers will be even stronger this year. Only one starter and one backup player are missing from last year's squad and the replacements are more than adequate. Two recruits, forward Charlie Sitton and swing man Les Conner, have impressive reputations and could be used immediately. Center Steve Johnson will again be the fulcrum of the team.

UCLA's late-season finish was breathtaking; after only a fourth-place finish in the conference race, the Bruins went all the way to the championship game in the N.C.A.A. tournament. The momentum should carry over to this fall, but much of this season's success will depend on how well the Bruins survive the loss of Kiki Vandeweghe, the best-shooting forward in UCLA history. A major cause for optimism is the arrival of four top-quality recruits, including 7'3" center Mark Eaton.

The Arizona State team has announced its collective intention of winning its first Pacific Ten championship. A major stumbling block could be the lack of proven reserves beyond the squad's sixth man. Injuries could make the lack of depth critical. Still, the chances for a successful season will be good if an adequate replacement can be found for graduated forward Kurt Nimphius, the past season's most valuable player.

Last year was like two seasons for the Southern California team: first a dream, then a nightmare. The Trojans started off like Gang Busters, then wound up losing 12 of their last 13 games. There were player suspensions, player defections and injuries so numerous that footballer Ronnie Lott had to be coaxed into playing. This, therefore, will be a low-key, rebuilding year for the Trojans, but there is much optimism based on an excellent recruiting crop. Probable starters their first year are center Clayton Olivier, forward Mike Owens (a transfer from Pcnn State) and Dwight Anderson (a transfer from Kentucky). Another promising recruit is guard Jimmy Brown, son of former N.F.L. fullback Jim Brown.

Washington's success this season will depend largely on the arrival of transfer center Greg Wiltjer. Scoring help will also come from transfer guard Alvin Fields. The Huskies will again be a sharpshooting team.

Washington State, completely drained by graduation, faces a long rebuilding year. Coach George Raveling pulled out all the stops during recruiting season and came up with perhaps the best crop of rookies in school history. This Cougar squad will be woefully green, but in a couple of years, it should be back in the championship race.

Freshmen Fred Cofield and John Cheatham should solve Oregon's backcourt problems, and Ray Whiting, it's hoped, will be the take-charge player so sorely needed last winter. If so, the Ducks will be a much better team.

It will be difficult for Arizona to overcome the loss of supershooter Joe Nehls. Partial compensation will come from more backcourt quickness and from transfer forward Greg Cook.

The California team is optimistic because of the experience gained by three freshman starters of last year. Another big plus will be the arrival of transfer center Mark McNamara.

The prospects at Stanford are bleak. Last season's premier player, Kimberly Belton, has graduated and there is no one even remotely capable of replacing him. The incoming freshmen will, (concluded on page 380)Basketball Preview(continued from page 376) fortunately, add some needed speed.

This should be a joyful winter in Laramie. Last season's Wyoming team was the best in a decade and this edition looks much stronger. The only apparent weakness a year ago was the center position, and that problem will be solved in splendid fashion by the arrival of seven-footer Chris Engler (a transfer from Minnesota). Charles Bradley, the best player in school history, should have another banner year.

Three years ago, Texas-El Paso coach Don Haskins sacrificed the won-lost record to go with an all-freshman team. That decision will pay off this season with a mature and skilled group of seniors. Add transfer guard Virgil Kennedy and promising freshmen Paul Cunningham and Anthony Bailey and the result should be a much-improved team.

There is also much optimism at Utah, mostly because of the return of two stellar performers, forward Danny Vranes and center Tom Chambers. The back-court needs shoring up, but that problem will likely be solved by rookie point guard Reuben McClain.

Graduation losses will make it difficult for the Brigham Young team to duplicate last season's 24--5 record. Guard Danny Ainge will again be the pivotal player.

Although both Long Beach State and Utah State lost two of their best cagers from last season, they should still be the top two teams in the Pacific Coast Association. Two rookie guards, Ricky Smith and Bruce McCree, will help make Long Beach State a fast-breaking team with a smothering man-to-man full-court defense. Guard Greg Anderson (a transfer from Brigham Young) and forward Gary Furniss (returning from a Mormon Church mission) could soothe Utah State's graduation pains.

The Pacific team could be a title contender if last season's injury rash isn't repeated and if all the lame are healed. The depth is better, the schedule easier and transfer Ralph Scozzofava brings much-needed outside shooting skills.

The San Francisco team should have no problem winning its sixth straight West Coast Conference championship. Last winter, for the first time in many years, the Dons fielded a well-balanced team with splendid bench strength. The same will be true this season. The back-court will again be the Dons' major asset. Look for continued improvement at St. Mary's. An excellent group of recruits will bring needed height to the team. Two seven-footers, Mike Nelson and David Bowlby, are among the prime catches.

Montana is likely to displace Weber State in the Big Sky throne room this winter, because the latter team lost its top four players of a year ago. Montana has the luxury of four returning starters, as well as good bench depth. The Grizzlies' hope for success will be based largely on the play of center Craig Larsen.

The Weber State team will be smaller but quicker than last year. Much of the rebuilding effort will be centered on rookie center-forward Doug Harris and veteran swing man Todd Harper.

If Idaho coach Don Monson can replace graduated team leader Don Newman, the Vandals could have a good chance at the conference title. Either of two newcomers, Ken Owens or Freeman Watkins, could fill the bill.

Nevada-Las Vegas won 23 games last season with a freshman-and-sophomore-dominated squad. With those veterans returning, this should he an even more potent team. Defensive play, last winter's most obvious weakness, will be much better. Best news is the arrival of Greg Goorjian (a transfer from Arizona State). He will be one of the country's best guards this season.

Top 20 Teams

1. Kentucky 11. Virginia

2. Indiana 12. Louisville

3. Oregon State 13. Louisiana State

4. Maryland 14. Arkansas

5. DePaul 15. Bradley

6. Texas A&M 16. Wyoming

7. Notre Dame 17. Duke

8. Georgetown 18. UCLA

9. Ohio State 19. Pittsburgh

10. Missouri 20. Illinois

Possible Breakthroughs

North Carolina, Arizona State, Wichita State, Vanderbilt, Evansville, St. Bonaventure, Marquette, Old Dominion, Iowa, Rutgers, Nebraska, lona.

All-America Squad

(All of whom are likely to make someone's All-America team at season's end)

Forwards: Danny Wanes (Utah), Gene Banks (Duke), Tracy Jackson (Notre Dame), Kelly Tripucka (Notre Dame), Sam Clancy (Pittsburgh), Terry Teagle (Baylor), Rynn Wright (Texas A&M), Charles Bradley (Wyoming), Mike McGee (Michigan), Oliver Lee (MarqueHe), Ricky Pierce (Rice), Lewis Lloyd (Drake), Charles Davis (Vanderbilt), Earl Belcher (St. Bonaventure), Boo Bowers (American)

Centers: Steve Johnson (Oregon State), Alton Lister (Arizona State), Scott Hastings (Arkansas), Sidney Green (Nevada-Las Vegas), Cherokee Rhone (Centenary), Allen Rayhorn (Northern Illinois)

Guards: Rod Foster (UCLA), Jeff Lamp (Virginia), Scooter McCray (Louisville), Rolondo Blackman (Kansas State), Al Wood (North Carolina), Darius Clemons (Loyola), Rob Williams (Houston), Ray Blume (Oregon State), Terry Adolph (West Texas State)

Top Newcomers

(Incoming freshmen and transfers who should make big contributions to their respective teams)

Clarence Tillman, forward………………..Rutgers

Fred Brown, guard………………..Georgetown

Chuck Aleksinas, center………………..Connecticut

Ed Major, guard………………..Ohio State

Derek Harper, guard………………..Illinois

Russell Cross, forward………………..Purdue

Art Aaron, forward………………..Northwestern

Kenny Perry, forward………………..Evansville

Tom Prusator, center………………..Oral Roberts

Joe Kleine, center………………..Notre Dame

Charles Jones, forward………………..Louisville

Melvin Turpin, center………………..Kentucky

Dicky Beal, guard………………..Kentucky

Joe Cooper, center………………..Colorado

Victor Mitchell, center………………..Kansas

Maurice McDaniel, forward………………..Texas A&M

Donnell Allen, forward………………..Wichita State

Paul Pressey, guard………………..Tulsa

Clayton Olivier, center………………..Southern California

Mark McNamara, center………………..California

Chris Engler, center………………..Wyoming

Greg Goorjian, guard………………..Nevada-Las Vegas

The East

Eastern Eight

1. Pittsburgh 6. West Virginia

2. St. Bonaventure 7. George

3. Rutgers Washington

4. Duquesne 8. Massachusetts

5. Rhode Island

Big East Conference

1. Georgetown 5. St. John's

2. Syracuse 6. Boston College

3. Connecticut 7. Seton Hall

4. Villanova 8. Providence

East Coast Conference

1. St. Joseph's 8. American

2. Lafayette 9. Drexel

3. Bucknell 10. Delaware

4. Temple 11. Lehigh

5. La Salle 12. West Chester

6. Hofstra State

7. Rider

Ivy League

1. Princeton 5. Yale

2. Pennsylvania 6. Dartmouth

3. Columbia 7. Brown

4. Harvard 8. Cornell

Independents

1. Old Dominion 8. Niagara

2. lona 9. Fordham

3. Navy 10. William & Mary

4. James Madison 11. George Mason

5. Penn State 12. Canisius

6. Holy Cross 13. Army

7. St. Francis 14. Manhattan

Top Players: Clancy, Neverson (Pittsburgh); Belcher, Jones (St. Bonaventure); Troy (Rutgers); Dixon (Duquesne); Wright (Rhode Island); Nance (West Virginia); Jeffries (George Washington); Wright (Massachusetts); Floyd (Georgetown); Schayes (Syracuse); Thompson (Connecticut); Bradley (Villanova); Russell (St. John's); Bagley (Boston College); Callandrillo (Seton Hall); Williams (Providence); Williams (St. Joseph's); Whitman (Lafayette); Leslie (Bucknell); Parham (Temple); Lynam (La Salle); Harvey (Hofstra); Coats (Rider); Bowers (American); Hatzenbeller (Drexel); Tompkins (Delaware); Hall (Lehigh); Pensyl (West Chester State); Melville (Princeton); Little (Pennsylvania); Outlaw, Gordon (Columbia); Fleming (Harvard); Leondis (Yale); Lawrence (Dartmouth); Erickson (Brown); Allen (Cornell); McAdoo, West (Old Dominion); Ice (Iona); Geshay (Navy); Blackmon (James Madison); Brickowski (Penn State); Witts (Holy Cross); Greene (St. Francis); Phillips (Niagara); Calhoun (Fordham); Barnes (William & Mary); Gaddy (George Mason); Moore (Canisius); Coyne (Army); Leonard (Manhattan).

The Midwest

Big Ten

1. Indiana 6. Purdue

2. Ohio State 7. Michigan

3. Illinois 8. Wisconsin

4. Iowa 9. Northwestern

5. Minnesota 10. Michigan State

Mid American Conference

1. Bowling Green 7. Western

2. Northern Illinois Michigan

3. Toledo 8. Ohio University

4. Ball State 9. Eastern

5. Central Michigan Michigan

6. Kent State 10. Miami

University

City Seven

1. Evansville 5. Butler

2. Loyola 6. Xavier

3. Oklahoma City 7. Oral Roberts

4. Detroit

Independents

1. DePaul 4. Illinois State

2. Notre Dame 5. Dayton

3. Marquette

Top Players: Thomas, Tolbert (Indiana); Williams, Kellogg (Ohio State); Johnson, Smith (Illinois); Boyle, Arnold (Iowa); Mitchell, Breuer (Minnesota); Edmonson (Purdue); McGee (Michigan); Gregory (Wisconsin); Roberson (Northwestern); Vincent (Michigan State); Irish, Faine (Bowling Green); Ray-horn (Northern Illinois); Knuckles (Toledo); McCallum (Ball State); Robinson (Central Michigan); Kitchen, Koch (Kent State); Maxwell (Western Michigan); Lehman (Ohio University); Zatkoff (Eastern Michigan); Sweigert (Miami University); Leaf, Bullock (Evansville); demons, Sprewer (Loyola); Jackson (Oklahoma City); Davis (Detroit); Warren (Butler); Hanley, Hicks (Xavier); Prusator (Oral Roberts); Aguirre, Bradshaw, Cummings (DePaul); Tripucka, Jackson, Woolridge (Notre Dame); Lee, Wilson (Marquette); Nussbaumer (Illinois State); Montague (Dayton).

The South

Atlantic Coast Conference

1. Maryland 5. North Carolina

2. Virginia State

3. Duke 6. Clemson

4. North Carolina 7. Wake Forest

8. Georgia Tech

Southeastern Conference

1. Kentucky 7. Mississippi

2. Louisiana State State

3. Vanderbilt 8. Mississippi

4. Alabama 9. Auburn

5. Georgia 10. Florida

6. Tennessee

Metro Conference

1. Louisville 5. Tulane

2. Florida State 6. Cincinnati

3. Memphis State 7. St. Louis

4. Virginia Tech

Sun Belt

1. South Alabama 5. Alabama-

2. Jacksonville Birmingham

3. Virginia 6. South Florida

Commonwealth 7. Georgia State

4. UNCC

Ohio Valley Conference

1. Murray State 5. Eastern

2. Morehead State Kentucky

3. Western 6. Tennessee Tech

Kentucky 7. Austin Peay

4. Middle Tennessee

Southern Conference

1. Western Carolina 6. Appalachian

2. Marshall State

3. Furman 7. Virginia

4. Chattanooga Military

5. East Tennessee 8. The Citadel

9. Davidson

Independents

1. South Carolina 2. New Orleans

Top Players: King, Williams (Maryland); Sampson, Lamp (Virginia); Banks, Dennard (Duke); Wood, Worthy (North Carolina); Lowe (North Carolina State); Nance (Clemson); Johnson (Wake Forest); Steppe (Georgia Tech); Bowie, Cowan (Kentucky); Macklin, Martin (Louisiana State); Davis, Rhodes (Vanderbilt); Phillips (Alabama); Fair, Wilkins (Georgia); Wood (Tennessee); Grim (Mississippi State); Turner (Mississippi); Poindexter (Auburn); Giombetti (Florida); Smith, S. McCray, R. McCray (Louisville); Dil-lard, Rolle (Florida State); Jackson (Memphis State); Solomon (Virginia Tech); Thompson (Tulane); Jones (Cincinnati); Burns (St. Louis); Rains (South Alabama); Hackett (Jacksonville); Sherod, Knight (Virginia Commonwealth); Potts (UNCC); Robinson (Alabama-Birmingham); Grier (South Florida); Tucker (Georgia State); Sleets (Murray State); Napier (Morehead State); Mc-Cormick (Western Kentucky); Beck (Middle Tennessee); Baker (Eastern Kentucky); Abuls (Tennessee Tech); Sanders (Austin Peay); Dennis (Western Carolina); Washington (Marshall); Daniel (Furman); Smith (Chattanooga); Mikell (East Tennessee); Payton (Appalachian State); Kolesar (Virginia Military); Huguley (The Citadel); Haynes (Davidson); Darmody (South Carolina); Edwards (New Orleans).

The Near West

Big Eight

1. Missouri 5. Kansas

2. Nebraska 6. Iowa State

3. Kansas State 7. Oklahoma State

4. Colorado 8. Oklahoma

Southwest Conference

1. Texas A & M 6. Texas

2. Arkansas 7. Southern

3. Texas Tech Methodist

4. Baylor 8. Rice

5. Houston 9. Texas Christian

Missouri Valley Conference

1. Bradley 6. Indiana State

2. Wichita State 7. New Mexico

3. West Texas State State

4. Creighton 8. Tulsa

5. Drake 9. Southern Illinois

Independents

1. Centenary 2. North Texas

State

Top Players: Berry, Stipanovich (Missouri): Smith, Moore (Nebraska); Blackman (Kansas State); Hunter (Colorado); Valentine (Kansas); Estes (Iowa State); Clark (Oklahoma State); Whitely (Oklahoma); Wright, Smith (Texas A & M); Hastings, Reed (Arkansas); Taylor (Texas Tech); Teagle (Baylor); Williams (Houston); Thompson (Texas); Piehler (Southern Methodist); Pierce (Rice); Johnson (Texas Christian); Anderson, Thirdkill (Bradley); Levingston, Carr (Wichita State); Adolph (West Texas State); McKenna, Honz (Creighton); Lloyd, Wright (Drake); Reed (Indiana State); Pena (New Mexico State); Stevenson (Tulsa); Nance (Southern Illinois); Rhone (Centenary); Lyons (North Texas State).

The Far West

Pacific Ten

1. Oregon State 6. Washington

2. UCLA State

3. Arizona State 7. Oregon

4. Southern 8. Arizona

California 9. California

5. Washington 10. Stanford

Western Athletic Conference

1. Wyoming 6. San Diego State

2. Texas-El Paso 7. Colorado State

3. Utah 8. Air Force

4. Brigham Young 9. New Mexico

5. Hawaii

Pacific Coast Association

1. Long Beach State 5. San Jose State

2. Utah State 6. Santa Barbara

3. Pacific 7. Irvine

4. Fresno State 8. Fullerton State

West Coast Conference

1. San Francisco 5. Portland

2. St. Mary's 6. Loyola

3. Gonzaga Marymount

4. Pepperdine 7. Santa Clara

Big Sky Conference

1. Montana 5. Montana State

2. Weber State 6. Northern Arizona

3. Idaho 7. Idaho State

4. Boise State 8. Nevada-Reno

Independents

1. Nevada- 2. Portland State

Las Vegas

Top Players: Johnson, Blume (Oregon State); Foster, Sanders (UCLA); Lister, Scott (Arizona State); Miller (Southern California); Fronk (Washington); Meyers (Washington State); Whiting (Oregon); Smith (Arizona); McNamara, Singleton (California); Welch (Stanford); Bradley, Garnett (Wyoming); Burns, White (Texas-El Paso); Vranes, Chambers (Utah); Ainge (Brigham Young); Strayhorn (Hawaii); Gordon (San Diego State); Hughes (Colorado State); Harris (Air Force); Page (New Mexico); Dykema (Long Beach State); Jackson (Utah State); Cornelius (Pacific); Higgins (Fresno State); Mendez (San Jose State); Anderson (Santa Barbara); Magee (Irvine); Bell (Fullerton State); McAlister, Dailey (San Francisco); Vann (St. Mary's); Baldwin (Gonzaga); Bond (Pepperdine); Slaughter (Portland); McClos-key (Loyola Marymount); Whittington (Santa Clara); Zanon (Montana); Harper (Weber State); Kellerman (Idaho); McKinney (Boise State); Hashley (Montana State); Young (Northern Arizona); Goddard (Idaho State); Johnson (Nevada-Reno); Green, Goorjian (Nevada-Las Vegas); Babin (Portland State).