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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1964)
/ i jy Congratulations Conference Champs! iobinett ie. I* RB ]f 2 i 9 II 13 1! 5 ir 5 i 1 I 2 I 0 S - 47 ■ RB If 6 IS 3 li 5 Ilf 6 II 8 ! 2 I 2 I 0 (Mi 38 H i MAROON ICING ... Bennie Lenox drops in clinching free throw. Title Claimed 9 llco Wl® Players Proud, VA titkE " ir Lai- id Maliv 57-42 ; | zed pas; n m Class if I '(> to' .veeke:: ; i ledtl ed bal lone noon Shel’ Baptized By JIM BUTLER Battalion Sports Editor A tired, happy, proud squad of Aggie cagers entered the dressing room in Daniel-Meyer Field House Tuesday night after an emotionally devastating 70-66, double-over time win, over TCU. Before reaching the showers, the Cadets had to satisfy the crowd of well-wishers and autograph seekers gathered around the door. Signatures were given for everything from great-grandmothers to yet unborn babies. When the team was gathered in the locker room, Paul Timmins jumped up on a bench and shouted, “Let’s throw Coach Metcalf in the showers.” Back to the court they ran, grabbed the elated rookie coach from in front of the KORA microphone and headed back to the spigots. Minutes later, a soaked, dripping Metcalf emerged amid cheers from the sardine can-like dressing room. It was a welcome baptism for the young mentor into the ranks of championship coaches. The consensus opinion was, “It’s great.” Bill Robinette lounged against the lockers and smiled, “If I had a weak heart, Fd never have made it.” The Port Arthur senior’s strong ticker enabled him to grab two crucial rebounds in the first extra period and block a shot by TCU’s Archie Clayton giving A&M possession. To Dick Stringfellow, “It was a helluva game.” The same adjective would describe the soph guard’s fantastic play when the game was up for grabs. Stringfellow came from out of nowhere to block two Horned Frog shots in the final five minutes. Stringfellow also combined with Timmins and Bennie Lenox to execute a stellar ball-control game in the closing two minutes of the first overtime. Lenox, captain of the first A&M basketball champs in 41 years, typified the Aggie success, “We never give up. TCU fought us all the way and really wanted to win bad. They have a lot better club than the record shows.” The loss was TCU’s 13th in league play without a win. Bill Gasway and Ken Norman, a pair of junior college transfers without whom the title would have been out of reach, had little to say about their own effort though both played a great game. “It was the club,” Gasway insisted, “strictly the club.” John Beasley stood outside the dressing room wearing a smile which tilted lengthwise would have matched his height. “Gee, it sure feels good,” the 6-8 soph center said. “I wish the games would be a little easier though.” Metcalf, having changed to a dry suit, again became the center of attraction. “TCU is sure underrated. They must have the best last place team in the country.” Then Timmins jumped back up on the bench with the Thought for the Day, “Beat the hell out of Texas!” : Excused List, Tickets I Available For Playoff Students who travel to Dallas next Monday to support the Aggie basketball team when they meet the cagers of Texas Western in the NCAA regional playoff will be excused from classes, President Earl Rudder announced Wednesday morning. The decision to excuse students attending the game came out of a meeting of the Executive Committee just prior to the announcement. The excused absences will run from 2 p.m. Monday afternoon until 12 noon Tuesday. Dean of Students James P. Hannigan said that in order for a student to be excused from his classes he must have his name affixed to the official excused list which will be maintained in the Athletic Ticket Office. As each student purchases his ticket to the game he will simply sign the list, Hannigan said. He explained that any student who might hold a ticket purchased some- • place other than the Athletic Ticket Office on campus may have his name added to the list by presenting the ticket at the office and signing the list. The Athletic Office is unable at this time to say when tickets will go on sale or how many tickets will be made available to A&M students. However, officials did say that they were confident that the tickets would be on sale by the end of the week. , . . Automobile window stickers proclaiming the accom plishments of the Aggie cagers will be available in the Exchange Store by 12 noon Thursday, Carl Birdwell, Ex change Store general manager, said Wednesday morning. €bc Battalion Volume 61 COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1964 Number 10 Aggies Capture SWC Title In Close Win Over TCU ... ON CHAMPIONSHIP CAKE Paul Timmins gives Cadets tie-breaking bucket. PROUD AGGIES Students Celebrate Triumph With Jubilant Abandon Crucial Contest Won In Overtime v By MAYNARD ROGERS Battalion Ass’t Sports Editor The Aggies edged the Texas Christian Horned Frogs 70-66 Tuesday night pulling away in the final three minutes of a double overtime period, and with them went their first outright Southwest Conference basketball title since 1923. Junior guard Paul Timmins started the late rally when he hit a goal breaking a 62-62 tie with 3:51 left in the de ciding period. Timmins was fouled on his scoring drive and then added another point to the Aggie cause, putting A&M in front 65-62. A foul shot by John Beasley and two by Dick Stringfel low shoved the Cadet’s to a 68-62 lead with 2:08 seconds left. But TCU’s Gary Turner and Jim Torbert scored field goals to narrow the margin-* By MARVIN SCHULTZ Battalion Asst. Sports Editor Pandemonium reigned supreme over the Aggie campus Tuesday night as the varsity basketball entered the throne room of the SWC for the first time in 41 years. Knocking off the deter mined TCU cagers in a double overtime affair, the long drouth came to an end much to the sat isfaction and delight of thousands of screaming, rabble-rousing stu dents. Sheer bedlam encompassed the campus as students went “wild” over the Aggie triumph. Fourth of July festivities would look mild compared to the demonstra tions staged in various campus areas. The corps area “explod ed” with delight as a generous barrage of firecrackers greeted other students’ ears. The erup tions were so loud that it would make Mt. Vesuvius’ doings seem mild in contrast. Just for “good bull” add a well proportioned sup ply of toilet paper and an abun dance of water containers and you have a scene reminiscent of the gaiety that prevails in win ning a championship. IF ONE WAS looking for lack of spirit before or after the game, Aggieland would undoubtedly be the wrong place to search for it. Students remained with their team through the extra 10 min utes of action and none seemed to denote any sign of giving up on them when the “going got rough.” “We thought we would win all the time,” quipped one of the freshmen of Ranger E-l who was proudly toting a huge banner proclaiming the Aggies “SWC Champions.” “That was a great game,” stat ed Homer Martinez as he watched the fireworks display. “TCU shouldn’t be underrated,” added the Hebbronville junior on the Horned Frogs’ bid to pull one of the conference’s biggest up sets. “We had confidence all along and if we would have lost our spirit wouldn’t have fallen,” stated Hale Burr of Vidor. Buddy Brandt, a senior from Texas City figured a few Cas sius Clay quips would be appro priate to fit the occasion. “We’re the greatest. We’re the kings of the world. Give us justice,” voiced the zestful Brandt in praising the Aggie quintet. A FOREIGN STUDENT from Israel, Zvi Sidelman voiced his pleasure in the final outcome by his “it’s great” proclamations. He said that students “blood pulses probably ran over 100,” while listening to the broadcast. “For TCU it was a game of life and death,” as they sought Tech Takes Win Over Rice, 77-70 For Second Place By Associated Press While A&M was putting the final touches on the Southwest Conference basketball flag, Texas Tech defeated Rice, Southern Methodist blasted Baylor and Texas downed Arkansas in other SWC action Tuesday night. Texas Tech pulled past Rice in the closing moments 77-70 to sew up second place in the league. Tom Patty’s 30 points—a ca reer high for the Tech senior- paced the Red Raiders, who could n’t take a final lead until four minutes remained. Rice’s Kendall Rhine kept the SWC scoring lead by getting 21 points before he fouled out with 11 minutes left. Gene Elmore, playing his final home game, snagged 20 rebounds and scored 24 points as Southern Methodist smashed Baylor 95-76 before 3,300 fans. It was the Mustangs’ highest point total of the season as they virtually clinched a first divi sion finish in the Southwest Con ference. They now stand 8-5 with the season finale at Rice to come. Texas broke open a close game in the second half to defeat Ark ansas, 80-67, Tuesday night for its seventh Southwest Conference basketball victory in the last eight games. to knock the Aggies off their pedestal. Concerning the Monday night clash with Texas Western, Sidel man stated, “we can beat them if Bennie and Beasley are hav ing good nights.” As to “good nights” no one can doubt that Tuesday night was one to remem ber for a long, long time. to 68-66. A&M’s chance came to ice the game with 13 seconds left when Bennie Lenox was fouled by Bobby McKinley of the Frogs. Lenox missed the one and one shot, but Beasley controlled the backboards and A&M re mained in possession of the ball. FUTILE EFFORTS by T C U to get the ball resulted in fouling Lenox again. This time, with 3 seconds left, the Aggie senior re deemed himself and dropped in two courtesy throws, giving the Aggies a 70-66 lead and the win. Lenox paced the winners with 24 points while Bill Gasway and Beasley added 10 each. Beasley also added 5 rebounds to his school record which he broke last week against SMU. McKinley was high man for the night with 25 markers and was followed by teammate Turner who had 24. The Frogs carried the game to the Cadets right from the start and managed to tie or go ahead 16 times. A&M jumped into an early 10-3 lead with tallies by Bill Robinette, Beasley and Lenox. But halfway through the first period the Frogs rallied to within one point of the Maroon with 8:30 left before in termission, and they finally led 41-38 at the half. THE SECOND HALF of the most dramatic contest of the sea son opened with A&M jumping back in front and moving ahead seven points to the midway point of the period. TCU started another charge to the front and pulled up to the Cadets 57-57 with 5:10 left, and went ahead 61-59 with 3:43 to go. Beasley tied the score 61-61 with a jumper from the corner one minute later, but McKinley hit a free throw and the Frogs were ahead again with only 1:50 left. Stringfellow then marched to the foul line for one point to tie the game 10 seconds later. Nei ther team could score after that, and then an exasperating ten more minutes of basketball be gan. The first overtime period saw both defenses crack down and TCU only got off two shots from the floor. A&M failed to shoot much either but remained in con trol of the ball most of the pe riod. Lenox managed to get off a shot with two seconds left, but it hit the rim and bounced into the second overtime of a wild, weird struggle.