THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1973
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Texas A&M’s next seven bas
ketball games are on the road,
and by the time the Aggies return
home in January, coach Shelby
Metcalf will have a pretty good
idea what kind of team he has.
The Aggies are the only un
beaten Southwest Conference
team with a 4-0 record, but that
unblemished mark will be severely
challenged in one single game
and three tournaments during the
holiday period. A&M starts the
road trip tonight in Richmond,
Va., against Virginia Common
wealth a young school which re
turns five starters from a 19-7
team.
This weekend, A&M plays in the
Marshall Memorial Invitational
in Huntington, W. Va. The first
round opponent is George Wash
ington which returns four starters
from a 17-9 team. The other tour
nament teams are Marshall (20-7
last year) and Northwestern un
der new coach Tex Winter.
On Dec. 28-29, A&M competes
in the Pan American Classic in
Edinburg, Tex. Oklahoma Christ
ian (13-15 last year) will be the
first round foe. Tulsa (18-8) and
Pan American with new coach Abe
Lemons are the other teams.
The Aggies drew rugged Flor
ida State (18-8) in the first round
of the Bluebonnet Classic in Hous
ton Jan. 4-5. Houston (23-4) and
Denver (17-9) round out the field.
Metcalf used the first four
games as an opportunity to get a
good look at all of his personnel
and feels he has a 10 solid players.
The Aggies have shown strong
rebounding with an advantage of
12 caroms per game and have re
ceived outstanding guard play.
An aggressive defense has limit
ed opponents to 68.3 points per
game and a 37.8 shooting percent
from the field.
Starters for the Aggies will be
5- 10 junior Mike Floyd (10.0) at
the point position 6-6 senior Ran
dy Knowles (12.8) and 6-4 sopho
more Ray Roberts (9.5) at the
wings, 6-8 junior Cedric Joseph
(10.3) at the high post and 6-9
junior Jerry Mercer (13.3) at the
low post.
Reserves are 6-0 senior Charlie
Jenkins (5.5) at the point, 6-7
junior Webb Williams (3.5) and
6- 4 freshman Mike Johnson (8.5)
at the wings, 6-7 junior John
Thornton (8.0) and 6-8 senior C.
W. Guthrie (10.0) at the posts.
Joseph is the leading rebounder
with a 12.0 average followed by
Mercer with 9.8 Knowles 7.5,
Guthrie 9.0 and Thornton 5.8.
The Aggies return home Jan. 8
against Southwestern. A&M opens
SWC play at home Jan. 15 against
preseason favorite SMU.
evin s
orner
ON THE ROAD—A&M cagers prepaid to leave for the
basketball-conscious East and their first road game of the
season. They meet Virginia Commonwealth tonight and
then compete in the Marshall Tournament in West Virginia
this weekend. (Photo by Kathy Curtis)
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Wishing You A Happy
Holiday Season
And A Prosperous New Year
The TAMU Student Y Association and All Faiths Chapel join in thanking
all individuals, church groups, social and student organizations in the unity
of effort that has made all of our outreach programs an overwhelming
success this year. May the most joyful portion of your holiday season be
the inward gldw realized only by those who know the true joy of giving
themselves in service to others.
FOR
INSURANCE — HOME LOANS
BEST
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BATTALION CLASSIFIED
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- —
PEANUTS
By Charles M. Sclwli
By KEVIN COFFEY, Sports Editor
The energy crisis has struck A&M in many ways. The athletic
department is no exception, but the Aggie basketball team was dealt
the crudest blow of all.
SMU, pre-season favorite of scribes throughout the state to win
the Southwest Conference championship, play here on Jan. 15. A full
house was guaranteed with school in session for a conference game.
Now, with school starting a week late, student turnout is expected to
be light for the most important game the Ags may play this year.
Coach Shelby Metcalf has said repeatedly that the home crowd is
very important. He said it helps get the visitors rattled sometimes and
keeps home folks sky high.
All students who are in the area or here for adds and drops should
make it to this game. Also the dorms open on game day so everyone
will have a place to stay.
If you want to support the Ags during the holidays, they will be
in the valley on Dec. 28-29 and in Houston on Jan. 4-5. (see separate
story)
Headaches of a Pro
Playing golf last week, my partner mentioned how boring it must
be to be a professional athlete.
“Boring?” I asked. “We work hard and practice just to keep the
ball in play and they are down the middle every time. How can that be
boring? >
He went on to explain the joy on his son’s face after making his
first basket on a newly constructed hoop on the family garage. Pro’s
basketball players expect to make almost every shot so it loses its thrill.
They lose the joy of bowling a 200 game, making 20 straight free shots
or breaking 80 on the golf course. “It’s expected for a pro,” he told me.
I was sure he was crazy until last week. After 13 months of golf, I
broke 80 with what I thought was the most monumental 78 ever shot
on any course, anywhere. The joy can never be recaptured, until I shoot
my first 69.
On Pizza Hut
All-Star Ballot
A&M’s Randy Knowles is in
cluded among 64 top seniors list
ed on the West all-star ballot for
the third annual Pizza Hut Bas
ketball Classic.
Players are selected by popu
lar vote for the NCAA and NAIA-
sanctioned charity classic which
will be played April 1 at the Las
Vegas (Nev.) Convention Center.
Voting will begin in early Jan
uary with ballots available at all
the nation’s 1,400 Pizza Huts and
at participating universities.
PEANUTS
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