Page 10A THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1981
Out of the blue
byRickStolle
Upsets rule in the S WC
Upsets are the name of the game this year in the Southwest Confer
ence basketball race. The underdog has come through time and time
again to not only shock but sometimes humilate the favorite.
Teams running hot suddenly become cold and then come right back
to have a fine game in their next outing.
The Ags this year are a fine example. After a sizzling start to compile
a 7-0 record and a Top 10 rating, the team seemed to fall apart following
the Christmas break.
SMU owns a 2-3 conference record. The Mustangs beat a good
Texas team in overtime 53-51 and then upset the streaking Houston
Cougers in triple overtime 72-70. In between these two excellant
performances, the Mustangs were crushed by Arkansas and Texas
A&M. The Ags beat the Ponies by 20 and the Razorbacks handed SMU
it’s worst defeat ever in conference 92-50.
Both are good examples of the way teams in the SWC are playing
with streaks. When their respective games are running correctly, they
are devastating. When they’re not, they are devastated.
After just a fourth of the conference season, it is obvious that this is
not going to be a typical SWC basketball season. Teams that were
picked as the league powers have stumbled almost to the point of no
return. Teams picked as the league also rans are giving surprising
performances against top-rated teams.
Texas A&M, picked as the pre-season champion, has finally made a
recovery from their five game nose-dive of the past three weeks.
During the Christmas break, they lost two games in a tournament in
Montana and then proceeded to drop the first three conference games.
The Ags were soundly beaten by TCU in Reunion Arena 56-51 and
Baylor at the Heart of Texas Coliseum in Waco 53-44.
The Ags seemed to find themselves against Tech even though they
were defeated 72-70. After a weeks rest, a new team graced the floor of
G. Rollie White Colesium to defeat SMU 71-51.
Arkansas is in a steady nose-dive that could become fatal if the Hogs
are not able to pull out soon. The Hogs lost a heartbreaker to Texas in
Fayetteville 62-60 and then again to Baylor in Waco 67-58.
Baylor, picked no better than fourth in the SWC, is the surprising
leader with an unblemished 4-0 conference record. The Houston
Cougers are second with a 3-1 SWC mark.
Rice upset Tech Saturday and TCU polished off Texas.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see all nine teams scrambling for the five
playoff spots for the SWC tournament to be held in March.
There is no totally dominant force in the conference this year. A
group of good, solid teams take the floor each game with the outcome of
each in doubt until the final buzzer.
I believe this parity is due, at least in part, to the effect of the home
court advantage. Visiting teams are finding it hard to neutralize the
advantage like they had in years before.
A&M Coach Shelby Metcalf said, “It (G. Rollie) is the best place in
the world to play basketball. Especially if you are an Aggie. ” A&M uses
its home-court for all the advantage it can.
Also, there is no stockpiling of talent at any one school in the SWC.
The real winners in this unpredictable scramble are the fans. The
SWC basketball fan is treated to an exciting, unpredictable game each
time conference foes go against one another.
I believe it will be the same all the way to the SWC tournament.
Tournament tickets will undoubtably be the hottest in town once the
teams are finally decided. For the simple reason the winner will be in
doubt until the final buzzer of the final game.
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Franco elected to head Rules Commits
By RICHARD OLIVER
Sports Editor
If the U.S. Soccer Coaches Association has
its way, soccer will soon be a major attraction
in the Southwest Conference.
At the annual coaches conference held this
weekend in Houston, the nation’s coaches
placed their trust on a few notable officials of
this region by appointing them to high posi
tions. One of those officials was Head Aggie
Coach Telmo Franco.
Franco, in turn, came away from the meet
ings more determined than ever to join the
fight, he said Monday.
Franco was selected to head the Southwest
regional branch of the Association’s Ethic and
Rules Committee, and was also elected to the
International Exchanging Committee. That
group deals with the international exchange of
coaches and foreign players who want to come
to the United States for an education while
playing soccer.
Despite his success at the convention, Fran
co seemes a little embarassed that A&M had
no recognized team to offer.
“Most of the people at the convention ex
pressed surprise that soccer was not recog
nized here (in the Southwest),” he said. “They
were surprised because the Southwest Con
ference is well-known and prestigious all over
the country but has only two varsity teams.
They feel it (soccer) is so popular and the SWC
is so prestigious, there should be more. When
they asked why, well, I just couldn’t answer
that question.”
Currently only TCU and SMU field varsity
SWC teams, and the Mustangs have molded a
nationally ranked squad.
The Aggies, on the other hand, had been
weak in soccer until Franco took over last fall.
Under his hand, Texas A&M fashioned a 7-3-3
record, good enough for third place in the
conference, the best finish ever for the Ags.
Franco and Flentge and team sponsors are
now lobbying for varsity status at the Universi
ty, and they hope their actions will carry over
to other SWC schools, which have programs
but are not recognized.
The Aggies look strong this spring, despite
having a lighter schedule than in the fall.
“We’re going to have the same guys.
Franco. “But we’re looking for the possj
of trying out some new players also fort
season, when league play begins agaii
receiving a lot of calls from interested
dents.”
The SWC’s first all-star game will be
Friday at Texas A&M, with 16 stellarpt
from the league participating. The gati
begin at 7 p.m. at G. Rollie White Col
with eight players on each team comj
“This is the first SWC all-star game
organized,” said Franco. “Theyhopetoi
every year. A&M was selected primi
cause of its geographical location.”
The University will also host the
SWC coaches meetings this weekend,
Tuesdi
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