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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1985)
■ Monday, March 4, 1985/The Battalion/Page 13 to., : ' 'JJjij ^ : ni l ; l i : l ia T l ir : » : i : ^ Tech, Myers bask in SWC sunshine Ags accomplish mission #1 Associated Press ■Texas Tech Coach Gerald Myers was savoring his team’s first South west Conference basketball title in 12 years today, getting his suit dried out, and giving himself 24 more hours to enjoy the Red Raiders’ re markable resurgence. KTech’s 61-53 victory over T exas Christian on Saturday produced an outright title and the Red Raiders’ first 20-victory season sinc/s 1977, only the sixth in the history of the school. ■“I’m not even going to think about the conference tournament until Monday," Myers said. “We won our game against SMU (last Wednesday) and really didn’t get to enjoy it be- case we had this one (TCU) coming up and wanted to concentrate on it. Pewant to enjoy it.” ■ Arkansas, Texas A&M and SMU all linished in a three-way tie for sec ond place with 10-6 records by vir tue of SMU’s loss to Houston. The Mustangs finished the regular sea son by losing six of their last nine games. ■ In other games on Saturday, A&M crushed Rice 79-62 to clinch the No. 4 seed in the tournament while Arkansas ripped Baylor 106- 71 Sunday, Houston ambushed MU, 79-76. ■ Texas Tech, picked in the presea son to finish fourth behind SMU, Houston, and Arkansas bounced TCU, then gave their coach a shower with his suit on. “It was worth it,” beamed Myers. “It’s a great feeling to win the championsnip,” Myers said. “We came into the game wanting to win it outright and were able to do that. “I’m happy for our fans and play ers who nave wiated a long time since we did this last and I’m glad that we’ve been able to give them something they can enjoy. “It was a great reward for our se niors who worked hard and have gone through some tough times. That was the big thing to me, we won it for those guys.” Tech finished its regular season at 20-7 and posted a 12-4 league re cord. TCU fell to 8-8 in SWC play and is 16-11 going into the tourna ment. TCU Coach Jim Killingsworth said the Red Raiders were “a deserv ing champion.” “They beat everybody else so they ought to be the champion,” Kill ingsworth said. “They play mighty tough defense.” Vince Taylor, who had a game- high 15 points for the Red Raiders said: “It’s really hard to believe we did this,” said Taylor. “We always had the confidence we could do it but we just had to go out and prove it.” ’85 SWC Tourney Format Here are the Southwest Conference Post-Season Basketball Classic pairings for this coming weekend with each team’s tournament seeding in parentheses: Friday, March 8 — Reunion Arena — Dallas 12:08 p.m. — (1) Texas Tech vs. (8) Baylor 2:08 p.m. — (4) Texas A&M vs. (5) Texas Christian 7:08 p.m. — (2) Arkansas vs. (7) Texas 9:08 p.m. — (3) Southern Methodist vs. (6) Houston Saturday, March 9— Reunion Arena — Dallas 1:08 p.m. — Tech-Baylor winner vs. A&M-TCU winner 3:08 p.m. — SMU-Houston winner vs. Arkansas-Texas winner Sunday, March 10— Reunion Arena — Dallas 1:08 p.m. — SWC Tourney Championship Game By CHAREAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Editor Before the season began, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team wanted to finish in the top three of the Southwest Conference. Mission accomplished. “I’m very pleased with an 18-9 re cord with the schedule we played,” said A&M Coach Shelby Metcalf af ter the Aggies stumpped Rice 79-62 Saturday night. “It’s a tribute to this team of fine young men. This is the only way to end the season. It was a great win for us.” However, after three blown chances to sit alone at the top, the Aggies must now look toward win ning the SWC tournament, which would give the Ags an automatic NCAA bid. An NCAA or NIT bid was another of the Aggies’ goals be fore the season. Mission yet to be accomplished. “I think we should get an NCAA bid,” Metcalf said. “I’ve been disap pointed when I hear about only two schools from this conference being invited. I think (the SWC) should get at least three or four bids to the NCAA. It’s really out of the coaches’ hands. But, I think we should get at least four teams.” The Aggies finished the season tied for second in the SWC with Ar kansas and SMU with a 10-6 record. A&M will be seeded fourth in the tournament because it lost two games against both SMU and Arkan sas. Friday at 12:08 p.m., the Aggies will began the search for the second goal, winning the SWC tournament, when they take on TCU in Dallas’ Reunion Arena. “I think everybody is playing toge ther,” said A&M forward Kenny Brown, who led the Aggies with 22 points. “It has been a team effort. Our goal is to win the tournament and get a NCAA bid. “I think (the NCAA) will take about three or four Southwest Con ference teams. If we get in the finals (of the SWC tournament), I think we will get a bid. I think we can get into the finals, but we just have to take them one at a time/’ Brown said Saturday night’s win got the momentum rolling back in the right direction. The Aggies have suffered through a slump the last two weeks. The win over Rice was the second straight for the Ags after they lost three of four SWC games, putting them out of contention for the regular season title. “(The Rice win) will start another good note for us,” Brown said. “TCU will be a great game for us. We know they will be ready for us and of course we will be ready for them. (The Rice win) will build a lot of confidence for us.” With no shot clock at the SWC tournament (the teams usually have 45 seconds to shoot the ball), Metcalf expects the Horned Frogs to stall the ball. “TCU will sit on the ball without the clock at the tournament,” Met calf said. “It’s going to be a tough game. They have great perimeter shooting so we will have to play them man-to-man. “Without the clock, everybody is going to have to go in and put a de lay in their game. It will change the complection of the game.” Guard Todd Holloway, who had 20 points, said the Rice victory will keep the Aggies rolling toward their goals. “We’re 2-0 (after consecutive wins over Houston and Rice),” Holloway said. “We hope this will start another string of wins for us. This will get things started.” Rice Head Coach Tommy Suitts agreed the Aggies have a good chance in the tournament. > “A&M played very well,” Suitts said. “I was very impressed with the way they played. They had emotion, enthusiasm and intensity. They have good players and they played a good ball game. “I hope they play as well in the post-season tournament, since they are capable of earning a (NCAA or NIT) post-season bid.” Forward Winston Crite, who broke the A&M block shot season re cord when he recorded five blocked shots against Rice, said the Ags have are in good shape to win the tourna ment. “We want to be on a roll going into the tournament,” Crite said. “Since we won our last home game, Photo by DEAN SAITO Rice’s Greg Hines charges into Texas A&M’s Mike Clifford (25) during Saturday night’s game at G. Rollie White Col iseum. The Aggies charged past the Owls 79-62 to force a three-way tie for second place in the Southwest Conference. we are on a roll. We have as good a chance as anyone to win the tourna ment.” Brown said skill wasn’t the only reason the Aggies won. “Coach Metcalf had a lucky rab bit,” Brown said. “I rubbed it a cou ple of times and that helped.” If the lucky rabbit helps this week end, the Aggies will have accom plished all their preseason goals. Mission Impossible? Not quite. PRO0l€M PR€GNfiNCV? W€ CRN H€IP Free Pregnancy Testing Personal Counseling Pregnancy Terminations Completely Confidential Call Us First - We Care 713/271-0121 6420 Hillcroft, Houston, Texas Adult —| Education*®^ Because you are more than just a student, you deserve the class of Cripple Creek Condominiums. Don’t fail to visit us and learn about the best condo in town. Pool/Tennis Courts/Hot Tub/ Microwave Ovens/Ceiling Fans Models Open Daily Emm Special Financing Available CONDOMINIUMS 904 University Oaks College Station, TX 77840 764-8682 764-0504 846-0331 Post Oak Mall 764-8195