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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1987)
Thursday, November 19,1987AThe Battalion/Page 9 Sports Arkansas, Baylor, SMU SWC hoop favorites DALLAS (AP) — The Arkansas Razorbacks are the preseason South west Conference basketball favorites based on a deep, talented team that has had two years to learn Coach Nolan Richardson’s system. “You have to look at Arkansas, SMU, and Baylor as the early favor ites based on returning players and recruiting,” Texas Coach Bob Welt- lich said. However, Weltlich said it should be another wild year like last season, when lighdy regarded Texas A&M won the SWC Post-Season Classic to earn a spot in the NCAA Playoffs. The SWC didn’t fare well in the NCAA and NIT playoffs last year. Texas A&M lost to Duke 58-51, Texas Christian fell to Notre Dame 58-57, and Houston lost to Kansas 66-55 last March in the first round of the road to the Final Four. Arkan sas-Little Rock edged Baylor 42-41 in the first round of the N IT. Baylor Coach Gene Iba believes the SWC will bounce back strong. “I think you will see one or possi bly two teams in our league that might be as good as most teams around,” said Iba. “I see Arkansas having more overall talent from top to bottom than they have had in quite a few years.” Iba said his team could be much improved. The Bears proved it by whipping the Czechoslavakian Na tional team recently in an exhibition game. Guard Michael Williams and cen ter Darryl Middleton give the Bears a strong offensive tandem. Richardson said the Razorbacks will return 12 lettermen and he hopes 6-11 center Andrew Lang can become a dominating force. “We need to get strong inside play from Andrew and our new point guards must come through,” Rich ardson said. “We should have a good running team.” He tried to deflect some of the at tention directed at the Razorbacks. “SMU is a team everyone needs to look out for. They should be very good,” Richardson said. SMU Coach Dave Bliss is excited about a Carlton McKinney-led team that could be very potent. “We’re quicker and blessed with more athletic talent,” Bliss says. “We have more options in what we can do offensively and defensively. ” McKinney hit double figures in 25 of 29 games last season and was the SWC’s leading scorer, averaging 20 points. Houston Coach Pat Foster has lost Rickie Winslow and Greg Anderson, the last two members of the Cougars’ famed Phi Slamma Jama era. However, 7-foot-1 center Rolando Ferreira, a Brazilian with an excel lent shooting touch to go with his re bounding strength, makes Houston a factor in the race. Texas A&M and Texas Tech also could surprise. Coach Shelby Metcalf of the Ag gies said, “You’ll need a scorecard to know this team this season. We’ll have a lot of new players. “There is a talent gap between SMU and Arkansas and the rest of they league. They have some horses,” Metcalf added. Texas Tech Coach Gerald Myers, who has perhaps the best guard in the SWC in Sean Gay, said, “the league as a whole will be much stronger than last season. Arkansas, Baylor and SMU should be the best.” Texas Christian, last year’s regu lar season champion, could be down in the second division. “We don’t have a lot of experience and we’re small,” said new Coach Moe Iba, who replaced the retired Jim Killingsworth. “We’re a big ques tion mark.” New Rice Coach Scott Thompson said it will take awhile for the Owls to get going. He replaces Tommy Suitts. “Anytime you have a new pro gram and you’re putting in a new system, you worry about how the players will adjust,” he said. “I know we have to develop a winning atti tude.” You have to give Thompson at least a “C” for courage. He sched uled the undermanned Owls for a December date with mighty George town on the Hoyas home court. UT volleyball team dominates A&M Lady Aggies finish home season on sour note By Tammy Hedgpeth Sports Writer The tradition continues. The Texas A&M volleyball team did not break its losing streak against the University of Texas Wednesday night in G. Rollie White Colliseum. The Lady Longhorns downed the Lady Aggies in three straight games 15-6, 15-12, 15-2. The match marked the final home match for the Lady Aggies and senior Michelle Whitwell. “I don’t think it’s set in yet,” Whitwell said, “We still have games to play just not at home. It will be sometime later when I know I won’t suit up again and be out there playing with the A&M team.” The loss was not out of a lack of effort; the Lady Aggies were simply overpowered by the sev enth-ranked Lady Longhorns. “They are a very good team,” A&M Head Coach A1 Givens said. “Offensively, they overpowered us. They have two middles who are so experienced and we were not able to stop them. “We wanted to stop them from scoring more than one point in a rotation and we were not able to do that. We could not get on track to where we could do that.” Junior Cheri Steensma led the attack for the Lady Aggies by re cording 10 kills out of 27 at tempts. Sophomore Kelli Kellen added eight kills. The defense was paced by sophomore Yvonne Van Brandt who had 14 digs and 24 assists of 70 attempts for an assist percent age of .343. “Tonight was their night,” Van Brandt said. “I’m disappointed for us because we didn’t play well. I think we just came into the match knowing we did not have anything to lose. But it’s better when you go down and play well than when you just go down.” The Lady Aggies are sporting an overall record of 15-19 and a Southwest Conference mark of 4- 6 after winning six of their last eight matches. “I think a lot of us are disap pointed,” Van Brandt said, “but yet we’re still proud to be a part of A&M.” The Lady Longhorns faced their only challenge of the match in the second game when the Lady Aggies extended their only lead of the match to 12-10. “In the second game we had our moments,” Van Brandt said. “We just didn’t capitalize on it. They gave us every opportunity to go ahead and win that game. If we had won, it would have changed some momentum.” “Today, they were a better team than we were,” Givens said, “but that doesn’t mean it has to remain that way. I think next year Texas A&M will be the team to beat.” Van Brandt agreed. “Next year, I think A&M is to be a contender for the iwest Conference title.” Photo by Robert W. Rizzo Texas A&M’s Dena Zalesky (left) and Krista Hierholzer hit the ground after colliding during the match which was won in three games by Texas Wednesday night in G. Rollie White Coliseum. Aguire leads late Maverick run as Dallas beats Clippers DALLAS (AP) — Mark Aguirre scored five points during a 9-2 run midway through the fourth quarter Wednesday night to lift the Dallas Mavericks to a 97-87 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas trailed 79-78 with 7:50 to play, but Derek Harper hit a 12-foot jump shot to give the Mavericks a lead they didn’t relinquish. Aguirre hit a free throw and got credit for two baskets on goal-tend ing calls against the Clippers during the two-minute run, which boosted the Mavericks’ advantage to 89-81. Michael Cage, who led the Clip pers with 23 points, scored six straight points to put Los Angeles within 89-87 with 2:25 to play. But Roy Tarpley hit a pair of free throws, Aguirre scored on a layup and Tarpley muscled in a layup to bump Dallas’ lead to 95-87 with 1:22 left. Aguirre led the Mavericks with 31 points. Rolando Blackman added 19 and Harper finished with 16. Harper scored seven points dur ing a 16-2 Dallas run early in the third quarter, turning a 52-45 deficit into a 61-54 lead with 7:24 left in the third quarter. The Clippers led by as many as 13 in the second quarter before the Mavericks went on a 10-4 run in the final 2:21 to narrow Los Angeles’ halftime lead to 50-43. Dallas held an opponent to less, than 100 points for the third time in seven games this season. LITTLE CAESARS* ASKS: HOW MUCH MORE HAVE YOU BEEN PAYING FOR "FREE" DELIVERY! jpj&gm Sure, that other place may advertise “free” delivery. But when you’re paying so much more for the pizza, “free delivery can be pretty expensive. 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The NSC Opera and Performing Arts Society presents the Nutcracker Ballet on Wednesday, December 2 at 7 p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. One of Tchaikovsky's most famous works, this enduring holiday fantasy is a treat for young and old alike. The Oakland Ballet will perform these delightful dances with the Brazos v Valley Symphony Orchestra, Franz Anton Krager, music director and conductor. There will only be one performance of the Nutcracker and a reception will be held at 6 p.m. in Rudder Exhibit Mall prior to the show. All seats will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Don't miss the chance to bring suite dreams to your family's Christmas. MSC Box Office • 845-1234 Dillards Ticketron VISA and MasterCard accepted. MSC Opera and Performing Arts Society Memorial Stuclenrtenter • Texas WM Ittiversily • Box I I • College station l\ 77H44 'oohi