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Preseason Basketball Special University of South Carolina, Sports Special Columbia, S. C..29208 Thursday, December 9, 1971 UCLA to be tc By TEDDY HEFFNER Sports Editor Can UCLA repeat with a bunch of sophomores? Can Maryland go all the way with a bunch of sophs? The Bruins, perennial national champs, have won five in a row but return only one starter, Henry Bibby, a 37 per cent shooter last season. The Terps were 16-0 on the frosh level and will be led by 6-11 Tom McMillen. But the eventual national champ? To rule the city of Los Angeles is to rule the world. The University of SOUTHERN C'AIFORNIA is the best bet to finally unseat UCLA. The Trojans los t only two games last season, bath to the national champs. , Souther p nationa Other top picks to be in the national finals at Los Angeles include North Carolina, Ohio State, Jacksonville, Kansas, Michigan, Kentucky and, yes, even USC. Villanova will have an exciting team back, Long Beach State is ready to contend and Marquette may have the best big man in the nation. Houston's picture is brighter than ever, Florida State looks good and even Harvard may have a chance. Three starters return to coach Bob Boyd from the finest Trojan team in history, to date. Add two promising redshirts and a pair of good-looking junior college transfers. And then remember that one of the returnees is super-slick 6-4 guard Paul Westphal and one is lb n Cal .1 teams 6-8 Ron Riley who set a USC rebounding record and the end result is national championship material. "The Bruins are still the team to beat," Boyd said. But Washington coach Mary Harshman, also a member of the Pac-8, responded, "I think UCLA can be had." The incentive has got to be there. Southern Cal Is tired of playing second fiddle to their cross-town rivals. Joe Mackey, a 6-8 forward, is the third returnee for Boyd while Ihe redshirts are guard Dan An derson and 6-8 Bruce Clark. Swingman Monroe Nash and 6-10 center Bill Taylor are back, too, along with the transfer, Mario (See UCLA, Page 2, Col. 1) lcGuire faces new season 0 0 0 vith optimism By DOUG WILLIAMS Sports Editor USC head basketball coach Frank McGuire enters the 1971-72 season with a new schedule, a new style of play, a great deal of optimism and two noticble losses. "I am very optimistic going into our first year as an independent,'" the Gamecock mentor said. "'It will be a real challenge playing a national schedule, and the ex posure will be great. I really don't think we can expect as many wins as last year, though. "It's a little different playing someone like Wake Forest and knowing exactly what they'll do. If we're playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, we know everyone. Now we know nobody. All the teams are good. I'd like to book some weak teams, but there just aren't any.'" McGuire is also fully aware of the fact that the loss of All-Americas John Roche and Tom Owens will not be too easy to overcome. "Roche controlled the game last year and Owens was the rebounder. We're going to miss Tom blocking the shots, but Danny Traylor and Tom Riker have been doing very well. "it Is also important that we don't have a John Roche on the team this year," McGuire noted. "If he was back, the offense would be the same. Now the ball will have to move more, and more people will be handling it. We're going to have to try and fast break." McGuire has a veteran core to start with this season, complemented by three very able freshmen. Kevin Joyce, a 6-3 junior, and Bobby Carver, 6-2 senior, make up the backcourt, while 6-7 senior Rick Aydlett, 6-10 senior Riker and 7-0 junior Danny Traylor comprise a veteran starting five. Both Joyce and Riker have been tabbed by various magazines as All-Americas. Joyce, who averaged 12.1 points per game as a sophomore, is perhaps USC's most effective player. With great leaping ability and a variety of moves, McGuire says that he "is just playing sen sationally." Since wearing contacts while playing,'Riker has been a domineering factor on the court. After averaging over 30 points in the East Regionals last year, he hopes to improve on his 14.0 scoring average of last season, while sharing in the rebounding duties with Traylor. Of the starting five, It has been Traylor who has unquestionably shown the biggest Improvement over last season. Scoring eleven points and clearing 14 rebounds in Carolina's 84-63 victory over Auburn last week, Traylor should play an important role in the success of this teem. ''Danny and Riker should get the job dlone for us on the boards this year," McGuire stated. "Danny is still not .(See.$OPHS, p. 14. Coll)