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;a. Up for two """" Carolina's Alexander English tips ball toward basket dur ing the finals of the E.C.A.C. Holiday Festival in New York City, Dec. 30. English had 23 points and 18 rebounds in losing cause, as St. John's took title with 86-79 conquest of Gamecocks. USC falls in ECAC final BY JIM HERSH Ass't Sports Editor Bill Schaeff;r scored 31 points to lead St. John's to an 86-79 victory aver Carolina in the championship game of the E.C.A.C. Aoliday Festival, Dec. 30 in New York City. For Scheaffer the 31 points only culminated a week-long of outstanding basketball. In leading the Redmen to vic tories of Grambling, Tennessee and Michigan, as well as the Gamecocks, he scored 112 points, by far tops in the tourney. Following the final game he was unanimously voted as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. To Schaeffer the award was something he had waited a lifetime to receive. "This is the best thing I've ever gotten in my life, as far as basketball is concerned," the 6-5 senior said of his MVP status. "And," he emphasized, "basketball is most of my life." Schaeffer scored 40 points to help beat Grambling, 19 in the Tennessee win and 22 in the St. John's squeeker over Michigan. In the latter contest he hit a 15-footer at the buzzer to win it 85-83. Despite all this USC's Frank McGuire said that he thought the Gamecocks would have been able to stop Schaeffer had the Redmen been unable to use 6-6 Ed Searcy. Searcy was on the ineligible list for academic purposes until the Festival. In the final game he scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. But, to McGuire, the statistics did not point out Searcy's true value. The Festival was not McGuire's first look at Schaeffer, even though Carolina had never previously played the Red men while Schaeffer was there. Begin the wise judge of talent that he is, McGuire tried to recruit Schaeffer, but couldn't persuade him to leave New York. Even with the disappointing loss in the final game, the tournament was not a complete loss to the youthful Gamecocks. (See FESTIVAL, Page 13) McNeil sparks BY STEVE PARKER Sports Editor MILWAUKIE...One minute and 50 seconds remained in the first half when Mar quette Coach Al McGuire rose up from the bench and signaled his son Allie to work for the final shot. Larry McNeill's turnaround jumper over Danny Traylor off a lob pass from McGuire at the.five second mark put the Warriors into a 30 25 lead and set the game's Allie tempo for the entire second McGuire half. McNeill's key basket gave ...keys momentum to the Marquette team, which then controlled the big second half tipoff and rattl;a off six straight points to move play. ahead by a commanding 11. Thereafter, USC was forced into a game of "catch-up" and no second-half heroics could provide an upset of the hometeam Warriors, whose eventual victory margin swelled to.17 points at 71-54. "McNeill made that great shot just before the end of the half, and then they controlled the tap and ran off points right at the beginning of the second half," observed Casey Manning. "That made us change defenses and come out of our zone." "No doubt it was the beginning of the second half that killed us," agreed Kevin Joyce. "They got the tipoff and sank a quick basket, then another and then another. And Marquette is a very tough team to come back on. "They take the game right to you," continued Joyce. "They have a great home court advan tage. It's worth at least 10-15 points for them to play here. "Here they just controlled us and made us do what they wanted to do. They beat us the whole second half, they made us play the way they wanted to." 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Lucas converted eight of nine free throws in the final period for part of his 20, and McNeill had four second half charity shots in his game high total of 22. Frazier hit four field goals in the concluding period to finish up with 14. Actually it appeared as if Marquette could have dominated right from the start of the game had their outside shooting not been woe fully low. The Warriors hit at just a .317-pace in the first half, with their coldness being paced by guard Allie McGuire's three of 12 showing. The Gamecock defense did deserve strong credit for forcing the Warriors to bonb from the outside, but even so, McGuire seldom tuns so poorly. The second half was quite a different story as the altered Gamecock defense could not pre vent Marquette from rolling along inside. For Carolina, there were no outstanding per formances. Marquette's big men controlled the rebounding game with 38 rebounds to USC's 22, and limited the Gamecocks to just two offensive rebounds in the entire first half. That was largely why Marquette was able to main tain the lead despite their poor shooting. Joyce, who had one point against Marquette last season, paced USC with 14 this showing. ECIAL SALE :AF/dV 10 SPEEDS eigh Warehouse Sale. We were given a price cut ng it on to you. GAZELLE Reg. $124.95 Now $9995 CRAS PRIX Reg. $124.95 Now $112" IRD w g ICYCLE CENTER OF COLUMBIA A RDEN ST. 254-2821 d models available-all Alpine Designs-Backpacking n sale at 20% off. ILLER othing better can be said of a bicycle. n E ngland .. . serviced throughout America guaranteearon the. world