Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Steve Parker Sports Editor Baqwell's big test In a way it seems unfair that perhaps the biggest test of the regular season for Carolina's Tom Boswell should come in the second game of the season. But that's the situation Carolina's junior. center will face when he encounters Oklahoma's All-America big man, Alvin Adams, Saturday night on the road. That confrontation, which could prove to be a classic matchup, will afford Carolina's coaches and players the opportunity to see if Boswell will be able to meet bigger tests in postseason play perhaps in the NCAA finals. Carolina's team is extremely talented this season-the Gamecocks left little doubt of that in disposing easily of Bucknell, 88-74, with 11 different Gamecocks scoring. But, as talented as that team is, Boswell is generally acknowledged as being the key to Carolina's national title aspirations. That extra something The other guys could probably carry USC into postseason action, but Boswell might add that extra something needed to obtain the collegiate basketball crown. And, that is why Saturday night's confrontation between Boswell and Adams seems so significant to those who follow Carolina basketball. As most everyone knows, Adams, at 6-9, is one of collegiate basketball's finest centers this year. Coach Frank McGuire calls Adams the best big man USC wiq face this season, so if Boswell can outplay Adams he can outplay anybody in the collegiate ranks. And if that's the case, USC could win the title. Adams has twice earned the Most Valuable Player award in the Big Eight Conference, and in this, his junior year, he should obtain it again. Last season he averaged 21.2 points a game and 12.1 rebounds. Boswell, meanwhile, does not have the im pressive record of Adams but he does have recognition. Drafted third in last season's American Basketball Association draft by the New York Nets, Boswell opted for a season or two of collegiate ball at Carolina in hopes of increasing his value to the pros. Showed scoring potential Boswell's performance against Bucknell, in which he scored 15 points and le the team with 11 rebounds, was not as impressive as his 24-point scoring average at South Caroia State two years ago, but the big man displayed the potential to score much more. The big man-the truly good one-is missing in college basketball this year. A talented, well balanced team like USC could well advance to the championship if it could boast of the best center, and maybe, after this weekend, USC will be able to start boasting. While Boswell's matchup with Adams would seem to be the most significant individual part of this Saturday's game, there is much more at stake. If USC should beat Oklahoma in only its second game, and on the road, the Gamecocks could quickly in to rattle off victory after victory and begin building the necessary confidence it takes to win the title. In the past, USC has often started sluggishly and come on in that late part of a season, but that's not the way to win the title. Teams like UCLA and North Carolina State-the true powers of collegiate basketball-win all season long and carry that momentum into the ostseason play of March. USC il but vici BV JAMES P. HERSH Of The Gamecock staff Without impressing most fans in the Coliseum, Carolina easily disposed of Bucknell 88-74 Monday night for its first win of the season. More than 12,000 people showed up for the season's opener, hoping that the Gamecocks would show Noghing Team's big men c Sooners BY STEVE PARKER Sports Editor~ Carolina enters into what may be its biggest test of the next several weeks when it encounters tough Oklahoma Saturday night in Norman, Okla. Carolina, which thumped Bucknell 86-74 in the home opener, might be hard pressed to gain another victory against the Sooners, although the Oklahoma squad has already suffered a loss. The game might be as significant for the Alvin Adams-Tom Boswell matchup It showcases as for the outcome itself. The two players, both junior centers, are laying claim to being the best big man in the nation. Adams, twice Big Eight Con ference Most Valuable'* Player, has done more on the collegiate court than Boewell but the USCe ) h1re OrtOUmpr t~oious why they are ranked highly this year. However, with coach Frank McGuire substituting freely USC seemed content to simply win the game rather than impress everyone with a large victory margin. Junior guard Mike Dunleavy, who played 35 minutes, was the game's leading scorer with 28 . to lashk to test Ga representative had enough talent to be drafted by the pros. Adams, who averaged 21.2 points a game last year, scored 32 points in Oklahoma's season opening loss to Tulsa before fouling out of that game. Tulsa's Hurricanes, playing at home, upset the Sooners 71-44. But Oklahoma, under second year Coach Joe Ramsey, rebounded at home Monday night to whip Northeast Missouri 8-71. The Gamecocks, ranked fourth by a few publications and fifth by< Sports illustrated, will be trying to I break a recent tradition of losinga the tough games on the road. USC has lost 11 games In the past I two seasons, and all but one have been on the road and to strong. teams. Tennessee, Notre Dame, Indiana, Alabama and Davidson are among those who have knocked off the Gamecocks on th road. ssive. nyway points, a good sign since he is expecteo to pick up sone -of the scoring slack left by Brian Win ters, who graduated last year. Dunleavy made 12 of tO shots from the field. After playing sluggishly the first seven minutes, the Gamecocks showed signs of their potential when McGuire puled showboating guard Jackie Gioon off the bench for the first time in his college career. A freshman from W. New York, N.J., Gilloon had a poor shooting night, two points and 0 for-5 from the field, but he had seven assists. Giloon replaced senior Jimmy Walsh in the backcourt when USC was trailing 9-8, and immediately Carolina reeled off 22 points to Bucknell's two in the next seven minutes, including an 18.0 three minute stretch. After the game GWloon said it was only a matter of getting the fast break moving for Carolina to break the game open. "Once we start getting the break moving there aren't many teams that can us," Gilloon said. Gloon made several behind-the back passes and an assortment of other tricky passes in leading the fast break, and he quickly has become a favorite of the Coliseum crowd. However, his crowd plesing passes sometimes go awry, giving him five of USC's 17 turnovers. Another newcomer to the Carolina squad, Tom Boswell, had a 0ifftcult time getting started, but ended up with 15 points, second high for USC, and 11 rebounds, the team's high. Boswell had his first shot as a Gamecock blocked by Bucknell's Sam Stettler, who is only 66, compared to Boswell's 6-9. But with three minutes gone in the game Boswell made his first points on a lay-up after faking Stettler out of position. From that point on Boswell had little trouble on of rense. coftdnued on page 12 mecocks USC has also barely slipped to victory in several other road en counters. But, USC's team this year Is a new squad with a new look. The team no longer plays control of fense, instead flying along with the fast-break style. And newcomers Boswell, Jackie Gilboon and Billy Truitt have yet to prove hesitaht to win on the road, merely because they haven't experienced an away encounter yet. Carolina's Boswell and the rest if the Gamecock squad could do a letter job defending the Oklahoma squad than they did against lucknell. Against Bucknell, USC sed just a man-to-man defense, ot once deviating from that style. But, Saturday night, the Gamecocks will definitely use some zone defenses. And USC won't be substituting nearly as much as it did aainst Bnel.n