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Schedi By Ralph Stice fc Gamecock Staff Writer r The men's basketball team will J play a 27 game schedule this s season. They will face some very C strong opposition including C Kentucky, Clemson (twice), r Marquette and Notre Dame. The \ following is a rundown on each of the Gamecocks opponents: DEC. 1 BISCAYNE s Jim Batule, 6-0 guard, leads a f group of four starters back from r last year s 15-13 squaa. learning s with Batule in the backcourt is J point guard Ken Stibler Jr. (169 r assists and 95 steals). The Bobcats I also had their best recruiting year c in history, with five junior college transiers ana tnree iresnmen j attempting to make this year's team. c DEC. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA ? STATE \ The Bulldogs have their entire \ starting lineup returning from last s year's disastrous 8-19 team ? the { worst in 20 years. Jonathan \ Robinson, Marty Lane, Arthur ( ompe uiiu oit'gui y wummi uu averaged 12.4 ppg or better. Recruits Gregory Brunson, 7-1, and Kirk Collier, 6-2, will see f plenty of action, too, as S.C. State s tries to achieve respectability s again. r I DEC. 5 AT CLEIYISON a v^iciii^uij win cuiiiuiuc a ouuiig y backcourt with a huge front line in b an attempt to rebound from last 1; years' up-and-down campaign. Billy Williams and Bobby Conrad, both 6-3, are the guards and John Campbell, Larry Nance, Bill Ross, a and Horace Wyatt make up the u front line which averages 6-10 in S height. b fc DEC. 8 COLUMBIA ?3 Last year's 17-9 team, the best in f eight years, represents a peak in s Columbia's basketball program. This year may be a valley for the Lions. None of the returnees from last year's Ivy League runner-up r averaged in double figures a year r ago. All-New York guard Richie 1 Gordon will help, but he can't do it a all himself. r F DEC. 10 AT KENTUCKY t The Wildcats are picked by a many to win the tough f ^nuthpa?tprn Prmforonr^o anH thoro is no reason to feel otherwise. AilAmerican guard Kyle Macy will again lead the team who may be in s the NCAA's Final Four this year. ( Sohpomore standout Dwight j Anderson and top rebounder ( LaVon Williams also return. i Kentucky's recruit list reads like a l high school All-American roster [ with 7-1 Sam Bowie, 6-7 Derrick Hord, 6-6 Charles Hurt, and 6-2 < Dirk Minnifield joining the fold this i year. ] DEC. 20 AUBURN? . MONTGOMERY No information available. DEC. 28-29 IRON DUKE CLASSIC AT DURHAM. N.C. (DUKE, CINCINNATI. AND VERMONT) DUKE ? The host team appears to be one of the strongest teams in the country after beating Dowerful Kentucky 82-76 in their initial game this year. Last year's ACC player of the year, Mike Gminski, will team up with sensational Gene Banks and steady Kenny Denard to give Duke a frontcourt few can match. Senior Bob Bender and 6-5 Vince Tavlor will hold down thp guard spots. CINCINNATI - Coach Ed Badger had a difficult rookie year that included, among other things, three of his players being asked to leave the university after being involved in a St. Louis hotel theft. This year will probably not be any better. Last year's Metror\ f f Vm kao i' v^uiiici cntc jjiujrci *?i uic y i , i ai Cummings, is gone. Several junior college transfers will be relied upon to fill the numerous gaps. VERMONT - The only thing more green than Vermont's rnnntrvside mav well be their ** ? ?* *** #* ? .??<* ' ^r^nan f IM <? -. -- .. . v lie makei >asketball team. Only one senior )lays on this year's squad (Tyrone lohnson). Mike Evelti, the leading corer and rebounder for the Catamounts, heads the returnees. Coach Pete Salzberg's prize ecruits are 6-7 swing-guard Tim Voodlee and 6-3 Dave Vigeant. JAN. 3 GEORGIA SOUTHERN GSU's top two scorers have left o don't look for much im>rovement on last year's 9-18 nark. Flashy freshman A1 Cole ind junior college transfers Robert lacKson ana Terry i?aney win De leeded immediately for help. John ^owler (15.3 ppg and 10 rpg) is the >nly returnee with promise. FAN. 5 AT MAINE IN PROTLANI) CIVIC CENTER Rufus Harris, the Black Bears' lo-everything swingman (21.5 ppg md 98 assists), is back but more vill be required if this team ex iu s?ui vive ii?> uiuiuuuus ichedule. Clay Gunn and Rick Voucher, other 1978-79 starters, vill help out, but Maine still lacks a :enter. JAN. 9 WILLIAM ANI) MARY Playing with a lineup that eatured three freshmen and a ;ophomore, W&M had rough ;ailing last year as their 9-17 ecord indicates. However, Billy Barnes, Scott Whitley, Dale Moats, ind Ken Bowen are back with a ear of experience under their ens ana tney are eager to avenge ast year's dismal showing. JAN. 17 MARSHALL The Thundering Herd may have tough time overcoming the inexpected death of head coach Itu Aberdeen this past summer. rour regulars return and will >attie 6-8 transfers Mike Fennell ind Leo Uautins, as well as 6-2 rflthman U'hi7 Plmrlnc Tnnoc fnc 1 VUIII1IUII "lllli VI1UI IVO UV71IVO 1 V/l itarting spots. JAN. 19 EAST TENNESSEE Last year's leading scorer and ebounder, 6-5 Scott Place, eturns, but besides him, little is eft from the 16-11 team of a year igo. Winfred Reid is the only other eturnee with much experience, lusty Poole, a junior college ransfer who averaged seven issists a game, will run the show or the Bucaneers. JAN. 21 DARTMOUTH Led by a defense that ranked iecond in the nation, The Big jreen compiied a 14-12 mark a fear ago, its second best in two iecades. With fur starters back, ncluding all Ivy-Leaguer Larry ^awrence, they may be even >etter this year. First-year coach rim Cohane must find a depeniable center if Dartmouth is to ol/n *\ onpiAiu' KiaI f K/* Tt?t? 11iai\u a OLI IUUO uiu Iui 111c IVj League title. IAN. 23 FLORIDA SOUTHERN IN LAKELAND CIVIC CENTER John Ebeling (13.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg) is back but at 6-7 he represents the team's tallest player and that will L'ause some difinite matchup problems for the Mocassins. Five gifted recruits may solve some of the problems. JAN. 26 MARQUETTE Expect another class team from tne traditionally strong Warriors from Wisconsin. Sam Worthen, the point guard whom many pro scouts picked as the nation's best last year, is back to feed the ball to talented teammates Robert Byrd and Michael Wilson. Coach Hank Raymonds is hoping that 6-9 center Dean Marquardt can overcome the effects of a serious auto accident he was involved in this past August. JAN. :t0 IIOFSTKA IN NASSAU COUNTY COLISEUM Rookie coach Joe Harrington may have the tools to improve on back-to-back 8-19 seasons endured for the past two years. Alvin Woods, Gary Cheslock, Mark Jenkins, Brian Appel, and Doug Swanson combined for nearly 53 s little der points a game lasi season ana eacn is back for the current season. 6-5 transfer Lionel Harvey, a starter tl at Cincinnati, will be a big addition P to the squad. v f FEB. 2 CLEMSON 0 / FEB. 4 RHODE ISLAND f Sylvester (Sly) Williams, who J led the Rams in every statistical J category there is, has graduated h and Rhode Island will be hard- i pressed to match their impressive I performance of a year ago (NIT > bid, national ranking) Regulars \ Jimmy Wright (12.9, 8.0), Gilson j DeJesus (a Brazilian Olympian) ^ and Roland Houston are back again. Horace Owens tops a list of four recruits. FEB. 7 EAST CAROLINA 1 Returning seniors Herb Krussen, i Frank Hobson, and George Maynor join 6-11 center Alton Tyson this year, but don't look for . a. 1 ?11 4 ? u^ * 1 [ inein ail u> uu in intj siai ung lineup. Transfers Terry Byles, Michael Gibson, and Tom Szymancki will probably shake up the Pirates' first five. FEB. 9 DAVIDSON AT C11A RLOTTE CO LI SU E I\1 The Wildcats have an excellent blend of experience and new blood this year with four regulars returning and two freshmen joining the squad. 6-9 Center Jamie Hall, the Southern Conference freshman of the year in 1978-79, will be aided by starters Brian Rowen and Todd Haynes in the frontcourt. Ernie Riegel and Rick Perkey have experience at the guard position, but look for freshman standouts John Carroll, q HoM-ithQ flrorl QnH Pacov U i/VlflUlllU UU, UIIU V^UOVJ Ramm to make them work for their jobs. FEB. 14 SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI The Golden Eagles suffered , through a 13-14 season last year mainly because of a weak front court. Head coach M.K. Turk hopes that 6-8 junior college transfer Ronald Jackson, 6-8 freshman Jack Poole, and 6-10 redshirt Danny Dunlap can solve his problems. Guard Kenny Smith (16 ppg, 136 assists) is a quality ballplayer and he, along with the newcomers, will have to be in top form becuase of Southern , Mississippi's extremely tough schedule. mm ' ' '^b iVj3fFfl^l|gv' ,VpQ jjy gL^M m^r4 ynCT/Rm^A \?^i WSfifc v. ' v*%> ^^SSPIRRiVIHMHil^H^IHBHHHv ^ JP r> r ? n -r. f iiif.fcw-BMTirr inri-ni^-an in >, nandson FEB. 16 NOTRE DAME " Ranked number-one for longer ? han any other team last year, ~ Jotre Dame may have the h weapons to be in that spot in the inal poll this year. In addition to ?ne of the finest backcourts in America, the Irish feature toplieht forwards Orlando Woolridge, Celly Tripucka, and Tracy j* lackson. Digger Philps also lured " ligh school All-American Tim r Vndree, 6-11, to South Bend. Rich s 3ranning, Mike Mitchell, Stan P Wilcox, Bill Hanzlik, and freshman P vonder John Paxson give this wear's unit unprecedented depth at s *uard. FEB. 18 BOSTON UNIVERSITY The Terriers will have a difficult " ime matching last year's 17-9 v "Apnrd ? its host in two decades. a Steve Wright, Wally West, and John Teague return for another v year of action. The guard position J1 likK^BLr %*&. , kjpn^VHK >|. J?g |Ig JfPsl v;' ' ? R ^Bg^; '** ^Bll^ C/emson's Billy Williams (24, Kelly Tripuka (44, below) are tv\ against USC this season. The Ga at home against Biscayne College imnnrawwimiMii?ifnwiiiHiiF?11 im i IMHII IMUM <m ^"vW:Hkg' M^5?CTb n - to* ^ l.jw r?..?j . ^ .... use ? wide open, though, and Glen Connor, Darryl Floyd, and Gen Jones will be relied on heavily to elp. FEB. 20 FURM AN An experienced Paladin team is eadv to pick up where they left off ist year with seniors Jonathan loore, Ronald White, Rich lcKinney and Dale Crowe eturning as starters. Moore, last eason's Southern Conference layer of the year, averaged 21.9 pg and 9.9 rpg. Sophomore Mel >aniel is the other returning tarter from last year's squad. KEB. 23 WESTERN KENTUCKY Bill Bryant, a 6-5 transfer from /TnrvlnnH is pvopMpH to work /onders for the Hilltoppers, who re favored in the Ohio Valley Conference race. If they shoot the vay they did last year (17th lationally in field goal percentage) hey may will take the title. [: *. " !v':IKfcffr*.'f A> ^ v-' <*XBZ&KnLC5H vMRWVVf^flR^. . _. HH]yP O ^y^jE||SB|jiHiiiH|M|fefl8?$BBS| m ,)&J^<^ ^Vv^vr ****^Y^y o j^SgBBaL^ ^ oc |OftgyjM*ttM*l*gr ^jfe^Ltoi^dfciaaSMNAJgBjBBKgs^^^^w o> above), and Notre Dame's w of the stars who will play I _i i mococKS open p/ay ouiuruuy }. 2* ' v ,^SPWH fik jk^5 -" #4-" J??^ - Jck1' rr* m#v w\* wf**