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Show 1 ... -f - j T-birds on Colorado Road Trip start his usual five: Brett Bell (6-8), Dave Knudsen (6-8), (6-8), Russ Ha fen (6-6), Scott Spurrier (6-5), and Todd Stevens (6-1). Jack expressed ex-pressed pleasure at the recent play of Jeff Skaggs, 6-5 6-5 guard-forward, and freshman fresh-man Daniel Rameriz, 6-0 guard. Knudsen (14.6), Hafen (12.3), Bell (11.8) and Spurrier (11.7) all average over 10 points. Hafen (8.1), Bell (6.7) and Knudsen 6.7) are the top rebounders. As a team, SUSC averages 72.2 points per game; opponents op-ponents average 74.7 points. The T-Birds average 46.9 percent shooting accuracy from the field, compared to 47.6 percent for opponents. Southern Utah outrebounds the competition 39.2 to 36.7 on an average night. The formula for success in ' ' the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is well known, but the Thunderbirds from Southern Utah State College ', are finding the execution a bit difficult. The formula has two .' parts: (1) win all games played on the home court, , and (2) get at least a "split" i every time you go on the road. t So for the T-Birds have accomplished part two of the formula, but from here on out road splits are going to become increasingly difficult. dif-ficult. This week SUSC challenges Regis College f Friday at Denver and ; I Colorado School of Mines Saturday at Golden. Traditionally, the 'Birds lose at Regis and then . squeek past Mines. This year Regis upended SUSC in '' Cedar City (65-55), but the 'Birds managed to pick up an 83-71 win over Mines in War Memorial Fieldhouse. One big development has ' ' SUSC Coach Stan Jack plenty worried. Colorado Mines defeated Regis last weekend, indicating that the Orediggers are certainly no pushover on their home court. "We know that Regis has an excellent ballteam this year," Jack says; "they proved it with their win here. We also know that we have struggled, but usually won at Mines. This year it appears that Mines has a stronger team than usual. We will have to be at our best to win either place." Regis shot a blistering 60 percent from the field in Cedar City and also used aggressive defense to limit the Thunderbirds to only 43 percent shooting (only 28 percent in the first half). In spite of 58 percent shooting by SUSC, Mines was threatening in the first meeting until the final six minutes. The Rangers from Regis start an unusually quick . group which includes Mitch Peterson, a 6-1 Junior; Geroge Aquilar, a 6-0 senior; Doug Farley, a 6-4 senior; Earl Sango, a 6-4 senior; and Scott Courts, a 6-9 ' sophomore. Mines has a . starting lineup dominated by a tio of high scoring sophomores : forware Bert Fleck (6-4), guard Tim Hermann (6-5, and center Jeff Rhodes (6-6). Fleck and Hermann both average over 20 points, while Rhodes chips in with another 12 points and 11 rebounds per contest. Southern Utah is still in the running-just barely-for a berth in the NAIA District Seven playoffs. This year's format calls for eight teams to battle for a spot in the NAIA national tournament. Four RMAC teams are assured of district berths, as are two independent teams. The final two teams will be selected on an at-large basis. The Thunderbirds are now in sixth place in the conference, con-ference, but if the playoff selection took place right now, SUSC would probably pick up one of the at-large berths. "It all boils down to one fact," Jack says,"we've got to win a good share of our remaining games, or we won't be there." SUSC has won their way into the playoffs -(-formerly only four teams teams qualified) for each of the last seven seasons. In 1976-77, the 'Birds won the district title and competed in the national tournament. SUSC is in good shape physically. Jack expects to |