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Show ! Extra point Utah cagers come alive during tough holiday slate BY GEOFF TOWNS Sports Editor If you've been back home in Kansas City over Christmas vacatis and haven't seen Utah's basketball team since its first few games, hoi: on to your teepees, because it just ain't the same. After sputtering to a 96-94 win over Stanford in the opener, losit; to Utah State (which is not really that great a sin) and holding on i defeat Loyola of Los Angeles, 84-76 in overtime, Coach Jack Gardner; Runnin' Redskins have since lived up to their pre-season expectations-and expectations-and maybe a little more. i The first victim of the "reborn" Redskins was San Francisco Un versify, who went down to an 87-75 defeat the first round of the Utai Classic'. Michigan State, the Utes' opponent for the tournament chain' pionship, had an even tougher time, feeling the sting of a 105-85 drub bing. It was the second year for, the Classic, and the first time tfc Utes had won their own tournament. Last year Utah beat VMI in ft first round, but lost the title to Colorado State. The Redskins' momentum rolled them right past Michigan, 117-10: and Montana, 109-93. Stopped Momentarily But then came the Golden Bears of California. The evening's pr: gram billed them as "talent plus." They seemed to have everythii; and after their first game with the Utes, they had an 86-80 victory. It looked as if Utah was heading back into its first-of-the-seaso style as the Redskins put on a ragged showing in the second half. At when the two teams met again the following evening, it appeared afte the first half that Utah was no longer a match for well-establishf teams. But the second half of that game will be long remember by the 10,098 unbelieving fans who saw the Redskins come from a 44-; halftime deficit to win, 96-77. t But more important than the victory itself was the fact that tl Redskins had found themselves and the inspiration they would net four days later when Brigham Young University would invade tt Utes' home grounds. ! The Cougars made a tough battle out of it, but the Redskins werei to be denied their first Western Athletic Conference victory and flu "great" feeling you get after beating BYU in anything. Utah led b four at the halfway mark, and won it by six, 82-76. Team Stats Take Form j Guard Mike Newlin, who led Utah and the WAC in scoring as sophomore last season with a 21.2 per game average, is riding eve higher this time around with a 24.5 average in the 12 outings. Newt has been the leading scorer for the Utes in every game but one th.' year. His high output remains 33 points against Stanford the fin time out, but has scored under 20 points only twice. Newlin knocked: 59 in the' two-game set with California, and contributed 27 points towar the Cougar cause. Jim Mahler, the Redskins' 6-10 junior center, topped his teat mates, scoring in the Michigan State chapter of the Ute Classic wi 23 points, one bucket ahead of Newlin. Both Mahler and Newlin we: voted onto the All-Tournament team. Forward Ken Gardner, the Utes' third junior member of the star ing lineup, has amassed 136 rebounds for a 12.3 average and the tear leadership in that department. Gardner was Utah's leading rebound: last season with an 11.1 average. Senior forward Walt Hawkins isn't leading the team in any statist but would rather lead the Utes on the court instead. Hawkins has bs the sparkplug for the Redskins many times, and has added valuab points with his 11.2 average. Both Gardner and Mahler are also averaging in double figures I 13.2 and 12.6 respectively. Senior John Hunter has taken over the other starting guard pi tion from Bob Martin and has shown himself to be a tough defend; and good outside shooter. In the 12 games so far, Utah has played only one on the r losing to Denver, 61-64. Sparsest Home Crowd; 7,200 The attendance at the Denver get-together was 2,200. But in the contests in Utahs' Sports Center, the low was 7,217 (Loyola). Michif State brought in 9,114, and the two run-ins with California netted 8,1 and 10,098. 1 BYU failed to equal the drawing power of Utah State, altM it wasn't really the Cougars' fault. Students, who had been raise everything but wheat about the Utah State seating, left 1,400 char empty Saturday evening seats which could have easily been sold. T Utah-BYU attendance was 13,438 compared to 15,000 plus for USt Back to this vacation thing. If you're just geeting back in W you've arrived just in time to see the Utes NOT play. Utah has WAC road games in a row coming up, and those who have been absc will have to wait until Jan. 29 to see their team play in the Spir Center (which by then might have a name if somebody gets an itc signature finger). And, if you really can't wait that long, you may have to go ' Utah play the Athletes in Action on the 13th. |
