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Show THE THUNDERBIRD PACE 12 MONDAY NOVEMBER 14, 1988 THUNDERBIRD OPPONENTS INCLUDE DIVISION WYOMING Date: Dec. 7, 7:35 Location: Laramie, Wy. 1987-8- 8 record: 26-- 6 Key: The Cowboys lost their top two players, Eric Leckner and Fennis Dembo. A total of 1 new players will wear the brown and yellow this year. Head Coach Benny Dees: "Im a little apprehensive with so many new faces, but believe we have enough talent on this team to be pretty decent." 1 U.S. INTERNATIONAL Date: Feb. 6, 8:30 Location: San Diego, Ca. 1987-8- 8 8 record: Key: The Culls have an explosive offense, but have been outmatched in athletic ability on defense in the past. Head Coach Cary Zarecky: "Our offense, which has always been strong, will be stronger this season. Our defense should improve. We have considerably greater depth on the bench." 10-1- TEXAS NORTHEAST LOUISIANA Date: Nov. 25,26, 7:00; Jan. 31, 6:00 Location: Cedar City, Ut., Monroe, La. 1987-8- 8 record: 21-- 9 Key: The Indians lost their main offensive power source, but sophomore Anthony Jones should step in and fill that hole. Jones took third place in ABC's slam dunk contest, and is dangerous from three-poirange. Head Coach Mike Vining: "With the loss of Saulsberry, we're going to have to rebuild inside. There's no question we're going to have to make some adjustments." nt KANSAS STATE Date: Jan. 16, 7:35 Location: Manhattan, Ks. 1987-8- 8 record: 25-- 9 Key: The Wildcats have major holes to shore up. They lost their leading scorer, leading rebounder, top field goal shooter, and top three-poishooter. Head Coach Lon Kruger: "You don't see a lot of height. think rebounding has to be a concern. Shooting is also something that we'll have to spend time on. think they BAPTIST Date: Dec. 31, 7:00 Location: Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 2 record: Key: Since losing some of the best conference players, how quickly the newcomers adjust to their roles will determine how successful this year will be. Head Coach Cary Edwards: "Although we still have as many question marks as we did last season, do feel we will have more depth. The big factor is how well we play together and how hard we work, especially at the defensive end." 17-1- The biggest season in SUSC , 9 back-to-bac- k CAL STATE SACRAMENTO have a chance to be a solid defensive team, which can key a good offense." 30-1- ARKANSAS Date: Jan. 24, 6:05 Location: Fayetteville, Ar. ' 1987-8record: 21-- 9 Key: The Razorbacks strengths include defense and depth. They like to play as many as 0 players and wear the opponent down with pressure defense. Head Coach Nolan Richardson: "We have improved our situation at guard, but we won't be very big. We hope we can compensate for our lack of size with speed and quickness. We should play better defense with our guards and we should get to the boards quicker." 8 1 AKRON Date: Feb. 9, 5:30 Location: Akron, Oh. 1987-8record: 21-- 7 Key: The Zips are an experienced team with 11 returning lettermen. Their big people need to concentrate on rebounding, or the inside game could prove weak. Head Coach Bob Huggins: "We need to improve our passing skills. We have to be more aggressive on the defensive end of the lloor. We need to drastically improve our free throw shooting." CHICAGO STATE Date: Jan. 28, 6:30; Feb. 20, 7:00 Location: Chicago, II., Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 record: 0 " Key: The strength for the Cougars is 6' 11 center Laurent Crawford. New talent and competition for positions has been added to the backcourt. Head Coach Tommy Suitts: "I expect us to basketball team be a because we have more athletic ability and better depth at each position. But, we will still be a very inexperienced team." year." WASHINGTON STATE Date: Dec. 0 Location: Pullman, Wa. 1987-8- 8 6 record: Key: The Cougars will be working without Todd a true center now that Anderson is gone. Strengths are in the guard positions, but the frontline may be on the small side. Head Coach Kelvin Sampson: Entering his second year as head coach, his Cougars are predicted to finish eighth in the PAC-1Though an improved team, the record should remain largely unchanged due to overall conference strengths. history features some awfully scary teams. WRIGHT STATE Date: Feb. 11, 5:30 kLocation : Dayton, Oh. 1987-81 record: Key: Lost only one key starter, while returning five of top six scorers. The Raiders have one of the most potent three-poishooters among independents, bagging 64 treys last year. Head Coach Ralph Underhill: The enter their first year of Division competition, 1 setting their sights higher than a mark. 16-1- 8 16-1- UC SANTA BARBARA Date: Dec. 5, 8:30 Location: Santa Barbara, Ca. 1987-8- 8 record: 22-- 8 Key: The Gauchos return one of last year's top players, Carrick DeHart, but also lose Brian Shaw, now with the Celtics. John Westbeld has the potential to be a potent scorer and strong rebounder. Head Coach jerry Pimm: Former U of U coach led UCSB to best record ever last year and qualified for NCAA tournament. PORTLAND Date: Dec. 0 Location: Pullman, Wa. 1987-8- 8 record: 2 Key: The Pilots are an extremely young team, and the schedule lines up foes like Notre Dame, Oregon, and Fullerton State. The Pilots lost last year's top two scorers to add to this year's woes. Head Coach Larry Steele: PU is a team in the crawling stage, their program not having matured fully. However, time is on Steele's side as he enters his second season as head coach. IDAHO Dec. 27, 7:00 Date: Dec. Location: Pullman, Wa.; Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 1 record: finish in Key: Coming off a second-plac- e the Big Sky, the Vandals lost a four-yestarter, Kenny Luckett, but they return four of last year's starters. Head Coach Kermit Davis: As an assistant to former head coach Tim Floyd, Davis should make the coaching transition less traumatic. He plans to run on offense more than his former boss, but wants to continue Floyd's tenacious man defense. 19-1- ar ST. FRANCIS Date: Jan. 3, 7:00 Location: Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 8 record: Key: Shooting percentage as a team last year was only 43.4. One of the few bright spots for the Terriors this year are five new recruits. Head Coach Rich Zvosec: A former assistant at Loyola, Zvosec replaces Bobby Valvano, who bailed out of the job to coach a team in Sweden. Zvosec loses one of his best players due to grades. 11-1- much-improve- d FRESNO NORTHERN ARIZONA Date: Dec. 3, 7:30; Jan. 2, 7:00 Location: Flagstaff, Az., Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 record: Key: Several new players should make a significant impact for the Lumberjacks. NAU is not a big team. Head Coach Pat Ralferty: "I'm not worried about the wins and losses this year. We want to do a solid job of teaching. We want to establish an identity and a philosophy." M 8 Date: Feb. 27, 7:00 Location: Cedar City, Ut. 1987-8- 8 record: 22-- 8 Key: The Hornets lost three lettermen, but return nine: three senior starters. Head Coach joe Anders: Two years at 8 has compled a mark. 10-1- 8 4i,yr? Grace, and Dave Sieger, which could be the toughest seniors OU has had to replace. However, big man Stacey King and point guard Mookie Blaylock return. Head Coach Billy Tubbs: "Though it will be harder for us to get back to the Final Four, believe our players will benefit from the competition and accept the challenge to finish the job we left unfinished last us." 16-1- 3 Location: Moraga, Ca. 1987-8- 8 record: 19-Key: All five Gael starters from last year's impiessive squad return. Strengths are the front court and their zone defense. Head Coach Lynn Nance: Led the Gaels to winning seasons, and a second place tie in the WCAC last year. POWERHOUSES 13-1- NEW ORLEANS Date: Jan. 30, 6:30 Location: New Orleans, La. 1987-8- 8 record: 21-- 1 1 Key: The Privateers lost their top five scorers of last year, and usher in the era of a new coach. Head Coach Tim Floyd: "Coaches are smart about their scheduling. They realize that we lost our five top scorers from last season. They're stacked up 30 deep to play Date: Dec. 19, 6:35 Location: Austin, Tx. 1987-8- 8 record: Key: The Longhorns lost only one starter and gain nine new players. A new coach could prove a factor. He led Rhode Island to- the final 1 6 last year. Head Coach Tom Penders: "I see players with a lot of individual skills, who are also fundamentally sound, and also see some great athletes." SAINT MARY'S Date: Jan. 7, 8:30 I STATE Date: Dec. 29, 8:30 Location: Fresno, Ca. 1987-8- 8 record: Key: The Bulldogs have an impressive .807 percent home record over the last 10 years. Last year they were on the road. Head Coach Ron Adams: A defensive architect and technician ot the matchup zone, Adams was instrumental in FSU's rise to prominence. With Adams at the defensive controls, FSU led the nation ir, detensive scoring several years. 9 BAYLOR WEBER STATE Date: Dec. 22, 6:30 Location: Waco, Tx. 1987-8- 8 1 record: Key: A much smaller team this year after losing their center and scoring guard, the Bears lost four starters from the school's first NCAA Tournament entry since 1950. Head Coach Gene Iba: The Bears won 5 of 23 games decided by four points or less the last two years. "We'll by much quicker and maybe shoot better." Date: Nov. 28, 7:00 Location: Cedar City, Ut. 987-8- 8 record: 1 Key: The Wildcats return nine lettermen and four starters, plus a new coach. Head Coach Denny Huston: As a replacement for Larry Farmer, Huston will try to pull the Wildcats out of the mire of two consecutive bad seasons. 23-1- 1 OKLAHOMA Date: Dec. 20, 6:30 ' Location: Norman, Ok. 1987-8record: 35-- 4 Key: The Sooners lost Harvey Grant, Ricky 8 1 WEST TEXAS STATE Date: Jan. 10, 7:35 Location: Canyon, Tx. 1 987-8- 8 Key: A record: standout 20-- 9 in Division II, the Buffaloes will try to improve on a Head Coach: Mark Adams 20-w- season. |