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Show Friday and Saturday nights T-Birds face tough RM AC foes i be favored, even on the Thun-derbird Thun-derbird court. Agaiast Grand Canyon, SUSC lost by 10 points at Phoenix and by six points in Cedar City. The Mustangs lost by one to the Antelopes in a game on the Western New Mexico court. Against New Mexico Highlands, Southern Utah won by six, 'J3-H7, in Cedar City. The Mustangs whipped the Highlanders by 10 points on the Highlands home court. "Western New Mexico has some outstanding talent and excellent depth," Jack points out. "If we can beat them here, that win will go a long ways in helping us toward a high conference con-ference finish." Ernie Signars is the chief sparkplug in the Mustang machine. He's moved from forward to center this season where he is even more effective. He is only a 6-6 center, but he averages 12.1 rebounds and 14.6 points per game. All five starters (Signars, Gary Chapman, Dennis Kowalski, Harold Clopton, and Joe Mon-dreagon) Mon-dreagon) have played together for three years. Southern Utah, showing signs of breaking out of a holiday slump, has super balance, with six players averaging double figure scoring. "We still have plenty of potential," Jack said. "All we've got to do is start clicking all together. Once we do that, we'll give anybody plenty of trouble." The time for second chances is gone for Southern Utah State's basketball team. The time to either win or lose the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference race may well be Friday and Saturday night. "One thing is certain; we can't afford lo lose either game," Stan Jack, SUSC head coach, says (and then he sets his jaws in determination). deter-mination). Opposition in the two key games are Adams State, a persistent conference pest for the Thunderbirds, and Western New Mexico, one of three teams picked as most likely to pick up the league championship. 'The game with the Indians from Alamosa will start at 7 p.m. (due to a 9 p.m. Cedar City High School game the same night). SUSC and the Mustangs from Western New Mexico will do battle starting at 7:130 p.m. Western New Mexico, a team with super balance and great depth, is expected to be the tougher of the two opponents, but "we can't afford to let up a minute aeainst Adams State- they are tall and rough," Jack says. The Indians are led by Billy Jenkins, a dandy 6-6 forward who averages 14.7 points and 10.5 rebounds. Sharing the scoring and board chores with Jenkins is veteran Fred Sawaya, a 6-8 , center with a 13.1 scoring average and an average rebound mark of 9.3 per game. Adams State has a poor 2-8 record, but the record is probably misleading. The Indians In-dians have played top flight competition including several university division clubs. Scores against one common opponent would establish SUSC as the favorite, but by only a razor-thin margin. Southern Utah nudged California Baptist, 90-89, on the T-Bird court. Adams State lost to the same Cal Baptist five, 90-84, at Alamosa. Comparative SUSC and Western New Mexico scores against two common opponents indicate that the Mustangs may |
