The Washington herald., 1921-01-04
EXPECT HARD FIGHT
WHEN CONFERENCE
FTVES GET STARTED
Maroons, Last Years
Champions, Lose Coach
And Star Center.

CHICAGO, Ill. Jan. 3.--Intercolle-
giate baskst-bail Is slated for an Of
hcial start this week, and with one
.intersectionai game past the boards
and q second intersectional cham
pionship series under way the fssct-
mating indoor sport is In line for
pace involving that Of the gridiron
sport last fall. ..... ...
Basketball has already won its
place in the athletic program of
western fans and the surprising re-
ries Of upsets. and close competition
Of last seasons Big Ten schedule has
given the race an unusual touch of
interest this season.
No team has won the Big Ten for
two successive years Chicago copped
the bunting last season and fell be-
fore Pennsylvania in a three-game
title series. The Naroons have lost
their coach. Pat Page, and their ALL
conference star and captain, Hinkle.
so II looks like tradition will rule.
: Purdue, the quintet which breezed
along In sensational fashion last
year after a bad start, winning eight
consecutive conference games, and
Minnesota look like the best bet
from an early season view.
Has Clever Guards.
Purdue has lost its smooth work.
ing scoring machine. Tiison, Church
and Campbell, but Its brilliant guard
combination, Capt. white at floor
~ - Hsr1A-
intact. II is doubtful IL there is a
can approach this formation for all
around play. But Coach Lambert is
hard put for forwards and a center.
Purdue dropped its FIRST two games
OF the season last year by one point
margins to Illinois and Ohio State
1t then hit stride which carried
II through the remainder Of the year
In such spectacular fashion that
many critics were prone to name
the Boilermakers the champs of the
West. Purdue not only won all its
remaining games, but doubled the
scores on both Illinois and Ohio
state in the second meetings.
Both Purdue and Indiana are
stocked with high school stars from
Hoosier High School, which State
easily may be named the hotbed of
western basketball. II was tive
Hoosier high school fives. Crav-
louisville and wingate, which
fought in the finals OF both the
Tri-State tournament at Cincin-
natl and the interscholastic at Chi
cago last winter.
Like Purdue, Minnesota suddenly
changed its ways midway of the
schedule last year and wheeling
around ploughed through opposition
In most ungentlemanly fashion,
upsetting several Of the first division
quintets In its mad dash. The sud
den reversal in form of Doc Cookies
aggregation Is accounted for by the
sudden appearance In uniform about
midsesson OF Messrs. oss and Arm
ston- Two cleverer forwards. than
this pair are not picked for the ask
Ing. Both had failed to recover
from football injuries until the late
date. Both are reported in top con-
dition for the opening of the sea-
sn. II so the Gophers are slated for
royal crack at the title.
Gophers Have Chance
Minnesota rambled through Big
Ten opposition for ten consecutive!
victories two years ago. The
dashing Gophers were not stopped
throughout their schedule that sea-
son. Oss was a forward on this
same quintet He was picked for
All Conference that year
Wisconsin has only Captain Tay-
lor to count on in the line Of sea
soned material. But in the veteran
mentor, Doc. Meanwell,' the Badger
fans do well to place their hopes
Indiana is left with only Dean.
star center, from last years Quin-
tet. However, Steihm has some
worthy high school star candidates.
Illinois. in view of its auspicious
start last year. is receiving con-
siderable attention. Carney is the
mainstay OF the Illinois hopes.
Ohio State, Iowa, Northwestern
and Michigan look like under dogs
but little can be told Of the out
look for such a variable sport so
early in the season. Indiana and
Ohio State and Wisconsin and
Michigan will see action Saturday
night.