Evening star., 1941-02-24
Hoosier-Badqer
Duel TO Decide
Big Ten Issue
Southern, Southeast
Groups Head Into
Crown Series
BY HUGH S. FULLERTON, yr-
Associated Press SnoYtS writar


NEW YORK, Feb. 24.-By the end
Of this week practically all the I'M
portant sectional college basket ban
races will be over, or at least settled
beyond reasonable doubt. But be-
tween tonight and Saturday there
are many things due to happen.
Here are few Of the jor items:
Indiana and Wisconsin likely will
settle the Big Ten championship
at Bloomington, Ind, tonight. Wis
consin, after losing its first confer
ence game, has won nine straight,
while Indianas record shows one
less victory. Both may run into
trouble Saturday when the Hoosiers
play Purdue, the 1910 champion, and
Wisconsin meets Minnesota.
The championship tournaments
in the Southern and Southwestern
Conferences both begin Thursday
and wind UP Saturday.
North Carolina on Spot.
North Carolina topped the South
ern regular-season standings with
IA victories in Is starts. but the Tar
Heels run into their own conference
conqueror, Duke, in the first round
Of tournament play. Kentucky,
which has windup game against
Vanderbilt tonight, heads the South
eastern with seven victories and one
loss. Florida, its season over with
a 60 record, can't catch the Wild
cats. Both North Carolina and
Kentucky are favorites to repeat
their 1910 tournament victories.
Kansas, leading the Big Six stand
ing with six wins and one loss can
clinch the title by beating Kansas
State tomorrow and second-place
Nebraska on Saturday, providing
that Iowa State, the only other
serious contender, loses to Kansas
State Saturday.
Except in those four grolps. ths
titles either have been decided al
ready or aren't likely to be settled
for another week. Arkansas cap
tured the Southwest Conference
crown easily by whipping Texas
Christian twice last week to make
it 10 victories in succession in ths
circuit. Stanford won as easily in
the Southern division of the Pacific
Coast Conference, but still faces a
playoff with the Northern division
winner If dates that don't conflict
with examinations can be arranged.
Washington State Sets Pace.
Washington State. with II straight
victories against early losses,
practically is certain of winning in
the Northern division, but even
Saturdays clash with last-place
Idaho won't clinch the title unless
Oregon State loses to oregon Thurs
day.
The Eastern League, Missouri
Valley and Big Seven races prob
ably will drag out for some time.
Dartmouth has only to maintain
its pace in the East to win the
league title for the fourth year.
The Indians disposed of Columbias
threat, but they have four games
to go and that leaves most of their
rivals in the running mathemat-
ically. if not otherwise.
Creighton took a half-gam edge
over Drake in the Missouri Valley
circuit last week and can increase
it by beating the Bulldogs Satur-
day, but there's a heavy schedule
this week and next and it favors
the third-place Oklahoma Aggies
on home court" basis.
Wyoming, whose Seven-game win
ming streak was broken by Brigham
Young last Saturday. faces a couple
of second division rivals this week
and should increase its Big Seven
lead. Utah and Colorado. which
meet Friday, both are in the run
ming, so the struggle will run over
| into another week.