Evening star., 1947-12-22
Kansas State, Texas
Earning Top Ranking
In Court Campaign
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

NEW YORK, Dec. 22.-Unbeaten
Kansas State and Texas took on
the complexion of national powers
today after weekend defeats OF two
perennial giants of the court. Ken
lucky and Oklahoma A. and M.
The Kansas Staters repened the
Oklahoma Aggies In the finals of
the Big Six preseason tournament
Saturday night in Kansas City. So
43. 1t was the seventh straight
triumph without reversal for X
State. the first defeat for the
formidable Aggies.
The Texas Longhorns ran their
victory string to eight by conquer
ing St. Joseph's of Philadelphia. 61-
81. on. the same Philadelphia pro-
gram that saw Kentucky's high
regarded wildcats stub their toe for
the first time against Temple, 60-59.
Late Goal Beats Kentucky.
Nelson Robb sank the basket for
Temple in the last 90 seconds that
upset the Kentucky team which was
runnerup to Utah in the 1947 Ma
tional Invitation Tournament in
New York. g.
Adolph Rupp's wildcats from the
Blue Grass country will attempt to
redeem themselves against st. Johns
in Madison square Garden tomorrow
night.
Preholiday activities. consisting
mainly of intersectional warmups
for hot conference races just around
the corner, have given every indica
tion that the cage season will be as
rocky as the football campaign that
preceded it. No team appears likely
to wade through the winters hoop
ing without q setback.
Already most of the defending
conference champions have. marks
against their records with the cam
paign still damp behind the ears.
Nevertheless, some still are clinging
to clean marks.
Iowa and Illinois, the only unbeat-
en- teams In the Big Nine, registered
victories Saturday and now have
four apiece. The Illini, scattering
the point making, defeated Pennsyl-
vania easily, 70-44. The Iowa Hawk
eyes edged past Washington of St.
Louis, 44-41.
G. w. Remains UDbeaten.
George Washington, in the South
ern Conference, remained among the
unblemished by downing Clemson,
6O-35, for its ninth straight.
Washington State kept its record
unmarried by taking Canisius at Buff
falo, 1897. Colgate remained one
of the unbeaten teams in the East
by overwhelming Rochester, 61-40.
Notre Dame, one of the Midwest's
powerful independents, fell before
Denver, 61-60, in an upset that fol-
lowed the pattern of the Kentucky
surprise. A basket in the last Is
seconds did the trick.
AS the season swings into the hol-
iday lull, here's the sectional pic
ture:
East.columbia believed the team ~, to
gate. N Y. q. and Fordham unbesten.
Holy Cross, Temple. Georgetown, the latter
also unbeaten. rated high.
Midwest-Illinois and. Iowa only un-
beaten teams but Purdue strong in Big
Nine Kansas. Kansas State and Okla
4homa powers In Big Six.
southeast-Georsia setting eaIly pace
Tennessee already among beaten.
South-Georse Washington and North
Carolina State at top of heap. N. G. State,
which has loss one In nine starts defeated
St. Johns Of brooklyn Saturday In New
York, 1886.
Southwest-Texas with eight victories,
has best record in circuit with Baylor and
Arkansas next.
Far West-Washingtop State. unbeaten.
Oregon. Oregon State and washington get
ting split with Minnesota over the week
end.