Evening star., 1954-01-03
Georgetown, Champ
Last Year, Is Now
Decided Underdoq

The scramble for the areas
big Three" basketball cham
pionShip gets under way this
week with Georgetown facing
both its rivals, George WASH
ington and Maryland.
The HoyaS meet CIV Thurs
day night at Uline Arena and
face Maryland at Georgetown
Saturday night. And for the first
time in years, the HoyaS will
be decided underdogs in both
games.
George Washington. the home
team, has labeled Thursday
night Congressional Night" and
has sent two guest tickets each
to 435 CongreSSmen and SO Sen
ators. Three bands are promised
for the game.
The big Three" title, a myth
ical championship, is settled
annually on the basis Of six
games, each team playing the
other twice.
Last year the Hoyas won the
championship by beating the
Terps twice and splitting with
the Colonials. CIV took the first
game with Georgetown by a IA
point margin in overtime. The
Hoyas took the second after Sc
curing a bid to the National
Invitation Tournament.
Different This Year.
This year things are different.
The HoyaS have lost four Of their
last five games. the last three in
a row, and will be spotting the
Colonials considerable height.
CIV carries a six-game winning
against Clemson at Uline Arena
Tuesday night and is expected to
remain unbeaten for the George
town game.
Indications are tina the Terps.
too. have improved over last
year. They'll be counting on a
deliberate style of play and the
sharpshooting of Gene co
points-a-game) Shue.
The TerpS have three more
games before meeting the HoyaS.
They play at Richmond tomor-
row night. against Virginia at
Maryland Tuesday night and at
home against Clemson Wednes-
day night.
HOyaS Meet Tougher Rivals.
Georgetown rooterS will have
a couple of things to lean on for
the CIV game. For one thing
the Hoyas have been meeting
tougher opponents than CIV.
which has rolled over West Vir-
ginia, Richmond, VPI and Will
liam and Mary. The Colonials
easily beat Virginia and Rich
mond again in the Christmas
Tournament last week at Wash
ington-Lee High School,, Y III
The HoyaS met Xavier Of Ohio
and LaSalle and played in a
tougher holiday tournament. the
Motor City at Detroit George
town didn't show well in that
affair. losing to both Detroit and
Wayne.
There is growing suspicion
that the Hoyas could overnight
become a very good ball club.
dependent on Jack Vail reaching
his full potential. The 6-foot-4
senior has had some good nights
and some that have been bad
and it is significant that when
he is off, the Hoyas lose.
Vail, not noted for being par
ticularly high scorer, has scored
between 13 and Is points ev-
cry time the Hoyas won. His
totals for the four losing games
have been 2, 2, 10 and 4.
Top Players Erratic.
Vail is not solely to blame.
Coach Buddy Jeannette's big
boys" Bill Cowley and Warren
Buehler, haven't been able to
get together too often either.
Buehler is averaging 1853 points
per game and Cowley has a LAT
average, but like Vail, one OF
them has been below par when
the Hoyas were losing.
CIV will be counting for points
chiefly on Corky Devlin, Elliott
Karver and Joe Holup. Devlin
has an average Of % points per
game, while Karver'S average Is
1873 and Holup'S. 16.5.
Navy, which showed well in
the Dixie Classic Tournament
before losing to Duke in the
final, has four games this week.
playing Princeton tomorrow and
Johns Hopkins Wednesday at
home and visiting Penn Friday
and Temple Saturday.
Maryland at Richmond.
Princeton at Navy.
Clemson at George washington.
Virginia at Maryland.
Towson at Gallaudet;
Wednesday.
Clemson at Maryland.
Johns Hopkins Thnr,Nsy at NavS'
Georgetown at George Washinston.
Mount st. Mary's at American o.
WASHINGTON at Gallaudet.
Wilson at Shippensburg.
Howard at st. Paul.
Friday.
Towson at Georgetown.
Navy at PENNSYLVANIA.
Howard at Virginia Union.
Saturday.
Maryland at GEORGETOWN.
George Washington at Virginia Tech.
Navy at Temple.
Frostburg at Gallaudet.