Evening star., 1962-12-31
By the Associated Press

settles down to normal this
week. Most Of the conference
races get under way and the
Missouri Valley resumes its
chase Of Cincinnati.
The Bearcats, national COL
legiate champions the last two
years and the MVC titleholders
three years In q row, have
won ~ straight games and
where it will stop nobody knows.
Coach Ed fuckers outfit goes
after No. 20 Wednesday against
Houston, and then opens its
league season against Wichita
Saturday. The team probably
will be without the services of
6-foot-8 Dale Heidotting. who
injured an ankle last week.
Since sophomore Ron Krick,
who was counted on to fill the
vacancy created by Paul
Hogue's graduation, also is out,
the Bearcats could be ripe for
a kill. Wichita, boasting a g.
2 record with seven straight
victories, appears especially
dangerous. Coach Ralph Mil
lers' Shockers already have
knocked two teams = Arizona
State and Ohio State - from
the undefeated list. Wichita
polished off the Buckeyes, IL
54, Saturday.
Cincinnati, 80 for the sea-
son, is ranked No. / in the AS
sociated Press poll, and Ohio
State is No. 2.
Here's a rundown on the
other major conferences:
BIG TEN - Illinois, No. 4
team in the country, won the
Holiday Festival in New York,
whipped West Virginia, 92-74
in the final, and looks ready
to make things rough for Ohio
, State. Michigan could make
, 1t a three-team battle. AL
,, open Saturday-undefeated ILL.,
, nois against Iowa, Ohio State
! against Minnesota and Michi-
gan against Northwestern.
SOUTHEASTERN - This
one opens Saturday, with the
! four top teams clawing at each
other. Kentucky (7-2, No. s
team in the country, entertains
| Georgia Tech (7-0). Auburn
, go, which won the Sugar
Bowl tournament with a 7l-6s
decision over Houston, faces No
10 Mississippi State (7-2)
Kentucky and Mississippi State
are co-favorites.
SOUTHWEST - Southern
Methodist appears to be the
class Of the league, with a Sc
record, although Texas AIM
the JoneSboro Classic winner
-67-53 over Tulane - has 9
strong entry. Both open the
league firing Thursday, the
Mustangs against Arkansas anc
the Aggies against Baylor.
BIG EIGHT - Kansas wor
the league preseason tourna.
ment with a 9O-88 four-over
: time squeaker over Kansa.
I State. Kansas opens against
powerful Colorado Saturday and
? that should provide a definitC
line on how far the Jayhawk,
can go. Oklahoma State g,
%, which starts against lows
State, also is a contender.
BIG SIX - UCLA (10-2),
,, boasting eight straight vic,
!. tories and a 1864 decision
over Colorado State U. in tn,
!, final Of the Los Angelei
Classic, now takes over the ia,
q vorite's spot. Southern Cali,
: fornia. No. z in the curren
: poll, lost twice in the tourna,
: ment. Southern Cal has twt
games with California, anothe
Z strong club.
I WESTERN ATHLETIC -
8 The league chase doesn't star
: for another week, but sixth
j ranked Arizona State (9-D i
the favorite. The Sun Devil
n won the Queen City tourna
d ment, turning back Canisius IL
t the final, 67-63. But they still
y need more scoring from thei
h outside men to help Joe Cald
4 well and Art Becker.
J, ATLANTIC COAST - Duk
n (8-2). which toppled all tn
: way from second to eighth Ii
the latest poll, clobbered Wax
Forest, 1887, the defendin
= champion in a non leagu
game. They meet later in tw
games that do count. The Blu
Devils look to be the best II
the ACC.
IVY LEAGUE - Penn an,
= Princeton are the co-favorites
n each with I'll non-league rec