The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-03-16
SPORTS of TIMES
Loyola PAGES
Catholic Field
BY LOU FABRO
Times Sports Editor

AS the two big college tournaments the Ma
tional Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the
National Invitational Tournament NIT) - got under
way this week, most attention was focused on such
powers as Ohio State, Cincinnati, Kentucky, West Vlr-
ginia and Wake Forest.
There are, however, a number of strong Catholic
college teams entered in the two Journeys.
The strongest of these are in the 12-team MT.
They include defending champion Providence, Loyola
of Chicago, Duquesne, st. Johns, Dayton, and Holy
Cross. Catholic quints entered in the 25team NCAA
are Detroit, Creighton, Villanova, Seattle and st.
Joseph of Philadelphia, winner of the Middle Atlantic
Conference title.
PROBABLY BEST BET TO EMERGE with
a title is tenth-ranked LOyola which entered the MT
with a 21-3 record-beSt in the field. The RamblerS
have been impressive all season as they forged the
nations highest offensive average, 9O-plus per game.
One of the three losses was suffered at St. John
Arena where the Buckeyes won, 92-72. Another loss
was inflicted by Marquette. Like Ohio State against
Wisconsin,, Loyola had a cold-shooting night and lost
$3.50.
The most surprising upset was pulled by Xavier
of Cincinnati in Loyola's final game. The MuSketeers,
owning a $3.50 AL record, ambushed the RamblerS,
$3.50, thereby smashing a 12-game winning streak.
LOYoLA, n HIGHEST RATED cATHOLl
TEAM in the country, also can point to some brilliant
victories. One Of the biggest was over eighth-rated
ZAP pol) Bowling Green which won the
Conference crown. Other big wins were shared against
st. Johns (92-82l, Indiana $500 and Detroit (90-76).
What makes this season all the more pleasant for
Loyola Coach George Ireland is the fact that he loses
only one starter - Mike Gavin - through graduation.
The rest of the starting five is composed OF three
sophomores and one junior.
While Loyola, among the Catholic quintS, brings
the flashiest record into the tournament wars, the other
teams also are impressive.
ST. JOHNS, FOR INSTANCE, HAD ANOTHER.
fine season 13-4) But this seems natural for Coach
Joe Lapchick'S Red Men. ST. Johns also is the most
toGrnament-tested of all Catholic q%uaIfierS. This
makes the 18th time that they are competing in the
24year-old NIT. They won the title twice-in 1943 and
10E0 Tho Pod Mon ole h1ffInd In tho MA A fhrDp
times.
DAYTON 900 is ANOTHER TOURNAMENT
VETERAN. Under 15-year veteran Coach Tom Black
nine times but have never won the crown. They played
the bridesmaid role five times by losing in the champ
ionship battle in 1851, 50, '55, Sc, and SO.
ROVlDENC (20-5) THE NIT
CHAMPION, didn't quite match the pa regular season
forged last year but the Friars aren't pushovers. They
lost only one of their top five scorers from last years
squad and they added 6-l02 John Thompson who
smashed every school scoring record on the books as
a freshman.
The Friars, incidentally, lost their first game
this season in the New York holiday tournament to a
team Well-knoWn in these parts-WiSconSin The Bad
gers then were clobbered in the title game by another
Well-known team-Cincinnati. The Badgers lost that
one by 40 points.
DUoUESNE ENTERS THE TOURNAMENT with
a 20-5 record which includes a big upset win over
Bradley. The Dukes feature a sophomore scoring star
named Willie Somerset. Holy Cross (20-5) also has a
sensational scorer on its squad-Jack CThe Shot Foley.
Not only has he broken every Holy Cross scoring re-
cord, but Foley is also the second leading scorer in
the nation.