The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 13

fcrebs UCLA-ALABAMA COURIER NEWS SPORTS EDITOR Liberty Bowl Tonight "I AIN'T nothin but a winner." Tonight in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant gets his chance to back up the above statement he's made 90 many times. But to use Bryant's own terminology, "it ain't gonna be easy" tonight in Memphis, for the 18th annual Liberty Bowl. Kickoff ia 8:05 p.m. Bryant's Crimson Tide, rich in tradition but lost in the SEC title shuffle this season, take on the once-beaten, once-tied UCLA Bruins, one of the country's most explosive offensive teams. It is fantastic fight for the the football fanatico-- Alabama's defense against UCLA's offense.

As Pittsburgh showed Baltimore yesterday, the defense usually wins--if its offense gives it some early momentum. Bradshaw and company did that expertly Sunday. That's what Alabama will have to do tonight to have a chance against the mighty Bruins. UCLA's veer attack is awesome, led by All- America quarterback Jeff Dankworth, who rushed for close to 800 yards. His running backs--Theotis Brown and Wendell Tyler--each passed 900.

The Crimson Tide offense has been a question mark all season. Bryant relies on not one but two quarterbacks, and although both Jeff Rutledge and Jack O'Rear have flashed signs of greatness, neither has come to the top. There's an old saying about a team which constantly uses two quarterbacks. Instead of two No. 1 signal-callers, what you actually have is two No.

2 signal-callers, and neither is good enough to beat out the other. However, Rutledge is expected to get the starting nod tonight, and it will be imperative for him to get something going early. The defenses could be the key to this chilly (temperatures are expected to drop into the 20's before the game's over) match-up Alabama is traditionally a strong defensive club, and if they can force Dankworth to keep the ball tonight, they should be very successful in slowing down UCLA's veer power, which lies with the two running backs. Tackles Bob Baumhower and Charles Hannah anchor the Tide defense, but the keys tonight could be the ends and linebackers. They've got to get in there quick or Alabama is doomed.

But there are two more intangibles tonight. The mental state of UCLA is most important. They finished the season on a disappointing note in a tough loss to USC, killing their chances for a Pac- Eight title, a trip to the Rose Bowl and a possible national championship. Chances are they might have come to Memphis for fun, and the ballgame tonight might be anti- clamactic. Texas AM pulled a similar trick last year after losing the regular season finale to Arkansas, and John McKay's USC Trojans smoked the Aggies out of the stadium.

Another factor which could work for or against Alabama is speculation that this might be Bear Bryant's last game as Crimson Tide chief. Don't bet on that, but with all the talk, it's got to be on the players' minds. Meanwhile, the Bear himself remains loose and talks like he's as young as UCLA mentor Terry Donahue, just 32. "UCLA didn't worry me," quipped Bryant, "Until I found out the initials don't stand for University of Central Louisiana." Bryant's drawn a lot of ire from the bowl folks in previous seasons because he's been accused of manipulating the bowls to suit his best interests, but that's part of the man's magic. Alabamans say he can talk you into anything.

That's why he'll stay head coach until he's good and ready to retire. And the Bear says he's still having "too much fun" to quit now. Like the man said, he "ain't nothin' but a winner." Look for the Tide to roll again, in somewhat of an upset. But the Liberty Bowl is famous for upsets. Where is Preston Watts, anyway? (CMritr MWI Photo by Hiitir) GOOD OFFENSIVE NIGHT Guard Tommy Tapley hit 18 points Top Kansas By The Associated Press The streaking 19th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, already off on their biggest basketball victory binge in 33 years, have a chance to do a little more damage to the state of Kansas tonight.

The Porkers became the first Southwest Conference team to beat the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence Saturday night with a 67-63 victory to stretch Arkansas' unbeaten string to six. Kansas State, another Big Eight toughie, comes calling tonight in Barnhill Fieldhouse at Fayetteville. Texas Tech, which was idle last week, is the only other remaining unbeaten SWC team and the Red Raiders will be tested quickly tonight in the Indiana Tourney. The slaw is light during Christmas week with no games scheduled in the state of Texas. Rice is at Cal State-Fullerton tonight.

The Owls' unbeaten string was stopped at six by mighty UCLA 10760 Friday night. Arkansas Coach Eddie Sutton said the victory over Kansas is "a tremendous win for our program. This is the first time we've won on the road against a bigtime basketball power." Houston (7-1) captured the Bluebonnet Classic with a 78-62 victory over California-Santa Barbara while Baylor grabbed the consolation trophy in the Sun Bowl Tourney with a 94-93 victory over Southern California Saturday night. In other games, Southern Methodist was whipped 94-86 by LaSalle in the Tennessee Classic consolation while Texas AM was throttled by Reno-Nevada 72-66 for the third place award in the Bluebonnet Classic. The SWC is now 39-18 against non-conference opposition.

ANOTHER BAD NIGHT FOR HENDERSON Pan American Bombs Tribe By SAM KREBS Courier News Sports Editor JONESBORO-The game program chronicled (he history of Indian Fieldhouse here Saturday night, but there's a good chance that Dan Henderson and the Arkansas State Indians would rather forget the ol' place. It served as a jinx a second straight time for the Tribe, and especially Henderson, as the big guy scored an all-time low of five points and fouled out early in an 88-72 defeat at thehands of the Pan American rones. Henderson," mentioned as a preseason All-America candidate, came into the game nursing a bad ankle, and he just wasn't himself. "Dan's just not playing well," said ASU coach Marvin Adams after the game, which was closer than the final score indicated. "But neither are we.

I thought we played some of our basketball of the season in the first 32 or 33 minutes, but after that, we just fell apart." Henderson moved to center in Adams' new starting lineup, pushing 6-10 Stan McNeill. last week's only offense, to the sidelines. "I doubt if you'll ever see them in the game at the same time again." said Adams of ASU's two biggest inside threats. "The reason is defense. Stan just doesn't cover as well as we need." But none of the Tribe covered well Saturday night.

Pan American got some easy shots, and blazed a 58.2 field goal percentage. "I'm disappointed with the defense," said Adams. "We couldn't hold them, especially when it was close down to the end." However, the Indians did show a few bright spots in their starting lineup, featuring two new starters. Forward James Leffall kept up his fine play on the way to 18 points, tying hot-shooting guard Tommy Tapley for the team lead. The 6-4 junior college product also brought down 10 rebounds.

"James gives you 100 per cent at both ends of the floor," said Adams. "He earned his start, and I can't see anybody getting him out of the lineup." Actually, it was the guards who kept ASU close. Tapley and surprise starter Ron Percy, who added 12 points, found the range on numerous occasions. ASU's inside game, with Henderson not up to par, was almost nil until Leffall stuffed in some rebounds late. "They weren't putting a lot of pressure on us, staying ina zone the whole game," said Adams.

"So, I believe our guards were more relaxed and shot better." In comparison, Tapley didn't in last Saturday night's homecourt loss to Southern Mississippi. But he was hot this week, sinking nine of 16 shots from tiie field. Most were of the 15-50-20-fool variety. Pan American grabbed the early momentum. The Broncs, getting some easy buckets in a run-and-gun offense, scored tne game's first six points before two minutes had run off the clock.

ASU came back and consecutive jump shots by Leffall and Percy cut the gap to three, 20-17, with 10:15 left in the half. But the Broncs exploded with another six-point streak to rose into a nine-point edge, 26-17. The quick play of guard John Wilbanks sparked the rally. Pan American got into foul trouble late in the half, and McNeill and Leffall both hit a couple of free throws to chop the margin to two, 39-37, with 1:43 showing. But that was the Tribe's last scoring of the half, The Broncs picked up four more points, and it was 43-37 at halftime.

Arkansas State made its final run early in the second half, and i lillllllllllllllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIinilllUlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllljl COURIER NEWS 1 SPORTS A i Monday, December 20.1976 1 Page Thirteen miiiiuiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiimiMiitiiiniiiimMNiNiiiiiiiiiiiiim news Pholo by Hestir) it was Leffall leading the way. He put in a tip-in, swished a fallaway jumper and hit a turnaround jum shot to cut the gap to two, 47-45, with 17:06 to play. On the last bucket, though, Henderson picked up his fourth foul, and McNeill replaced him. Pan American couldn't take advantage, and the Tribe, spurred on by a small crowd, had the momentum. Percy sent home a beautiful juniper (hat banked off the glass and in from a 45-degree angle to knot the count at' 47-4t with 10:40 to go, and 28 seconds later, Tapley hit from the corner to a 49-47 ASU edge.

The Bronces rebounded on a Wilbanks layup, but McNeill took a pass from Percy and put it in the bucket for a 51-49 Tribe advantage with 15:40 left. But that was the end of the Indian attack. The visitors, a i a a a of Tribe mistakes, ran off five straight points for a 54-51 lead. A John McGough luck shot that went out then in ut it down to one. 5453, but Pan American kept on shooting and hitting.

With 10:05 to play, Percy banked in another jumper lo again knock the ante down to one, 63-62, but Pan American followed the inside play of Henry Taylor and Billy Bolts to seven consecutive points and the beginning of a Bronc runaway. From there, Pan American just padded its lead. The 16- point final was the visitors' largest lead of the game. Blytheville's Victor James scored ASU's last bucket with 20 seconds to go. "I don't think it's any secret that we're gonna have problems this year with all our young people," said Adams.

"We're 24 and that's disappointing. I hope we'll be able to save a lot of pride and learn from out mistakes." ASU entertains the University of Missouri at Rolla tonight at Indian Fieidhouse. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. TRIBE Scoring Summary PANAMERICAN(H) player fg-tga ft-fta rtj pf tp SUPERSTART Ron Percy, consulting with Adams, had fine debut Bolls Woods Taylor Wilbanks Edwards Garcia Gucbert Sermon Holland TOTALS player Lelfall Letall Henderson Tapley Percy Wiecnman James Schmltt McNeill Robinson Jarretl TOTALS 6 9 00 1 3 6 10 79 7 4 5 1 0 7 10 11 2 38 7-8 i 3 611 24 3 i 22 00 1 1 11 13 1 1 00 1 0 2 3 00 2 1 32-35 24-34 34 19 ASU 172) 4-10 1-1 1 i 8 2 1 23 10 4 S-21 23 10 4 14 36 5 5 916 00 1 4 510 2 2 3 3 4 0-0 00 0 0 1-3 01 0 0.1 00 1 0 3-6 22 5 3 00 00 0 0 0-1 0.0 0 0 31-7210-15 31 25 12 19 17 13 14 4 3 2 4 It 18 IB 5 16 12 0 2 0 a 0 0 American ASU 37-35--72.