University of Virginia Library

Full Schedule Set For University Hall Saturday

Gamecocks Face
Virginia Cagers

By Ted McKean
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The impossible was done. Bill
Gibson's Cavaliers put the whammy
on the ninth ranked Duke Blue
Devils, an upset which will stand as
one of the great surprises of the
entire 1968-69 college basketball
season.

But the season is far from over,
and the South Carolina Gamecocks
under coach Frank McGuire will be
arriving in Charlottesville to try to
impress this fact on the surging
Cavaliers. They will meet the
Virginia five in University Hall
Saturday night; tipoff time is 8:00.

McGuire, who last coached the
Philadelphia Warriors, will field an
inexperienced but extremely
capable club. Gone from last year's
fine team which posted a 15-7 mark
are the top four Gamecock scores:
Skip Harlicka, Gary Gregor, Frank
Standard, and Jack Thompson. All
four were drafted by the pros, and
Harlicka and Gregor were first
round choices in the NBA.

Therefore, South Carolina will
have to look to a number of able
sophomores to fill in the gaps left
by graduation. Coming from last
year's tough (12-2) freshman team
will be Tom Owens (6-10), and
John Ribock (6-8) in the front
court, and John Roche (6-2) and
Billy Walsh (6-0) in the back court.

Owens popped the ball in at the
rate of 24 points per game for the
Baby Gamecocks as a forward,
while Roche led the guards with a
21.5 average. As freshmen, Ribock
and Walsh averaged 16.7 and 16.4
points per game, respectively.

This nucleus of sophomores will
be led by junior Bobby Cremins,
who started last season, and, at 6-2,
can be used at either forward or
guard. He carries a 9.1 scoring
average from last season.

The Gamecocks enter University
Hall with an unblemished 3-0 mark.
Kicking off the season at home in
their new 12,000 seat coliseum,
USC took Auburn, and then
followed up this victory with a
68-63 win over highly regarded
Wake Forest. In their last outing
just over a week ago, the
Gamecocks whipped the Maryland
Terps.

If the Cavaliers can dominate
the boards in the same manner as
they did against Duke, they will be
nullifying South Carolina's greatest
strength. The Gamecocks depend
heavily on the two big men, Owens
and Ribock; if they can be stopped
(or fouled out), the advantage will
will be decidedly Virginia's. Of
course, forwards Mike Wilkes, John
Gidding, and Buddy Reams will be
at a height disadvantage, but this is
no new experience.

And speaking of new
experiences, if Tony Kinn is hitting
again, the 'Cocks could be in for
something else.

Photo By Bob Gill

Cavalier Forward Mike Wilkes Goes Up On Drive Shot

Virginia Faces Tough Gamecocks Saturday Night In U. Hall