Page 8-Wednesday, January 10, 1979-The Michigan Daily
UNDEFEATED RECORD ON LINE:

0 0
Surprising
By DAVE RENBARGER yesterday for prof
Are the Illini'for real? th time. "I'd say
Make that the undefeated Illini, who team, but not a gr
happen to be off to their best start in 64 to play six or s
years, rank as high as third in the games for us to get
nation, and own the longest winning Tomorrow night
streak in college basketball. an opportunity to
Are those Illini for real? Big Ten an idea of
LAID-BACK Lou Henson, the relaxed wipter when they
Illinois coach, isn't about to pass any ranked Michigan
judgement. After all, his team hasn't Assembly Hall.
really done anything except win 14 It can't be co
straight games, and that certainly isn't game, not this e
anything to get all lathered up about. Nonetheless, it iss
No sir, like any good coach, Lou plays teresting match-u
'em one at a time. And with 17 games slipping into the Bi
still to play, he isn't about to start coun- CONSIDER:
ting any premature chickens. * The Spartans,
"It's still too early to say anything for the conference las
sure about our team," recited Henson jump out to a 7-0

Illini

bably the one million-
y that we're a good
eat team. We'll have
even or eight more
t any idea."
t Henson's Illini have
give the rest of the
f their intentions this
tip off against top-
n State in sold-out
nsidered a "must"
early in the season.
still an incredibly in-
up, with the victors
ig Ten driver's seat.
the surprise team in
st year, were able to
league mark a year

ago,
This
eage
step
boos
that
sity
a pa
supe
Kels
betw
.z
weap
Dere
Knig
dian
long
med
turn
tomo
out

challenge MSU
and they never had to look back. season last year. Defensive specialist
year's Illini, a very young team Holcomb has led the Renaissance,
r to follow MSU's Cinderella foot- already blocking 58 shots. Last year the
s this year, could get the extra entire Illini team managed only 65
t they need with such a big win. blocks.
Michigan State has a veteran team "Obviously, Derek's been doing a
seems to thrive under the adver- super job for us inside, but the entire
of playing on the road. Last year in team is much improved over last
ir of lopsided victories over Illinois, year," said Henson.
rstars. Earvin Johnson and Greg MARK SMITH and Eddie Johnson,
er both ran wild, totalling 84 points both sophomores, pace the Illini scoring
veen them. attack. Smith is a 6-7 guard averaging
The Illini can this year counter with 15.4 ppg, while Johnson goes 6-8, plays
pons of their own - such as 6-11 forward and averages 14.6 ppg.
k Holcomb. A refugee from Bobby 6-6 Neil Bresnahan and 6-2 Rob Jud-
ght's concentration camp at In- son complete Henson's towering star-
a, Holcomb has liberated Illinois' ting lineup. A fierce rebounder,
-suffering fans from the grips of Breshanan leads his taller teammates
iocrity. The fans are expected to in rebounding, while Judson fills the
out in record numbers for quarterback role.
orrow's game, an announced sell- In addition to the team's lofty
weeks ago. Nearly 17,000 partisan national ranking, Illinois boasts

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fans will work their way into the 16,128
capacity arena for the Illini's second
sellout in the past seven years.
THE LAST FULL house was back in
January of 1976, Henson's first year,
and Illinois lost to Indiana, 83-55.
Illinois has placed seventh in the Big
Ten all three years under Henson,
never winning more than 14 games in
any season.
Illinois' phenomenal start -
unequalled since a 16-0 debut back in
1914 - comes on the heels of a 13-14

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Tuesday, Jan. 16:
East Quad, Greene Lounge, 7-8 PM
Markley, Angela Davis Lounge, 7-8 PM
Wednesday, Jan. 17:
South Quad, West Lounge, 7-8 PM
Bursley, East Lounge, 7-8 PM

Lou Henson

holding their opponents to the lowest
field goal percentage in the country.
Thus far, Illini foes have hit on a paltry
37.4 per cent of their shots.
PERHAPS THE most amazing
aspect of Illinois' start - that includes
victories over nationally-ranked
Syracuse and Texas A&M - is the fact
that 10 of their 14 wins have come on the
road. The team hasn't played at home
since December 9, making tomorrow's
game a homecoming of sorts.
But can the Illini knock off MSU?
Henson won't say.
"They're a great team and they cer-
tainly deserve their number one
ranking," he said of the Spartans.
"We're just going to play them like we
play anyone else."
If the Illini can do that, and if the
result matches their others, there can
be no denying that they are indeed for
real.

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You're pro)(d)/ iwondering how I got where I am today

SPOR TS OF THE DAILY:

49ers name coach

SAN FRANCISCO-Bill Walsh was
named head coach of the San Francisco
49ers yesterday, becoming the fifth
man, hold the job since owner Eddie
DeBar. lo Jr. bought the team 22 mon-
ths ago.
"IN HIS TWO outstanding years at
Stanford, plus a highly successful tour
of duty in the National Football League
as an assistant for 10 years, Bill Walsh
has proven that he is ready to be a head
coach in the NFL," DeBartolo said, in
naming Walsh both head coach and
director of football operations. -AP
Stanford tabs assistant
SAN FRANCISCO-Stanford Uni-
versity yesterday named Rod
Dowhower, an assistant coach for two
U of M
To Kwon Do Club
DEMONSMAON
Wed., Jan. 10 -7 PM
CCRB Martial Arts Room
ALL WELCOME
for info call:
Joe: 665-8543
Joann: 663-5913

years, to be the school's new head foot-
ball coach.
DOWNHOWER, 35, was former
coach Bill Walsh's chief assistant,
coaching quarterbacks and receivers.
His appointment was announced by
Athletic Director Andy Geiger.
"I'm very proud to be the head coach
at Stanford," he said, "because of the
type of young men we are able to
recruit and the excellence of the
university. I consider this the finest op-
portunity in my profession." --AP
Rebels
NEW YORK - Some of the world's
top tennis players are rebelling against
new regulations for participation in the
men's Grand Prix tennis circuit and
their stand could endanger the tour's
existence.
THE REBELS include Americans
Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe,
Bjorn Borg of Sweden, Guillermo Vilas
of Argentina, and Adriano Panatta of
Italy.
These players are opposed to a Grand
Prix rule that requires them to sign a
contract that they will compete in six ;
"designated" tournaments.
Failure to sign could bar them from
competing in any of the men's 93 Grand
Prix tournaments, worth total prize
money of 12 million dollars, in 1979.
-Reuter

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