'Magic to do'
Cagers need tricks to spoil Spartans
By CUB SCHWARTZ
The drive west on I-96 is a boring one. The flat
land, sleepy little towns and tacky billboards hyp-
notize you behind the wheel. But soon enough the
Michigan State exit arrives and as the road curves
around the campus lights greet you, the aura of
'moo u' - a party school, warms you and you gen-
erally feel right at home.
So you turn down Harrison Road heading to-
wards Grand River and there it is; MAJIK MAR-
KET. Just a coincidence, right? I mean who would
rename their store after an 18-year-old basketball
player. A quick trip into another party store and the
remnants of last year's Christmas supplies lay near
the door. "Have yourself a MAGIC little Christ-
mas," a card greets. It is one of the few that re-
mains in East Lansing.
Back in your car, you await the light to change.
The rusted out Ford in front of you bears the bum-
per sticker SPARTAN BASKETBALL * IT'S
MAGIC! The Mercedes next to it is similarly ador-
ned.
The town has gone crazy. It's hula hoops, streak-
ing and Star Wars all rolled into one.
And tonight the men from Michigan must con-
front this fanatacism, not to mention the Michigan
State basketball team itself.
Neither task will be easy.
"Going up there, I think they're one of the great-
est teams in the country this year," said Michigan
coach Johnny Orr. "I ranked them number two in
the country last week."
Indeed the Spartans have more talent than just
Earvin Johnson. At forward is 6-7 junior Greg
Kelser, certainly one of the finest in the Big Ten. He
leads.State in scoring with a 17.7 per game average,
while shooting a blistering 60 per cent from the
field.
Not only can Kelser score, he is also the leading
rebounder on a Spartan squad that is noted for its
strong board work. He has pulled the ball off the
boards at an average of 8.5 per contest.
Another big man is freshman Jay Vincent,
schoolboy friend of Johnson. Vincent is the un-
expected bonus for Coach Jud Heathcote this sea-
son. While a bonafide All Stater in his own regard,
Vincent played under the cross town shadow of
Johnson which kept him under wraps.
Feared to be to slow for college basketball, Vin-
cent has' poured in 15 points per game, shot an
amazing 63 per cent from the field and pulled down
a handful of rebounds each contest from his center
position.
And if that isn't enough, senior Bob Chapman
has equaled Vincent's point production from his
guard position. Chapman is the floor leader of the
Big Ten Stand
Spartans as the only senior on the floor. And in that
regard Chapman has proven invaluable to the club.
The pre-season critics cited the inexperience of
State's starting five and questioned their ability to
stay poised in those close contests. But with Chap-
man's help the Spartans have not only kept their
composure in the close games, they have riled the
opposition.
State has pulled out big games in the late going,
including a four-point victory over Minnesota and a
nine-point blow out of Purdue in the final minute
and a half.
Across from Chapman plays Terry Donnelly, a 6-,
2 sophomore. Donnelly's stats don't compare with
those of the other starters but he is a solid player
logging more playing time than either Kelser or
Vincent.
And while he doesn't shoot often, he cashes in on
the ones he takes. Donnelly's shooting percentage is
better than all but Joel Thompson of the Wolverines
starting five.
But Donnelly hasn't caused the excitement at
Jenison Fieldhouse and across the state. And Vin-
cent, Kelser and Chapman don't fill the bill either.
The miracles, the emotions, the madness, the -
magic of Spartan basketball this year centers about
frosh sensation Earvin Johnson.
"He's the key, the guy that does it for them,"
says Orr. "We said last year that he was the great-
est basketball player in America and he is certainly
proving that."
Certainly.
15.8 points per game, eight rebounds in each
outing, 81 per cent from the free throw line, after
only half the season he has eclipsed the Michigan
State season record for assists - with 13 games
remaining.
He brings the ball up the floor against the press.
He shoots over the zone, drives on the man-to-man
defense, rebounds, runs and passes. Boy can he
pass!
"Johnson is one of the greatest passers I've ever
seen," Orr noted, "Ernie DiGregorio, Bob Cousy ...
when he finishes that's who they'll compare him
with."
The talent flows and it's a wonder that some
people picked the Spartans to finish as low as seven-
th in the Big Ten.
"They are a very good team," admitted Orr.
"They have three guys that could probably make
the All Big Ten team. Why, I've only had four All
Big Ten players in my ten years at Michigan."
"This will be the first time in ten years where
one of my teams has played Michigan State and
we've been the underdog."
At seventh in the Associated Press poll and fifth
in the UPI, the Spartan's surely pose a problem for
the up and down Wolverines.
In fact, Orr and Assistant Coach Bill Frieder
have yet to decide how the Wolverines will check up
man for man against the talented Spartans. One
guess was Staton against Johnson, Kelser on Vin-
cent, Hardy checking Kelser, Baxter versus Chap-
man and McGee across from Donnelly.,
But Orr is noted for his craftiness in the big
games, so only time will tell what the thatch-up will
be.
Michigan State on the other hand, will stick
mostly to the zone, using a man-to-man on occasion.
Early in the season Heathcote questioned the ability
of his team to play a man-to-man defense. And it's
tough to say whether things have changed much.
"We don't have much confidence in either (the
zone or man-to-man) at all," Heathcote said.
Nevertheless, Michigan State has held its opponents
to only 59.9 points per game.
But Heathcote's modesty makes you wonder, if
he ever reads the paper or looks at the stats.
"We're not the number two team in the nation,
he said in reference to Orr's vote. "I don't know if
we are even in the top ten. I guess we're a legitimate
top twenty team, but I wouldn't know where.
"It just all depends on who you beat and who you
lose to," he added. But the Spartans have only lost
one Big Ten contest, that one at the hands of Indiana
at Bloomington. Like a host of other Big Ten teams,
the Spartans were holed up in hotels for six days
prior to their snow delayed game with the Hoosiers.
Prior to that, only Syracuse has stopped the
State Machine.
But rivalries have been known to turn favorites
into failures. And a rivalry is definitely present.
"Of course it's a great game anytime two teams
from the same state get together," says Heathcote,
"but with as much at stake for the kids, the fans and
the community - I just look for a great perform-
ance.
"It has all the elements of a super sports event."
Orr couldn't agree more.
"Its the type of game that you like to play, like to
coach and like to be associated with," the Michigan
mentor said.
"When two schools are only 60 miles up the road
from each other there has to be a tremendous
rivalry. I think that is what makes the ACC (Atlan-
tic Coast Conference) so great - they're so close
together, they get so much publicity."
So the players are enthused, the coaches are up
and the media is hyped. The makings for a great
game are evident.
"I think our players will respond well. We'll have
a terrific performance - whether it's good enough
or not I don't know."
I' 3rd,'
The Michigan Daily-Thursday, February 2, 1978-Page 1
TONIGHT'S long-awaited
' game between the first place
1~. Michigan State Spartans (7-1)
and the third place Michigan
Wolverines (tied with Minne-
sota at 5-3) will be the sports
event of the season. The game
will be televised on Channels 2
and 6 (on cable). If you cannot
be there in person, or see the
spectacle on the screen, you
will still get to hear all the ac-
tion on radio stations WJR in,
Detroit, WUOM-FM and
WAAM in Ann Arbor and
WLEN in Adrian. Game time
will be 8:00 p.m.
EARVIN JOHNSON, (left)
will head the star studded
Spartan cast against the Wol-
verines. The last time Michi-
gan State defeated Michigan
was January 11, 1975 by a
score of 86-78. MSU will be out
to stop a two-game losing
streak at home against the
Wolverines and a five-game
streak over the past three sea-
sons.
)
Ja.'
U
last Call for Gow~l eagues
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UNION LANES
Mon., Wed., Thurs. Nights
STARTS 6:30 P.M.
Union Lanes Open 10 a.m. Mon.-Sat., 1 p.m. Sun.
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W
Michigan State ................ 7
Purdue ...................... 6
MICHIGAN ..................... 5
Minnesota ....................... 5
Illinois ............... ........ 4
OhioState... .............. 4
Indiana .......................... 3
Conference
L Pct.
1 .875
2 .750
3 .625
3 .625
4 .500
4 .500
5 .375
W
15
11
10
9
10
11
11
All Games
L Pct.
2 .882
6 .647
6 .625
7 .563
7 .588
6 .647
6 .647
free Pocket Biliard Exhibition
Today, Feb. 2 at 4 and 8 p.m.
In Person JIM REMPY
Winner of 28 tournaments
in the UNION BALL ROOM
Iowa ........................ 3 5 .375 10 6 .625
Northwestern.............. .2 6 .250 .6 11 .353
Wisconsin........................ 1 7 .125 5 11 .313
Tonight's Games
MICHIGAN at Michigan State - Indiana at Northwestern - Wisconsin at Illinois
Iowa at Minnesota - Ohio State at Purdue
I m-
Dutch Auction
urday, Feb.4
ssembly Hall
9 to 5
Tuesday, Jan.31 thru Sat
Mich Union Basement Ac
RESCHEDULED
The 1978 Michiganensian
(U-M's yearbook)
is looking for students interested in working on the
business staff. Positions are open in marketing,
sales, and general business.
No experience necessary,
we will train you.
Mass Meeting
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