11r T w w w w w w w T ,W-- T T T T Page 4-Wednesday, January 12, 1983-The Michigan Daily The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, Jc KERRSE WORDS BY JOHN KERR 1983 Big Ten Conference Basketball Schedule 1983 Big Ten play will bring surprises S0 YOU THINK the 1982 college football season was a wacky one? Well, it's doubtful that college basketball can match the ending of the Stanford- California football game (where California returned a kickoff in the last seconds for a touchdown and the Golden Bear runner went the last 20 yards through the Stanford band), but the 1983 Big Ten basketball season is sure to have its moments. Fortunately, I have taken a foggy glance into the future and am here to give you a brief rundown of the events that may or may not occur during the 1983 Big Ten basketball season. I've even rated them on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a sure bet to happen. "*Indiana coach Bobby Knight will announce his retirement midway through the conference season and will subsequently take over for John Davidson as one of the hosts of "That's Incredible," (2). " Eric Turner will lead the conference in scoring and assists and be named the Big Ten's MVP. (4). " Big Ten official Jim Bain, who made a controver- sial call that cost Iowa the Big Ten title last year, will be assigned to work a Hawkeye home contest (1). " Jim Bain will be upset about not being able to spend time in Iowa City (2). Spartans love that stadium " Tim McCormick will come back to be a good Big Ten post man (6). " Northwestern coach Rich Falk will wonder why his team is mired in the bottom of the Big Ten after it played such a tough non-conference schedule (8). " Michigan State's Jenison Field House will be torn down and a new Arena, Earvin Place, will be built. This, coupled with the Spartan football stadium which the MSU basketball press guide calls "America's premier facility in college football," (no kidding!) will give the Spartans upstate Michigan's finest athletic facilities (5). " First-year Wisconsin coach Steve Yoder will won- der why he ever left Ball State for Madison (7). " Jud Heathcote will begin doing commercials for a hair transplant firm saying "it worked for me." (3). " Detroit Southwestern star Antoine Joubert will decide to come to Michigan next season. Michigan basketball season tickets sales will reach a new high next year and the Wolverines will be picked to finish at the top of the conference in 1984 (6). Does Granny look old? " Michigan freshman Rellford will tear the rim off with one of his powerful slam dunks this season (5). " Iowa coach Lute Olsen will continue to look like he just stepped out of a "Gentlemen's Quarterly" photo lay-out (10). . Ohio State coach Eldon Miller will become a fan favorite in Columbus after years of being 'unpopular (3). " The Michigan-Indiana game at Crisler Arena on February 24 will feature the most exciting finish of the year. With two seconds left, and trailing by two points the Wolverines will take the ball out under the Hoosier basket. Rellford will get the ball into Turner who will wheel around and heave an 80-foot shot towards the bucket. The ball will slam off the backboard, into the hoop for a three-point play and Michigan will win by one point. (2). . Ohio State center Granville Waiters will be asked for ID when he tries to go to a bar during the season (1). " The Big Ten will send seven teams to post-season tournaments (8). " Michigan will be one of them (9). " Bill Frieder's towel will finally get even with the 'M' coach for years of abuse. During a particularly close game when Frieder is swinging the cloth all around, it will throw itself into his face, temporarily blinding him and causing the coach to fall over his chair and onto the court. Fans will consider it an ac- c~i4 nt: - .--- JANUARY 5 **Michigan State at Iowa JANUARY 6 MICHIGAN at Northwestern Illinois at Minnesota Purdue at Wisconsin JANUARY 8 **Indiana at Ohio State MICHIGAN at Iowa Michigan State at Northwestern Purdue at Minnesota Illinois at Wisconsin JANUARY 12 **Minnesota at MICHIGAN JANUARY 12 Wisconsin at Michigan State Ohio State at Purdue Indiana at Illinois Iowa at Northwestern JANUARY 15 **'wisconsin at MICHIGAN Minnesota at Michigan State Indiana at Purdue Ohio State at Illinois JANUARY 19 **Illinois at Purdue JANUARY 20 Michigan State at Indiana MICHIGAN at Ohio State Iowa at Minnesota Northwestern at Wisconsin JANUARY 22 MICHIGAN at Indiana Michigan State at Ohio State *Iowa at Wsiconsin **Northwestern at Minnesota JANUARY 26 **Indiana at Northwestern JANUARY 27 Ohio State at Iowa Purdue at MICHIGAN Illinois at Michigan State JANUARY 29 *Indiana at Iowa Ohio State at Northwestern *Illinois at MICHIGAN **Purdue at Michigan State Minnesota at Wisconsin FEBRUARY 2 **Minnesota at Ohio State FEBRUARY 2 **Minnesota at Ohio State FEBRUARY 3 Wisconsin at Indiana Iowa at Illinois Northwestern at Purdue FEBRUARY 5 Wisconsin at Ohio State *Minnesota at Indiana **Iowa at Purdue Northwestern at Illinois . Michigan State at MICHIGAN FEBRUARY 9 **Ohio State at Wisconsin FEBRUARY 10 Purdue at Iowa Illinois at Northwestern Indiana at Minnesota FEBRUARY 12 **Illinois at Iowa MICHIGAN at Michigan State *Purdue at Northwestern Indiana at Wisconsin Ohio State at Minnesota FEBRUARY 16 **Iowa at Indiana FEBRUARY 17 Northwestern at Ohio State Michigan State at Purdue MICHIGAN at Illinois FEBRUARY 19 Northwestern at Indiana Iowa at Ohio State **Wisconsin at Minnesota MICHIGAN at Purdue *Michigan State at Illinois FEBRUARY 23 **Purdue at Illinois FEBRUARY 24 Wisconsin at Iowa Minnesota Minnesota at Northwestern Indiana at MICHIGAN Ohio State at Michigan State FEBRUARY 26 *Wisconsin at Northwestern **Ohio State at MICHIGAN Indiana at Michigan State FEBRUARY 27 *Minnesota at Iowa MARCH 2 **Michigan at Wsiconsin MARCH 3 Purdue at Indiana Illinois at Ohio State Michigan State at Minnesota Northwestern at Iowa MARCH 5 **Illinois at Indiana *Purdue at Ohio State *MICHIGAN at Minnesota Michigan State at Wisconsin MARCH 9 **Northwestern at Michigan State MARCH 10 Iowa at MICHIGAN Minnesota at Purdue Wisconsin at Illinois MARCH 12 Northwestern at MICHIGAN Iowa at Michigan State Ohio State at Indiana Wisconsin at Purdue MARCH 13 Minnesota at Illinois **METROSPORTS TV Game *Big Ten-TVS "Game-of-the-Week" Will Ralph Sampson and his Virginia Cavalier teammates be celebrating in Albuquerque? By JESSE BARKIN I believe the big man will take his team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship this March in Albuquerque. I am referring, of course, to 7-4 Ralph Sampson of Virginia. The, Cavaliers' sensational senior did not pass up more than $1 million (in the National Basket- ball Association) this year because he wants his team to lose the NCAA tour- nament. Sampson wants it all. TALENT AND experience are crucial to a team's chances of reaching tournament success, but- more impor- tant is coaching. It is the experience and motivational success of the coach that often lifts a team beyond the boun- daries of its actual physical capabilities. Also, it is the superior coach who can recruit the better players, who will be able to perform well at the end of the season. Indiana's Bobby Knight and North in coaching intensity and his running Rebels have never been in as good a chance to run all the way to the finals as they are now. With Sidney Green and. Eldridge Hudson up front and Larry Anderson at one guard, Vegas is strong and quick. The player that might just put them over the top, though, is playmaker and coach's son Danny Tarkanian. Tarkanian is the only Rebel who likes to pass more than shoot, and that is essential for a team that can Fields is as nation. The k is the play o Stuart Gray. did against then UCLA Iowa has a and with M1 Stokes in the time, the Hav middle. Alabama, u son, has two Ralph: Tower of ,strength in i BUT SO does every other division one Carolina's Dean Smith lead a select list school. Realistically, only 15 or 20 of coaches whose mere presence almost teams have a shot at winning the tour- assures his tean an NCAA bid. For this nament, and that select group can be reason I have to include North Carolina found with nothing more than a cursory among my top 10 because although they look at the AP or UPI top twenties are not as blessed talent-wise as some throughout the season. other schools (Sam Perkins and But even that changes fairly Michael Jordan are superb though), the regularly, the rankings at any one time experience and skill Smith brings the are only as accurate as to who won which games the week before the polls Tar Heels is unmeasurable. come out. Case in point: Indiana was Another coach that has an excellent ranked no higher than ninth as the chance of leading his team to season began, but presently, because Albuquerque is Lou Carnessecca of St. many of the teams rated ahead of them Johns. Carnessecca has led his Redmen have lost since then, the Hoosiers to 22 consecutive post season tour- currently occupy the top spot. naments, and this year led by David Picking the teams that will make the Russell, the team has the talent to go all final four, though, is even harder than the way. rating them. In any given year, one or COACH JERRY Tarkanian of the two of the top rated teams make University of Nevada, Las Vegas the semifinals, and the other spots are (UNLV) is right with Indiana's Knight taken by "surprises." Last year the favorites were Georgetown and North Carolina; the surprises were Houston and Louisville. THEREFORE, IF anyone were to tell me he knows which team will make the trek to New Mexico, my reply would be on the lines of, "oh, really?" 7%1 N .4ulvRS1Y But predictions are made, and they No-86915 ( are fun to make, especially if "your" team lives'up to your expectations; and with this reasoning in mind (and not claiming to be any hardwood wizard), I offer the following teams as the top ten ao Mc in the nation, that is, the teams with the best chance of reaching basketball's Addres most exciting event-the NCAA final four. 54Q Alabama ... Indiana.. . Iowa . Kentucky . . . Louisville . . . North Carolina . . . St. Johns'. . . UCLA ..- UNLV ...yirginia. score like them. On sheer talent, Louisville and Ken- tucky may be the best in the country. With Scooter and Rodney McCray and freshman Billy Thompson, the Car- dinals own the most imposing front line in basketball. And coach Denny Crum has a knack of getting his team to the final four. Kentucky is just . . . Deep. With possible All-Americans Dirk Min- nefield, Derrick Hord and Jim Master, the Wildcats have a superb athlete at every position. And with Kentucky's experience and tradition, post-season success is likely. IOWA AND UCLA are included for their all-around depth, talent and ex- perience. Bruins Darren Daye and Rod Foster both started on the 1979 NCAA runner-up team and forward Kenny the nation- Lee Hurt-a: future. FINALLY Virginia is r without Sam the team to seventh ... pair of ove Ricky Stokes sub-par fron matter. Sam his press cli any game. T a bad game r three years c stands to r learned this, have a bad g, back and sa million dolla SU \,AN DE wEGE t4o.87296 Ann prbOr ? btO B~asketball SeasO0 _t 9___ -GOe Dan Pelekoudas holds off a Cleveland State defender