• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-01-21_Vol53_No16_07

Sports The Western Carolinian page 7 Thursday. January 21, 1988 Chris Geis Cats' Hand Forced in Conference Race Is Western Bluffing? For Davidson and the Southern Conference, It May Be Too Late. Davidson The suburban sprawl that is engulfing the Charlotte area and crawling up the interstate freeways Into once peaceful communities has yet to creep far enough north of the central city and into this small college town in northern Mecklenburg County. While the plastic coverings of the New South can be seen in the ever-growing steel-and- glass skyline of downtown Charlotte, 20 miles to the south, and on the shores of nearby Lake Norman in condomimiums that are the emblem of a new, emerging metropolis, Davidson, has, for the most part, remained free of such cursory growth. White American colonial style homes line a quiet Main Street here, and big oak trees stand proudly and make the town even more beautiful three of four seasons a year. There is a traditional Jef- fersonian flavor to the town, and no wonder: The town is wrapped around the campus of Davidson College, which Jefferson himself would have been proud to see thriving in this time of quick-fix and desultory higher education. And like the town of Davidson itself, Davidson College remains Impervious to the upheaving of tradition around it. The students of this liberal arts college of 1,400 still study and live by the honor system, taking unproctored examsand walking In and out of the library without book-detecting devices that assume the worst In people. The students here still are asked to think and to study the philosophies, the histories, the literatures and such. Admissions standards remain high — the average college board score of an incoming freshman is 1,230 — despite the growing popularity of the school. Old buildings and trees are not Just carelessly disposed of to make room for new parking lots or athletic complexes, although a new and long overdue basketball arena thatwill sit6,500will open on campus in less than two years. These are heady times for Davidson. The school has produced two of the last three governors in North Carolina and five current Congressmen. (Seeing Governor Jim Martin cheer for the Wildcats at the Southern Conference basketball tournament each year in Ashevilie is always a sight.) The college continues to produce an inordinate amount of the region's attorneys and doctors. And yet the school's athletic program is also enjoying success. The basketball team has won 20 games each of the last two years and in 1986 won the Southern Con- femce tournament championship and played in an NCAA tournament game at the Charlotte Coliseum. The baseball team has won 20 games for three straight seasons, and the tennis and soccer teams are doing well, too. In fact, the only blot on the school's athletic ledger is the football team. It is, however, a big blot: Davidson has won just one football game in three years and only five in the last five years, The reason for this lack of success In football Is simple. The school prefers not to give athletic scholarships to the 50 or 60 players needed to be competitive, and the school feels that since it is not competitive with larger, state-supported schools like Appalachian State, it should not play in the Southern Conference. Because of this adamant stance by the college's board of trustees, the football program is a laughingstock. It Is also the reason that, come June, Davidson will leave the Southern Conference after 52 years. It Is a divorce that Davidson does not want, but It Is one that, the school believes, must come before the school is forced to compromise its academic ideals. The board of trustees believes that giving scholarships to a football team would put too many of Its students — about 10 percent of an 830-member male student body — on athletic scholarship, and that is something itwilljustnothave. (Basketball players do receive athletic scholarships.) On the other hand, Davidson's refusal to play for the conference football championship since 1974 is something the Southern Conference will not have, either, and it has asked Davidson to abide by the rules and play football, or leave. Davidson has chosen to leave. Unfortunately, it has done so at a time when Its basketball team is at its greatest heights since It had one of the finest programs In the country during the 1960's, and at a time when its athletic program is probably in the best overall shape it has been since the early part of the century, when a feat like the football team beating the University of North Carolina was possible (the Wildcats beat the Tar Heels, 6-0, in 1906). Once the Wildcats leave the Southern Conference, not only will their "minor-sport" athletic teams not have a place to compete for championships, but their basketball program — the school's "showcase sport," according to athletic director Kit Morris — will be set loose in a black hole called independent status, a move one longtime Davidson observer calls "committing suicide." Becoming an indpendent in major college basketball is just that — suicide — in today's college By CHRIS GEIS SPORTS EDITOR The upcoming basketball weekend for the Western Carolina Catamounts may be the most crucial three days the team will face this year. The Catamounts may begin to make a dent In the Southern Conference race, or they may fall completely out of it. By Monday night, it should be known which course this year's club is going to take. Western, which was 5-7 heading into Wednesday night's nonconference game with Greensboro College, hosts East Tennessee State on Saturday night in Ramsey and then takes on Appalachian State on Monday night at the arena. After a 76-73 loss here last Saturday night to Furman and an 86-67 drubbing at Davidson on Monday night, the Catamounts head into this important three-day stretch with an 0-2 Southern Conference record but a good chance of getting back Into the league race quickly. That's because it's shaping up as a race that almost anybody now has a chance to win. Marshall, the overwhelming preseason favorite and winner of three of the last four conference championships, has fallen on difficult times. The Thundering Herd entered conference play last week with three losses in its last four games and then squeaked by Appalachian State, 88-80, last Saturday night in Boone In its first conference game and was upset Monday night at East Tennessee State, 84-74. The other league favorite,Tenneesee-Chat- tanooga, was sporting the best overall record in the league (11 -3) last week before being heading on the road and being whipped by Davidson, 81-65, on Saturday and by Furman, 77-62, on Monday night. As if that's not enough to send the league into a free-for-all, Furman, which was looking like it might give Chattanooga and Marshall a run for its money, was knocked off by East Tennessee, 70-67, early last week in Greenville, S.C. With Marshall handed a loss it didn't expect to have and Chattanooga having two losses, it means the Southern Conference race is up for grabs. Davidson is In first place with a 4-0 record, followed by Furman at 4-1 and East Tennessee at 3-1. East Tennessee (6-6 overall) will be the first of the Catamounts' weekend home opponents, with a 7 o'clock tip-off set for Saturday night so the game can be televised on the Southern Conference Sports Network. The Bucs are starting four freshmen and are playing as well as they have since January 1986. One —mo! canter Andre Gaul! neipea the Catamount! break a three-game losing streak to UNC-Aiheville last week when the Cats beat the Bulldogs, 74-69. Gautt, shown here scoring over Brent Keck, hit two free throws with tour seconds left to seal the victory. of those freshmen, Greg Dennis, a 6-foot-l 0 center, is in the top 10 in most of the league's statistical categories and is averaging about 17 points per game. Another, point guard Keith Jennings, leads the league in assists. Appalachian State will follow on Monday night with a 7:30 start. The Mountaineers (1-3 conference and 8-7 overall) beat Virginia Military on Monday night. The Mountaineers are led by point guard Kemp Phillips (12.2 ppg) and center Sam Gibson (11.4). Western split both games with the Bucs and Mountaineers last year. It looked as if the Catamounts might get off to a great conference start Saturday night against Furman. The Catamounts overcame as much as a nine- point deficit in the first half and took a 69-62 lead with four minutes and nine seconds left in the game on a three-point field aoal from Catamounts Trounce Greensboro College Western Carolina got a nice tune-up last night for Its Southern Conference schedule by whipping Greensboro College, an NCAA Division III school, by 81-58 In a nonconference game at the Ramsey Center. Forward Bennie Goet- tle bounced back from a poor performance against Davidson to lead the Catamounts with 21 points. Five other Catamounts placed in double figures. Andre Gault and Robert Hutchison had 13 points each, and Robert Hill and Mitch Madden had 12 each. Western never trailed, leading by as much as 36 points in the second half. The Catamounts had a 48-23 halftime lead. Western will play East Tennessee State on Saturday night with a 7 o'clock start at Ramsey, the first of 14 consecutive Southern Conference games before the conference tournament in early March. "It's our fifth game in nine days, and we could have come out and struggled, but we didn't," said Catamount head coach Herb Krusen. "We're going to rest up tommorow and have the day off, then come back Friday and get ready for East Tennessee. I hope we're in good shape. I can see this team getting better and better." —Chris Geis Robert Hutchison. Hutchison hit eight of 10 from the floor. Including three of four three-pointers, and led the team with 22 points. Furman (9-3) then reeled off six straight points to make it 69-68 with three minutes left. Catamount forward Andre Gault made four of see BLUFFING? next page Gilchrist Named Assistant Coach Former ECU Standout Hired Away From Hawks III!1!;!!!:. From start Reports W^8tefjn:!Ca«Silirx5 i*"'f<rf d r<=w assiSlaht-facuke-tt < i > r*.>ach Dec, 15 *q W the W<»ncy left when1&nm assistant Hi-.rt>Kru$en become head coachm t-Jo-vembet. JpfjrhtS'W ftssisram n frterb-£ifchrt>* a torn-* t-aJ GtifQ^a pfcryef !=1111 Mi=f H f H111! f islfKtIffir |" ^tii 1 ©ferJ! H^i3li?^^JiH*:i]4if^»: :^&; tK^flcil IJ kjIsiti^feTH f^tlii! i 11 iHij f M! If *f?lpffli^i!Hii^ll ;P»tern Hornetf High ara pipy.Ki."Vthe fVC Unt-WmU^ sta^cST!©- ;|h I960, He ptoyed four years at EoSf Carolina arvj captained the !i588H8i4 ciuix Kruse** was.<#. a&Sjsih! <r\ the ia^ Carol m fstoff. Uprjig Gilchrist's sophomore year -:::. . •• -i: ; : -::-:' • :'";:j:j!jjjjj;jj y,:.i teiltchnist wm wswkihg" fes W» -mtiwm'-; frosketi&al! yBinirta, the Catamounts,.'- ' -: '■. ■■ V !■[ ■ : :-.:?::<--:;':": :: -::: :-.:*: :J j&njjpiirigdnd scouting and will bein charge of pur academic' advise-: otiitrtfonaln'j young man wHfi p lot of enthtfsiir&m o^d an * <?e§enf Jrc<&Mtt-.qi| aaclt- grotjndL-IV: -. ••':'.'. • •: = t^iili: ••iiji;!.;:!::;;^;;;::-!:.-• • ' =. :•••• • Roach AP all-America liSWSWr:;: Lady Cats Find Chemistry The Western Carolina women's basketball team has found high gear. After beating UNC-Asheville at the Ramsey Center last night, 72-61 In overtime, the Lady Cats are 7-6 and on a six-game winning streak, their longest winning streak since the 1982-83 season. Against UNC-Asheville the Lady Cats squandered an eight- point lead as Melanle Rhodarmer's layup with 12 seconds to go in regulation sent the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Lady Cats got clutch free throw shooting from Laura Vannoy, who hit all six of her attempts. Jeanne Marvel had 18 points and 18 rebounds for Western and Wanda Foster added 16 points. MechioKor- negay led the Lady Bulldogs (6-6) with 18. The Lady Cats also found high gear in the second half and raced past Furman's Lady Paladins, 83-69, late Saturday afternoon at the Ramsey Center in a Southern Conference game. The Lady Cats got a strong second-half performance from Kelly Parker, whose 17 points (15 of them in the second half) led Western. The Lady Cats' early 20-8 lead turned into a 40-36 halftime deficit as Western managed only 37 percent shooting from the floor. But Parker hit seven jumpers, most with a hand in her face, and Western shot 53 percent in the second half. Foul shooting was key; the Lady Cats made 24 free throws, and Furman made 12. Jeanne Marvel, the Lady Cats' all-conference candidate, had 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots against Furman. Laura Vannoy blazed, through the Lady Paladin press, and ad'ded 15 points. The Lady Paladins, who suffered 25 turnovers, were led by Suzanne McKinney, who threw in 16 see LADY CATS next page Placekicker Joined on all-Southern Conference Team by Two Other Catamounts From Staff Reports Three Western Carolina football players were named to the all-Southern Conference team and one of those players was named to The Associated Press' Division l-AA all-America squad announced in December. Guard Steve Hall, wide receiver Vincent Nowell and kicker Kirk Roach all placed on the first-team all- Southern Conference squad. It was the fourth straight year Roach was named to the a 11 -1 e a g u e team, a feat achieved by any Southern Conference player. Roach also nabbed an Impressive honor when he was named to the AP all-America team. It was the third time Roach had made the all-America team, makina him the first three-time all- America selection in the history of Division l-AA, the Southern Conference and Western Carolina. Roach also made the all-America squad in 1984 and 1986. Roach, from Doraville, Ga.. finished his career with 71 field goals, second best in NCAA Division l-AA history. He set league and school records for career field Nowell never before Roach goals (71), season field goals (24), career kick-scoring points (302), career scoring (302), season kick- scoring points (96) and consecutive kick conversions (52). He missed only one conversion kick in , 90 attempts — when he slipped on a wet field In the Cata mounts' victory over East Tennessee State on Oct. 11,1986. Roach Is I expected to picked In the National Football League draft in April and follow In the footsteps of former Western Carolina kicker Dean Biasuccl. Biasucci, of the Indianapolis Colts, was named to the NFL All-Pro team this year. Hall see GEIS next page Break Fast Breaks WCU Basketball Since our Last Issue Following is a summary of every Western Carolina basketball game played since the last issue of The Western Carolinian was published up through last Thursday, Jan. 14. For Information on on the Furman, Davidson and Greensboro College games, see above .Corn- oiled from staff reports. Tennessee 87, Western 69 KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 17 — Heading into a nonconference ' Kenny Brown game after a week-long exams break, the Catamounts were greeted with a headline In the local papers noting that they were ranked No. 220 in a computer poll of Division I basketball teams while Tennessee was ranked 13th. But with seven minutes left in the game, those rankings didn't mean much to the crowd of 10,216 The Volunteers were ahead by just five points, 63-58. Tennessee (3-0) regrouped down the stretch, however, and dominated the Catamounts (2-4) when Western went into a man-to-man defense with four minutes left In the game. Dyron Nix led the taller Volunteers with 19 points and -even rebounds. The game was played in the largest on-campus basketball arena in the country. "This Western Carolina team did a good job of keeping in the game," said see BREAK next page Names and Notes... P$q*i Jlo^ec^.iti^cStmerC'cfti-'rTrOt^l ptocekir ner". w-a$fc^$3 to the National Football league'sAH-Pra teamand will ptoy^ the Pro BowHnMr'rviar/in Honaluk;.. The-Catamounts' other NFL plovers - "Ager Greene of Green Boy, louisCooper of Xcjnsas City anaClyd* Simmons 0*FNI0de^a~ alidad go^ Jack ueggeJt was named! by his peers as an NCAA district: baslefeaif coach of the year for his 1987 percarmahce in ifsaefi^g; fhe iedmtpijfis; third straight conference title ocvrt a ranking Jn the final top 30.tfi$£i country, The- district includes the Atlantic Coos* Conference, Severe*©* :!e£tgett'$ former players of e In the professional rar#s. ,, Heodiloofcpii £0S^8tab'V¥o):e*pw^ 1 foOfondo, Fld-Watefswasfheffiost vcfctfble player of fhe1960garrie,: when it was known m im Trngmsm 8bvni «nd when loiters v«s &m starling quarterback tor Presbyterian, „ . Mike CoHrefl, the former Cullowhee High-ail sifateguatd^oa^ theCaforftawtf team rSemSCi, will transfer to ienos-Shyne:,, . The We$te*rYCarc*na athletic deport' n »nt is advertising nationally that the head coaching job is open once the season is over, interim head coach Herb Krusen win be allowed to «>p:v; ihe' fsn^aecjsion wii probably be that of aiNtetie d£es&rtawyr! Wanless. . . - Former CdramouhJ basketball guard Ftoyd Showers; r.ndffld last semester by fcrmercooch Steve Cotheit, wis transfer -to Youhgsn&wr s.atp. u D nVw-1 school ts h*s horne^awft-prYa^^sl^sWrt Ohio, iil; -CM$S»> /...-.- -:5I|I-I .-■-.-.:.;...;.;.;■•.-,

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1988-01-21
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-05
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-01-21_Vol53_No16
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library