From The Nest To The Nationals

No matter how well WIDENER does, coach C. Alan Rowe always keeps the home fans happy. He has two starters, 6'5" sophomore Lou Stevens, the leading scorer, and senior guard Joe Barr, back from a team that lost to Potsdam State in the national semifinals last season. Even if the Pioneers fail to make the NCAA tournament this time around, though, Rowe is guaranteed a sweet season. He owns a Dairy Queen in nearby Springfield.

The team at LEMOYNEOWEN has won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title each of the last four years. It also has one of best nicknames in the country. The problem is, the Magicians have a tendency to go poof with foul trouble. They lost the championship game of the Southern Regional to Centre of Kentucky because of it. Says coach Jerry Johnson, "If we get our chemistry right and stay out of foul trouble, I think we might win it." Might he mean alchemy?

Wittenberg, which fell to North Park 73-71 in the national quarterfinals last year, will challenge if it finds a replacement for Division III Player of the Year Tim Casey.

At neighboring OTTERBEIN, the question is: Who will keep all of the Cards' 55% shooters happy? Junior Steve Brown, the sixth man a year ago, should be the main assistant. "We do have some strong lads who can play," says Otterbein coach Dick Reynolds. "But it's a matter of getting them to play together and finding enough basketballs. They're all shooters."

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