They Didn't Wait For Lefty

Billy Bryant's case is a bit different. While he can score when he needs to, he is mostly a big guard in the classic mold of Robertson, Walt Frazier and Jerry West. He came to Maryland out of Archbishop Carroll High and got a lot more playing time than Tillman. He started 10 games as a freshman and 18 as a sophomore. Nevertheless, Bryant felt he wasn't getting enough light under Driesell. Early in his junior season Bryant didn't play so much as a second in a Maryland victory over North Carolina State. That did it. He quit and began looking for a place to finish his career.

Unfortunately for Bryant, he lost some eligibility by transferring after his junior season had begun. That's why he is a second-semester senior, even though he is a year younger than Tillman. Technically, Bryant could come back next season and play the first few games, but that would be pointless. Nevertheless, Western is glad to have him, if only for a semester. Since Bryant has been eligible, Western lost to Florida State, then won nine straight before the Eastern game.

"When I heard he was unhappy I called Dean Smith at North Carolina," says Western Coach Gene Keady. " Smith said, if you can get him for one game, do it.' That was enough for me. Billy has added a new dimension to our team. He's such a good passer and he takes care of the ball so well, that all our other kids are better players. I just wish I had had him for three years."

Bryant picked Western because of the relationship he had developed with Clem Haskins, now an assistant coach at Western, when Haskins was near the end of his pro career with the Washington Bullets. Asked how he felt about Western, Bryant said, "We're playing hard, and we're pulling together real well. That's what you need to get into the NCAA tournament—togetherness. I'd like to get into the NCAA now, my last semester. We never got there when I was playing at Maryland."

Tillman got there last season at Western's expense. With only seconds left in the championship game of the OVC tournament in Eastern's gym, Western appeared to have a one-point victory. However, the home crowd was so loud that the officials apparently couldn't hear the final buzzer. Eastern's Dave Tierney was fouled after time had expired, and the officials let him go to the line to make two free throws that gave Eastern the victory, the championship and a ticket to the NCAAs. Says Bryant, a veteran of the ACC wars, "I've never seen an incident happen like that on the major-college level." Eastern's joy was short-lived, however, because Tennessee clobbered it in the NCAA opening round.

If Western and Bryant are to get into the NCAAs this season they will have to beat Tillman and Eastern this Saturday night in a rematch on Western's campus. Considering how Tillman handled Bryant last week, it will be interesting to see how Eastern defends the Western star this week. And it also will be interesting to see if Tillman can fill the hoops at Bowling Green the way he did at Eastern's gym. Whatever happens, the OVC will be eternally grateful for its talented transfers. Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky don't share a lot, but, oh, what a friend they have in Lefty!