The Week (feb. 15-21)

EAST

After he watched Georgetown blitz his visiting Tigers 63-51 before a national television audience and in front of 4.628 frenzied fans in the McDonough Arena, Missouri Coach Norm Stewart dubbed the Hoyas "a Bill Russell-type team. They try to beat you with their strength." The Hoyas' most notable strength, of course, is 7-foot freshman Center Pat Ewing, who did an acceptable imitation of Russell against the Tigers. Ewing scored 13 points, took down 13 rebounds and won his personal duel with Missouri Center Steve Stipanovich.

Stipanovich, saddled with three first-half fouls, played just 20 minutes and got four points and five rebounds before fouling out with 10:41 left. Ewing eliminated Mizzou's inside game, and a sticky 2-3 zone and a full-court press provided Georgetown with a 49-31 lead with 11:35 left. Missouri managed just 40.8% from the floor and made 17 turnovers. "We're a good pressing team," said Thompson. "We expect our press to bother everybody."

One team it didn't faze was Boston College, which earlier upset the Hoyas 80-71, spoiling Ewing's homecoming to Newton, Mass. "We executed as well as we can execute," said BC Coach Tom Davis. "And John [Bagley] had his usual terrific game." Indeed, Bagley, who scored a game-high 25 points, personally manhandled the Hoya press. The victory dropped Georgetown a game behind Villanova in the Big East race. Playing before 27,066 fans in Syracuse, an NCAA record for an on-campus game, the Wildcats defeated the Orange 81-69.

Virginia needed an eight-foot jumper and a pair of free throws from Othell Wilson in the last 1:19 to beat Georgia Tech 56-52 in Atlanta, then escaped with a 45-40 home-court win over North Carolina State. For the second time in 10 days Ralph Sampson was given fits by the towering Wolfpack zone only to save the game in the last seconds. With Virginia clinging to a 41-40 lead, Sampson sank a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left and blocked a Dereck Whittenberg shot nine seconds later. Sampson had attempted only five field goals and made only two. Jeff Jones iced it for the Cavs with a pair of foul shots with eight seconds to go.

Second-place North Carolina dashed home-standing Clemson's hopes for an upset at the free-throw line, making 23 of 34 foul shots—15 of them in the last 3:08—in its 55-49 victory. Said Tiger Coach Bill Foster, whose team hit just 3 of 5 from the line: "I didn't realize we were so damn rough. They're the ones using the pressure defense and we're the ones who get the fouls." Earlier, Carolina avenged its Jan. 21 loss to Wake Forest by beating the Deacons 69-51 in Greensboro. James Worthy and Sam Perkins combined for 40 points and 23 rebounds and held the Deacons' 6'11" Jim Johnstone to four points, on 2-of-7 shooting from the floor. Wake Forest rebounded to defeat Maryland 48-42.

West Virginia tied a school record for regular-season victories (23) in defeating Stetson 68-60 and Eastern Eight opponent George Washington 52-37 in Morgantown.

MIDEAST

Both Iowa, the Big Ten leader, and Minnesota, its closest pursuer, were upset victims. The Hawkeyes took a tumble when lowly Michigan shocked them in Ann Arbor, 68-58. "I said before the season we're going to get somebody in here, and I meant it," said Michigan Coach Bill Frieder. whose prize freshman guard. Eric Turner, burned the Hawks for 28 points. Earlier, Iowa got clutch performances from guards Bobby Hansen, who came off the bench to score 23 points, and Kenny Arnold, who hit 13 of 15 foul shots, to beat Michigan State 59-53 in Iowa City. Hansen, who scored 17 of his points in the second half, was 11 for 11 from the line.

After Minnesota whipped Northwestern 76-66 in Evanston, the Gophers were upset by Illinois for the second time this season, 77-65, in Champaign, thanks to a blistering 32-point performance from sophomore Guard Craig Tucker. Tucker, 11 of 14 from the floor and 10 for 10 in foul shots, was so hot that not even his 6'4" cousin Trent, Minnesota's best defensive guard, could contain him. "We beat them twice," said Craig, "so he can't go home and say much."