What A Wiz Of A Win It Was

Syracuse Coach Roy Danforth could testify to that. The Orange rooting section is called "The Zoo" in appreciation of its discerning tastes, but not many fans escaped their cages to make the long trip west. As a result Syracuse was missing a major weapon in its attempt to become something more than the most unlikely team in the finals since 1967, when the legendary Glinder Torain led his Dayton Flyers to the tournament.

The Syracuse menagerie featured The Enormous E, Earnie Seibert, a center who weighs 240 pounds and looks as if he were recruited from a tavern; Bug Williams, who wore dark glasses at practice; and a certain Neanderthal verve that made it a wonder the Orangemen ever got out of their dressing room, much less the East regional. "We're the goof-offs," said Guard Jim (Rat Man) Lee.

Kentucky's Guyette, Grevey and Conner watched the Syracuse practice Friday afternoon and were bewildered.

"Nobody's this bad," said Guyette.

"Who's the clown in the shades?" said Grevey.

"Stevie Wonder," said Conner.

The next day Kentucky-Syracuse turned out to be Ali-Wepner, only with more fouls. Sixty-one personals were called, not including the rabbit punches.

While the Wildcats' yoke of oxen in the pivot, freshmen Rick Robey and Mike Phillips, worked over Seibert, the rest of the Kentucky defense held Orange star Rudy Hackett to three shots in the first half, and UK took a 44-32 lead.

Syracuse went more than four minutes without scoring to begin the second period and Kentucky's margin increased to 22 points. Though the Orangemen recovered to make it respectable, they took a fearsome pounding in the 95-79 defeat.

Another Kentucky freshman, Givens, who made up for Grevey's subpar performance by gathering 24 points and 11 rebounds, revealed his prime motivation. "I love all the excitement," he said. "I love the police escorts."