IVY

For two years in a row now, the prestige of Ivy League ball has been greatly enhanced by NCAA tournament performances. In 1957 Yale pushed to the limit the North Carolina team that went on to the national title, and last March DARTMOUTH decisively beat Connecticut and Manhattan to reach the Eastern finals. Practically all of last year's squad is back at Hanover, with two important additions. This may be the best team in Coach Doggie Julian's 22-year career—and he's had some mighty good ones. A starting five will be chosen from among Tom Aley, Chuck Kaufman, Rudy LaRusso, Walter Sosnowski and the two tall newcomers: Daniel Berry and George Ramming. LaRusso, a forward, and Kaufman, a guard, may be the league's best at their positions. This is a well-coached, fast, give-and-go-style crew that should win the title easily. Hampered by a lack of overall speed and height, PRINCETON, nevertheless, will be the top contender. Principal reason is strong, aggressive Carl Belz, who was held back by a bad ankle for much of last season. A flock of other veterans return, too, led by Art Klein, Joe Burns, Jim Brangan and Carl's twin brother Herman. Some help is expected from three sophomores: Mike Burton, Drew Hyland and Don Swan. The experienced ball handlers are an important asset in Coach Cappy Cappon's weave offense. The happiest season in five years is in prospect at CORNELL, where Coach Royner Greene has a deep, tall, experienced squad hard at work on shooting, which is its chief failing. It is led by the fine backcourtman Lou Jordan and includes George Farley, Dave Zornow, Bill Sullivan, John Furlong and Jay Harris. Two sophomores, John Petry and Ron Ivkovich, may make the starting lineup. Cornell's offense generally revolves around the single post. Like all of the teams in the league except Harvard, the Big Red plays man-to-man, basically, on defense. Nearly everyone's choice last season to finish last, PENNSYLVANIA was actually in contention until the final week, and beat Dartmouth in one of their games. Only two starters return from that team, however: Joe Bowman and George Schmidt. A third berth goes to sophomore Bob Mlkvy, whose brother Bill was Temple's famous All-America—the "Owl without a vowel." Jack Follman, Allan Schwait, Joe Cook, Bob Kearns and Mike Phelan compete for the other two positions. Coach Jack McCloskey has only fair height and an extremely shallow bench, but some good ball handlers for his weave offense, YALE has Larry Downs—and a peck of problems. For example, Johnny Lee and Tom Sargent are gone and there is no one remotely in their class to replace them; last year's freshman team was weak and none of its members is ready to start; Center Gerry Glynn is still a frail young man, though he is 6 feet 10, and there is no one to back him up. Downs, Glynn and Tom Molumphy will start, and the others will come from among Bill Bodman, Dan McFadden, Allan Pond and Alki Scopelitis. Coach Joe Vancisin needs the material before he can even start rebuilding. Neither Harvard nor Brown has ever won the Ivy basketball title, and this does not appear to be the year precedent will be broken, BROWN lost its scoring punch with the graduation of Joe Tebo and Gerry Alaimo. Its attack will be built around Al Poulsen in the pivot, with veterans Cliff Ehrlich and Jack Bellavance also starting, and Dave Reed, Al Diussa, Ed Roedena and Bill Suter fighting for the other berths. Balm for Coach Stan Ward lies in the fact that this is a junior ball club; he'll have a well-seasoned contender next year. Poor freshman teams the past few years have offered the slimmest of pickings for HARVARD Coach Floyd Wilson. He has a bare handful of veterans—George Harrington, Mike Donohue, Bob Repetto and Griffin McClellan—and only a few sophomores good enough to play. They are Bill Richling, Bob Bowditch and Guy Vise. McClellan, 6 feet 8, is all the height, and his talent is still questionable. Lacking experience, depth, size and promising newcomers, Harvard will have little to cheer about this year or next. COLUMBIA has a new coach, Archie Oldham, veteran Phil Matthews and several exciting sophomore prospects. But there is a grave deficiency of height and varsity experience. Matthews provides practically all the rebounding strength, and no one man can handle this job. The sophomores include Murray Melton, Jack Harris and Ed Auzenbergs—nucleus for a speedy, high-scoring team as they acquire poise. All three may start. If Oldham decides to rely on more experienced hands, he will choose among Richie Rodin, Herb London, Hal Kaplan, Stan Needleman. Columbia's future is reasonably bright.

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CARL BELZ

Princeton

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LARRY DOWNS

Yale

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Man to watch

RUDY LaRUSSO, DARTMOUTH
His team's top scorer and rebounder, this strong, 6-foot-6½ senior forward should be among nation's best.