Basketball

It's Dartmouth vs. Princeton again for the Ivy League Championship as the Indians and Tigers both have won nine league contests to date against no defeats. Dartmouth and Princeton meet in a sellout game in Hanover this weekend (Feb. 21) and then play six days later (Feb. 27) at Princeton. These two contests will decide the league championship.

Although the Big Green has won all seven of its games this past month, three of these were decided by two-point margins and a fourth by a four-point edge. A last-minute, tip-in shot by guard Walt Sosnowski gave the Indians a 70-68 win over a surprisingly strong Springfield team and five days later forward Rudy LaRusso had to uncork a quick one-handed set shot which went through as the buzzer sounded to enable the Big Green to edge Boston University, 64-62. Against Cornell Dartmouth had similar difficulties, managing to win by a close 75-73 margin, and in the most recent contest with Yale the Big Green had to rally before halting the Elis 76-72. In three other contests Dartmouth had an easier time as it defeated Brown, Columbia and Harvard by wide margins, the 95-55 win over Columbia being the highest spread for some years.

Captain Rudy LaRusso, after a slow start, has come up fast and leads the Big Green scorers with an average of almost 18 points per game. The only other player in double figures is guard Chuck Kaufman, whose consistent shooting has given him almost 14 points per game. Forward Gary Vanderweghe and sharp-shooting guard Walt Sosnowski are hitting at just under 10 points per contest, with center Dave Farnsworth, the other member of the starting five, and reserve guard Dave Gavitt hitting at around five points for each game.

The team continues to average 70 points per game, and has a shooting percentage of .415 and a free-throw percentage of .650.

There is a growing feeling on campus that this year's Dartmouth basketball team, hampered to some extent by injuries, has not really "jelled" and plays just hard enough to win. The Princeton team, judged on games to date, seems to have a smoother working unit and the Big Green will really have its work cut out for it if it is to stop the Tigers and move into an N.C.A.A. berth as Ivy League Champions.

Coach Doggie Julian gives the boys some pointers during a time out in the game.