Ed Tapscott wants a message delivered to Kansas University’s basketball fans.
“Please tell the folks something for me,” American University’s sixth-year coach requested politely. “Our official title is ‘The American University.’ We’re chartered by the Congress. Our mascot is the Eagle. Our school colors are red, white and blue. It’d be unpatriotic for them to boo us.”
Tipoff for tonight’s non-conference matchup between the Jayhawks and Eagles of Washington, D.C., is 7:35 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I hope it’s a nail-biter. I hope the fans like American University and the way we play,” Tapscott said in a more serious tone. “We’ll run our offense. We like to press a little on defense, be aggressive. Our tempo depends on who is in the game. We have some who play good defense, others can’t cover me.”
American doesn’t figure to try any gimmicks against Kansas. The Eagles, 4-6, have already played and lost to big-name opponents Miami of Florida (104-70) and Wake Forest (79-66). For the past four years, the Eagles had to deal with do-everything center David Robinson of Navy, like American a member of the Colonial Athletic Assn.
“I don’t know anybody he didn’t hurt,” said Tapscott of the seven-foot Robinson. “Last year, Navy beat us by three at our place. If you’re asking for a comparison between Danny Manning and Robinson, you’re trying to compare two entirely different players. Robinson is more athletically gifted, while Danny is more skilled.
“Whenever we tried to hold Robinson down, we made the rest of their team better. It’s better to just cover him and make him work hard. Like I tell our players, All Americans are All Americans for a reason. You can’t be totally distracted by one player.”
Tapscott will try not to be distracted by KU coach Larry Brown. He’s a big fan.
“It’s interesting we’re playing here against coach Brown,” said the 38-year-old Tapscott. “Wehn Larry Brown was in the ABA, he was with the Oakland Oaks. They moved and became the Washington Capitals. The first year in Washington, they practiced at my old high school, Sidwell Friends. I’d sneak in the gym and watch Larry and Rick Barry practice. Fifteen years later I’m here about to go against one of the best coaches in the country. It’s a big moment.”
Tapscott, though, has something Brown doesn’t have – a law degree from American U.
Fairly rare for a basketball coach to possess such a degree, isn’t it? “I’ve heard of others,” he shrugged. “Donnie Walsh, the old Denver Rockets’ coach has one. My father asks me all the time, ‘Why are you doing this? Why don’t you get out and make more money?’ I tell him, ‘You still brag about ‘My son the coach.’ I enjoy this. It’s a love affair.”
Tapscott’s a traditionalist. That’s why he’s looking forward to tonight’s clash.
“With the i8ncreasing commercialization of college athletics, it’s a treat to play here. This looks like a college gym,” Tapscott said at Tuesday night’s practice session at Allen. “Although I’ll have to explain to my guys who Phog Allen is.
“A lot of our guys are from the East,” he continued. “Sometimes guys from the East think basketball stops on West 51st Street. This is good for them.”
Maybe, maybe not. KU has won 52 straight games at home and hasn’t played at Allen since Dec. 12.
“You never know what will happen,” said Tapscott. “Few people can figure what 18- and 19-year-olds are going to do on a given night. College basketball is more art than science.”
Notes
Kansas, 9-3, begins Big Eight play at 1:10 p.m. here Saturday against Missouri. That’s also the last game of the first semester and is expected to be the season finale for one or perhaps two KU players who didn’t make their grades. Brown isn’t expected to make an announcement, however, until prior to the first game of the second semester a week from tonight at Iowa State…General admission tickets are available for tonight’s game, but Missouri is sold out…
