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Show Basketball Picked for no better than fourth by the experts, University of Utah, the defending cellar-dwellers in the Western Athletic Conference, has come on to be one of the nation's offensive power-houses, and 1966 Western Athletic Conference Champ. The surprising strength and quick development of a crop of sophomore talent, plus the steady performance of veteran seniors led Coach Jack Gardners' Runnin' Redskins to its first WAC title. Utah began to jell midway through its regular 27 game season and won three Western Athletic Conference victories on the road in racking up a 7-3 league record and a 21-6 overall mark. Utah opened big with two better than 100 point victories and continued on to win seven straight before bowing at Cincinnati to the Missouri Valley's eventual champs. Utah knocked off such national powers as North Carolina State, defending Atlantic Coast Conference play-off winner; defending Western Athletic Conference winner, New Mexico, twice; the Air Force; San Jose State of the WCAC; and independent powers, Utah State and Seattle. The Redskins rank number three in average point spread over opponents, fifth in offense, thirteenth in rebounding, and ninth in field goal percentage among the nation's teams. Jerry Chambers developed as one of Utah's all-time great postmen and is one of the highest single season scorers in Redskin history with a 27.7 game average. He was the school's best percentage shooter both single season and career with .570. He led the squad in scoring and rebounding for two years, and was the third leading career scorer. Utah suffered a serious blow on the forward line as the veteran senior George Fisher broke his leg in the home stretch of the WAC season and was out for the year. Fisher was missed as he was the second leading scorer and re-bounder and the team's top defense man. After victory in the Regional NCAA, the Utes finished their season placing fourth in the NCAA Basketball finals. |