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Show UTAH NABS TOP SKYLINECuNFcRENCE PC3SI IC^The Aggies started off fast, running up early leads of ten and eleven points, and it looked like Utah was going to have to be content with a sec-cond-place finish. But after barely pulling up to within three points at halftime, the Utes finally exploded to a twelve-point margin, and with less than ten minutes to go it looked like the Redskins were in. But the Utah stall attempt backfired, and with a little under two minutes to go, the Aggies were only four points behind and still very much in the ballgame. The Utes settled down, though, and hung on grimly for a thrilling 77-75 victory. With only two more games to go, it looked likeanother title for Utah. But, after an easy win over Wyoming, the Utes found that Colorado State had other ideas about the situation, and, in the last conference game of the season, the Utes had to shoot a fantastic 60% from the field to edge the Aggies, 87-83. For Utah Coach Jack Gardner, it was his second consecutive Skyline Conference Championship and his fourth in the last six years. Having qualified automatically for the NCAA playoffs by taking the crown, the Utes' next contest was to be an elimination duel with the University of Southern California, the winner gaining(continued page 232)Hustling Rich Ruffell out-jumps Denver player early in the game. |