I have often heard great stories from Bone Daddy regarding the intense rivalry in basketball in the Southwest Conference during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s between Coach Abe Lemons and his Texas Longhorns verses Eddie Sutton and his Arkansas Razorbacks.
In 1978 and 1979….it was the Razorbacks famous “triplet guards” combination of Ron Brewer, Marvin Delph and Sydney Moncrief verses the Longhorns equally famous “triplet guards” combination of Johnny Moore, Jim Krivacs and Ron Baxter…. and when these six players faced off on the hardwood floors….it was college basketball rivalry at its best.
The truth be told….what was even more intense than the competition on the floor between the two schools vaunted “triplets”….was the incredible rivalry between the two legendary college basketball coaches….as Eddie Sutton brought out the best in Abe Lemons….and Abe brought out the best in Eddie.
This 1980 matchup between the Longhorns and the Razorbacks…..Abe and Eddie….and their teams consisting of G Fred Carson, G Ray Harper, F Henry Johnson, F Mike Wacker and C LaSalle Thompson for the Coach Abe…..and Coach Eddie’s boys including G Darrell Walker, G U S Reed, F Brad Friess, F Keith Peterson and C Scott Hastings….did not show any signs of a dropaff from their intense rivalry over the prior two years…..as evidenced by the play in this 1st half video of their 1980 showdown at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, AR below.
The simple fact about the 6 year rivalry between Abe Lemons and Eddie Sutton produce high drama regardless of the level of talent or the home field advantage….as these two programs always provided MUST SEE TV.
