One of the truly great rivalries in college basketball was the one between Coach Abe Lemons of the University of Texas mens basketball verses Coach Eddie Sutton of the University of Arkansas mens team….as there were many articles about Abe vs Eddie written between 1977 and 1983. Eddie Sutton took over the helm at Arkansas in 1974….and Abe Lemons took the reigns at Texas in 1976….as these two new coaches in the Southwest Conference would raise the level of basketball played in the Southwest Conference from what was perceived back then as a football driven conference.
Both Abe Lemons and Eddie Sutton would end up in the College Basketball Hall of Fame…..who were actually good friends off the court….but bitter rivals on the court….as every SWC game played between 1976 and 1982 between Texas and Arkansas mens basketball was a hard fought passionate rivalry….as evidenced by this video seen herewith….which the Longhorns win a huge upset victory at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, AR by a score of 62 – 61.
This Texas team feature twin postmen Sophmore LaSalle Thompson and Freshman Mike Wacker….and had Wacker not gone down with a season and a half ending major knee injury….this team might have been a force to be reconned with in the NCAA tournament after going 14 – 0 and being ranked # 4 in the country before Wacker’s injury.
Any way you cut the pie, this Longhorn – Razorback rivalry game is well worth the watch.
