Tiny Simon Fraser Making a Name for Itself

The name is familiar to real college basketball fans.

Every November you see it at the bottom of the scores list, usually in the exhibition section.

Simon Fraser has appeared this month to the right of schools such as New Mexico, Utah State and Iowa State. It’s that way every November as the NAIA school from Burnaby, British Columbia, plays anywhere from seven to 10 NCAA Division I schools, either as an exhibition game or as one that counts in both teams’ records.

Well, Simon Fraser made it to the left column last week, beating Cal State Fullerton 80-77 behind the 23 points and 12 rebounds of David Wahl, its first win in seven games this season.

“Two years ago we won at Montana, but Fullerton State would have to be one of biggest wins,” said Michael Kinghorn, the sports information director at the 9,500-student school. “It was our first win at home over a Division I school since we beat Portland State in 1979.”

Fullerton State made the trip north because its NCAA probation includes not allowing the Titans to play exhibition games.

“Because we’re an NAIA school from outside the United States it’s up to each school whether or not they want to count the game against their record or as an exhibition,” Kinghorn said. “I guess it would be fair to call us fodder.”

With the schedule the Clan plays under fifth-year coach Scott Clark, it’s fair to call them resilient.

Simon Fraser was founded in 1965 and joined the NAIA, rather than the CIAU, its Canadian counterpart, four years later.

“Except for the University of British Columbia, it would have meant flying everywhere for every sport,” Kinghorn said. “It’s a six-hour drive to the next closest school in Canada, the University of Calgary. If we go south that same distance, we have an opportunity at 50 schools instead of one.”

The entire basketball roster is from Canada and only one athlete at the school, a wrestler, is from the United States.

KNOCKING OFF NO. 1: Iowa’s upset of preseason No. 1 Connecticut in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic was the third time the Hawkeyes have beaten a top-ranked team.

The record for victories over No. 1 teams is nine by Notre Dame with Duke next with eight. North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Ohio State had seven each.

North Carolina could have a chance to move on the list as it plays current No. 1 Cincinnati on Dec. 8 in the Great Eight.

ANY WEDNESDAY: You can understand if North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge rewrites the song title to “Rainy Days and Wednesdays.”

This past Wednesday, the fourth-ranked Tar Heels beat No. 22 Purdue to win the Maui Invitational. Next Wednesday, they will be home to No. 3 Michigan State in the inaugural ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Wednesday after that, Dec. 8, North Carolina plays No. 1 Cincinnati in the Great Eight.

BACKCOURT WITH A BEAT: Has Dick Clark joined the Utah State coaching staff as a recruiter?

The leading returner from last season was senior guard Troy Rolle.

So, who do the Aggies sign out of junior college? Guard Bernard Rock.

That’s right: a backcourt of Rock and Rolle.

They just aren’t something to dance to either, as they combined to average more than 18 points a game as the Aggies took fifth place in the Maui Invitational, the loss by two points to No. 6 Florida.

Rock won the fifth-place game against Southern California when he banked in a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left for a 52-50 victory.

TALENTED BENCH: Vince Gill, wearing what country singers wear and not a uniform, was on the Belmont University bench for the Bruins’ 72-55 loss at Vanderbilt.

“I told Vince he could sit on our bench because there’s police around and I thought he wouldn’t be bothered,” Belmont coach Rick Byrd said. “Vince is a very loyal fan and friend.”

Witnesses said Gill had some spirited conversations with a Vanderbilt fan nearby.

“We were just cheering, that’s all,” he said.

LAST ONE: Talk about pressure. Michigan State opened its season against Toledo on Monday knowing that the other teams in last season’s Final Four had all lost their opening games.

Defending national champion Connecticut was beaten Iowa in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic right after runner-up Duke lost to Stanford in the same doubleheader.

The next week, Ohio State was beaten by Notre Dame in the opening round of the Preseason NIT.

Three openers, three losses.

“We wanted to come out and avoid being upset,” Spartans forward Morris Peterson said. “We knew the other Top Four teams from last year were upset, and we wanted to come out and show some enthusiasm.”

They did, beating the Rockets 78-33 as Peterson, who has taken over as team leader with all-America guard Mateen Cleaves out of the lineup for about another month with a broken foot, had 19 points and 10 rebounds.