The Big O

The lanky, well-muscled Negro made a high, spread-eagle leap, grabbed the ball and cleared the University of Cincinnati backboard. Whirling in the air before he hit the floor, he sped downcourt, dribbled expertly past three New York University defenders, plowed in and sank a difficult lay-up shot. Moments later, with the ball in his hands once again, he started to turn for a hook shot. Hit hard by an N.Y.U. player, he fell heavily to the court, but on the way down he somehow managed to arch the ball toward the basket with a flick of his powerful wrists. As he lay flat on his back, Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson watched the ball drop through the hoop. His expression was casual, as if he had expected it all along. The 14,587 spectators in New York's Madison Square Garden, who had expected no such thing, came to their feet with a roar of amazement.

Four on One? Robertson is the best player in college basketball today. As a sophomore last season, the "Big O" beat out such stars as Seattle's Elgin Baylor and Kansas' Wilt ("The Stilt") Chamberlain for national scoring honors, made 984 points (average: 35.14 a game), was named Player of the Year. This year he is better still.

Last week N.Y.U. double-teamed him all night, set its other players in a zone defense that collapsed inward on the Cincinnati star whenever he got near the basket. Despite everything N.Y.U. could do. Oscar dumped in 45 points, grabbed 19 rebounds. On offense he threaded nimbly through opposing players, shooting when free, passing off to teammates when hemmed in. On defense he rebounded beautifully, flicked his long arms out with lightning speed to break up N.Y.U. plays, steal the ball, intercept passes. Through it all he drew only one personal foul, though he played all but the final 45 seconds. If he had not been suffering from an injured back, Robertson might have eclipsed his own Madison Square Garden scoring record of 56 points, made last year against Seton Hall. Said N.Y.U. Coach Lou Rossini ruefully: "He's as great a basketball player as I've ever seen. I guess the only way to stop him would be to put four men on him and let one guy cover the other four.''

School First. As basketball players go, the Big O is no loose-jointed skyscraper. Solidly built at 6 ft. 5 in., 199 Ibs., he depends on lightning reflexes and graceful coordination rather than treetop height. Oscar makes all the shots from anywhere on the floor with devastating proficiency. Last year Robertson had the advantage of playing with a talented big teammate. 6 ft. 9 in. Connie Dierking, who had to be watched too. This year Dierking is gone, and Robertson is a marked man. Opposing teams can afford to take outlandish liberties in concentrating their defenses on him. But with the season in its infancy, nobody has figured a way to stop the Big O yet.

Born on a Tennessee farm, Oscar lives with his family in the section of Indianapolis known as the Dust Bowl, followed in the footsteps of his basketball-playing brothers Bailey and Henry (Bailey played with the Harlem Globetrotters). Cincinnatti fans fear the Big O may turn pro after this season, but Robertson insists he will play his senior year for the Bearcats. Adds his mother fiercely: "The pros can't touch him. I'll have something to say about that. He's going to finish school first."

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