What Did The College Basketball Landscape Look Like
- Thread starter shadow force
- Start date
I go way back:
Head Coach: Peck Hickman
C- Wes Unseld
G- Denny Deeken
G- Butch Beard
G- Dave Gilbert
F- Fred Holden
F- Mike Lahown
F- Joe Lidkeite
C- Mike Groso
C- Marty Pulliman
I know I have left players out and have probably crossed players over but you get the idea.I started watching when I was in grade school and Wes Unseld was a sophomore, we were in the MVC and they only invited 16 teams to participate in the NCAA tournament every year.
Head Coach: Peck Hickman
C- Wes Unseld
G- Denny Deeken
G- Butch Beard
G- Dave Gilbert
F- Fred Holden
F- Mike Lahown
F- Joe Lidkeite
C- Mike Groso
C- Marty Pulliman
I know I have left players out and have probably crossed players over but you get the idea.I started watching when I was in grade school and Wes Unseld was a sophomore, we were in the MVC and they only invited 16 teams to participate in the NCAA tournament every year.
Probably the earliest I really got into following the Cards was the 1976-77 season. We had moved up to #6 in the country with a 17-2 record before heading to Vegas where we lost Larry Williams due to injury for the rest of the season, lost the game to UNLV, and Denny Crum got married. We finished the season 20-7, ranked #19, and with a first round NCAA loss to UCLA.
Main Players:
Darrell Griffith
Wesley Cox
Rick Wilson
Larry Williams
Bobby Turner
Rick Gallon
Phil Bond
Main Players:
Darrell Griffith
Wesley Cox
Rick Wilson
Larry Williams
Bobby Turner
Rick Gallon
Phil Bond
I believe Denny called this 76-77 team his best ever before Larry Williams went down with that season ending injury. Did Junior Bridgeman play the next season?
My first detailed recollection of U of L basketball was Denny's first team. At that time, I also was a 15-year old fan of the ABA Kentucky Colonels. And I recall my Dad taking my brother and me--believe it or not--to Freedom Hall games involving LPT. I think the opponents were Notre Dame and IU, and that may have been a few years prior.
I don't actually recall attending a U of L basketball game until I graduated U of L. Hard to believe that we had so many other priorities in life 35-40 years ago. And that attending an LPT basketball game was considered acceptable behavior!
I don't actually recall attending a U of L basketball game until I graduated U of L. Hard to believe that we had so many other priorities in life 35-40 years ago. And that attending an LPT basketball game was considered acceptable behavior!
Very white and not much coverage. Full court presses were reserved for lousy teams when they fell behind 10 or more points.
The 1st game I ever watched was in the 1957-8 season. In the Cincinnati market we got the Big Ten game of the week and an occasional UC game. I saw Xavier win the NIT, but never saw them again until years later. Somebody won the championship that year and I hadn't a clue or gave it a thought until much later. I never saw UofL until about 1960 or 61 and then it was on the Dayton station against UD.
Oscar was the rage locally and I followed him closely. I recall the scoring comparisons between him and Elgin Baylor in the local paper. But my true favorite was Jumpin' Johnny Green from Michigan State. He was the real deal. And generally the only black player in the Big Ten outside of Walt Bellamy. Bradley and Dayton were the real villains up here. Xavier was treated slightly better than Villa Madonna, now Thomas More College.
Bud Olsen was the 1st Card I can remember and Peck was the coach. I didn't start following the Cards until Wes Unseld started playing and was later joined by Butch Beard. I loved the Runts at UK and the Hilltoppers. Too young to know all of the BS that had gone on at UK and was familiar with most of Western's lineup from their HS days. The Mideast regional semifinal was the 1st time I rooted against UK and the Dream Game was the 2nd. Eddie Sutton made it a lot easier to do afterward, as has their current coach.
1960-61 Season. Ohio was the hotbed of College Basketball. Ohio state and Cincinnati were NCAA champs and Dayton was a regular NIT champ. Louisville was coached by Peck Hickman and John Dromo. Players were Howard Stacey, John Turner, Fred Sawyer, Bud Olsen, and Ron Rubenstein. Had a great early season run. Had a mid-season slip but started to regain momentum late. No TV coverage other than a game with Dayton ( would love to have a kinescope of that game ). Radio was provided by WINN with Tom Teal as the announcer. Played The overall tournament favorite Ohio State beaten with a five point lead with a minute to go. However, two quick turnovers quickly doomed them and they lost by one point. One of thr steals was by John Havlicheck. Jerry Lucas was a consensus All-American but was out-played by Bud Olsen. Bobby Knight was their sixth man. They eventually were upset by Cincinnati in the final game.
I was completely unaware of anything prior to 1980. Star Wars was my world. Then Griff and 1980 happened. Next thing I know my parents gear me up with a sweat v-neck, 3/4th sleeved t-shirt that celebrated the championship. It was red with black lettering. It was awesome. I was 6. All in after that. Looking back, players I fondly think of, other than Griff and the notable star players, Mike Abram, McSwain, Will Olliges, Sumpter, Fraley. And a game that always sticks out is the South Carolina "fight" game.
I was, cough, cough, a UK fan as a kid, and I remember crying when they lost to Texas Western but even more so to Jacksonville. That killed me.
My earliest recollection of UL was the late 60s teams (I do remember Butch Beard, Deeken somewhat but just vaguely). Definitely though by the early 70s - especially the team with Jim Price, Henry Bacon, etc., and some of the wild MVC games. Those were wild times. I actually pulled AGAINST UL at the time - that's how sick a child I was!!
Finally, by the mid-70s, I went to school there and saw the light! Loved the Cards teams by that time.
My earliest recollection of UL was the late 60s teams (I do remember Butch Beard, Deeken somewhat but just vaguely). Definitely though by the early 70s - especially the team with Jim Price, Henry Bacon, etc., and some of the wild MVC games. Those were wild times. I actually pulled AGAINST UL at the time - that's how sick a child I was!!
Finally, by the mid-70s, I went to school there and saw the light! Loved the Cards teams by that time.
Last edited:
That USCjr brawl is available on You Tube. LaBradford Smith and Herbert Crook kind of got the worst end of the fight, but we sure did win the war. I think we were lucky to get out of there alive.
LOL, I remember going to the Freedom Hall game where Western played U of San Francisco, the year after Russel and KC Jones. Western gave them their second loss in something like 80 games.Someone once said it was opening night for Freedom Hall....like real opening night for the structure. I was about 6 or so.
My next interest in hoops was in Bowling Green when we lived there. I remember All American Ralph Crosswaite and the guy whose name I unaccountably remember so well - Panny Sarakasanis, lol. I would sit in the upper tier in the old Red barn with my feet dangling down across from the very vocal football team who had some awesome cheers. Bobby Rascoe and Harry Todd then joined up and they gave Ohio State and Lucas the fight of their lives for a while during OSU's dominating NCAA run.
Moving to Owensboro, I followed Weslyan during the years just prior to their salad days of winning more championships than anyone other than UCLA. Dallas Thornton, Mike Redd - playing against Walt Frazier, Jerry Sloan, Earl the pearl - wow - incredible salad days for Div 2 hoops.
Then I got drafted, lol. Finally, in 1972or so, my parents became super interested in Denny. They persuaded me to watch and I was hooked even though I lived all the way out in Vancouver, BC.
I remember seeing a couple of very good Wesleyan games at Bellarmine. Bellarmine was always over-matched in those days but the place was packed and I believe one game, Bellarmine may have actually been ahead at half time. Tinsley? and others were on Wesleyan's teams around that time. I only vaguely remember.
Knights Hall was almost right outside my backyard. I'd go over there and watch most of their games for about 50 cents each.
Knights Hall was almost right outside my backyard. I'd go over there and watch most of their games for about 50 cents each.
This, those were the good old days. Peck Hickman was one of the best coaches in the nation. Every game was a battle.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
Dan Hurley Talks In Depth On Some UConn Offense- Latest: shadow force