UConn's Ollie 4th Power-League Coach Since Late '70s to Post Top 1st-Year Mark

In 2011-12, Steve Prohm of Murray State (31-2) posted the best first-year record for a newcomer coach since Bill Hodges directed Indiana State (33-1) to the 1979 Final Four. Since Hodges' debut, only three coaches from power six leagues compiled the nation's best first-year mark - Oregon State's Jim Anderson in 1989-90, North Carolina's Bill Guthridge in 1997-98 and Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon in 2003-04 - until Connecticut's Kevin Ollie joined the list this year with a 20-10 mark.

Hodges succeeded Bob King, who earlier in the decade gave Norm Ellenberger a quality team on a silver platter in 1972-73. Joining King in the category of twice being the predecessor for coaches who compiled the best first-year mark are Gene Bartow (Memphis State '75 and UCLA '78) and Tim Floyd (Idaho '89 and New Orleans '95).

First-year coaches Bashir Mason (19-12 with Wagner) and Kevin Baggett (19-15 with Rider) registered more victories than counterpart Richard Pitino (18-14 with Florida International) but likely weren't on Minnesota's list of possible successors to fired Tubby Smith. Pitino, boasting name value similar to privileged children of Clinton/Cuomo/Kennedy, got preferential treatment en route to filling the Gopheers' vacant job. Following are first-year NCAA Division I head coaches with the best winning percentages going back to 1963-64:

Season First-Year Head Coach School W-L Pct. Predecessor
1963-64 Tates Locke Army 19-7 .731 George Hunter
1964-65 Gary Thompson Wichita State 21-9 .700 Ralph Miller
1965-66 Lou Carnesecca St. John's 18-8 .692 Joe Lapchick
1965-66 Bob Knight Army 18-8 .692 Tates Locke
1966-67 Tommy Bartlett Florida 21-4 .840 Norman Sloan
1967-68 John Dromo Louisville 21-7 .750 Peck Hickman
1968-69 Tom Gola La Salle 23-1 .958 Jim Harding
1969-70 Terry Holland Davidson 22-5 .815 Lefty Driesell
1970-71 Richard "Digger" Phelps Fordham 26-3 .897 Ed Conlin
1971-72 Chuck Daly Penn 25-3 .893 Dick Harter
1972-73 Norm Ellenberger New Mexico 21-6 .778 Bob King
1973-74 Lute Olson Long Beach State 24-2 .923 Jerry Tarkanian
1974-75 Tom Apke Creighton 20-7 .741 Eddie Sutton
1974-75 Wayne Yates Memphis State 20-7 .741 Gene Bartow
1975-76 Bill Blakeley North Texas State 22-4 .846 Gene Robbins
1976-77 Jim Boeheim Syracuse 26-4 .867 Roy Danforth
1976-77 Charlie Schmaus Virginia Military 26-4 .867 Bill Blair
1977-78 Gary Cunningham UCLA 25-3 .893 Gene Bartow
1978-79 Bill Hodges Indiana State 33-1 .971 Bob King
1979-80 Bob Dukiet St. Peter's 22-9 .710 Bob Kelly
1979-80 Dave "Lefty" Ervin La Salle 22-9 .710 Paul Westhead
1980-81 Pat Foster Lamar 25-5 .833 Billy Tubbs
1981-82 Jim Boyle St. Joseph's 25-5 .833 Jim Lynam
1982-83 Ed Tapscott American University 20-10 .667 Gary Williams
1983-84 Rick Huckabay Marshall 25-6 .806 Bob Zuffelato
1984-85 Newton Chelette Southeastern Louisiana 18-9 .667 Ken Fortenberry
1985-86 Pete Gillen Xavier 25-5 .833 Bob Staak
1986-87 Pete Herrmann Navy 26-6 .813 Paul Evans
1987-88 Rick Barnes George Mason 20-10 .667 Joe Harrington
1988-89 Kermit Davis Idaho 25-6 .806 Tim Floyd
1989-90 Jim Anderson Oregon State 22-7 .759 Ralph Miller
1990-91 Alan LeForce East Tennessee State 28-5 .848 Les Robinson
1991-92 Blaine Taylor Montana 27-4 .871 Stew Morrill
1992-93 Fran Fraschilla Manhattan 23-7 .767 Steve Lappas
1993-94 Kirk Speraw Central Florida 21-9 .700 Joe Dean Jr.
1994-95 George "Tic" Price New Orleans 20-11 .645 Tim Floyd
1995-96 Mike Heideman Wisconsin-Green Bay 25-4 .862 Dick Bennett
1996-97 Bill Carmody Princeton 24-4 .857 Pete Carril
1997-98 Bill Guthridge North Carolina 34-4 .895 Dean Smith
1998-99 Tevester Anderson Murray State 27-6 .818 Mark Gottfried
1999-00 Mark Few Gonzaga 26-9 .743 Dan Monson
2000-01 Thad Matta Butler 24-8 .750 Barry Collier
2001-02 Stan Heath Kent State 29-6 .829 Gary Waters
2002-03 Brad Brownell UNC Wilmington 24-7 .774 Jerry Wainwright
2003-04 Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh 31-5 .861 Ben Howland
2004-05 Mark Fox Nevada 25-7 .781 Trent Johnson
2005-06 Rob Jeter Wisconsin-Milwaukee 22-9 .710 Bruce Pearl
2006-07 Anthony Grant Virginia Commonwealth 28-7 .800 Jeff Capel III
2007-08 Brad Stevens Butler 30-4 .882 Todd Lickliter
2008-09 Ken McDonald Western Kentucky 25-9 .735 Darrin Horn
2009-10 Shaka Smart Virginia Commonwealth 27-9 .750 Anthony Grant
2010-11 B.J. Hill Northern Colorado 21-11 .656 Tad Boyle
2011-12 Steve Prohm Murray State 31-2 .939 Billy Kennedy
2012-13 Kevin Ollie Connecticut 20-10 .667 Jim Calhoun

Moment in Spotlight: Highest Single-Game Scorers Against NCAA Champions

National player of the year Trey Burke (Michigan) and junior college standout Cleanthony Early (Wichita State) each scored 24 points against Louisville at the Final Four. But Illinois State senior guard Tyler Brown secured the satisfaction of posting the highest single-game output this season against the NCAA champion-to-be Cardinals when the junior college transfer scored 25 points on the first day of December in a 69-66 defeat for the Redbirds.

Since UCLA's first NCAA championship in 1964, Louisville's Russ Smith has the lowest scoring average (11.5 ppg in 2011-12) for any player who posted the single-game high against an NCAA titlist. Some of the names probably will be surprising, but following is a look in reverse order at the last 50 individuals who posted the season-high scoring total against the NCAA kingpin:

Year Opposing High Scorer Vs. NCAA Titlist Avg. Single-Game High
2013 Tyler Brown, G, Sr., Illinois State 18.1 25 points at Louisville
2012 Russ Smith, G, Soph., Louisville 11.5 30 at Kentucky
2011 Dwight Hardy, G, Sr., St. John's 18.3 33 vs. Connecticut
2010 Trevon Hughes, G, Sr., Wisconsin 15.3 26 vs. Duke
2009 Kyle McAlarney, G, Sr., Notre Dame 15.0 39 vs. North Carolina at Maui
2008 Michael Beasley, F-C, Fr., Kansas State 26.2 39 at Kansas
2007 Al Thornton, F, Sr., Florida State 19.7 28 vs. Florida
2006 Chris Lofton, G, Soph., Tennessee 17.2 29 vs. Florida
2005 Will Bynum, G, Sr., Georgia Tech 12.5 35 vs. North Carolina in ACC Tournament
2004 Chris Thomas, G, Jr., Notre Dame 19.7 31 vs. Connecticut
2003 Chris Hill, G, Soph., Michigan State 13.7 34 vs. Syracuse
2002 Jason "Jay" Williams, G, Jr., Duke 21.3 34 vs. Maryland
2001 J.J. Miller, G, Sr., North Carolina A&T State 16.0 34 at Duke
2000 A.J. Guyton, G, Sr., Indiana 19.7 34 vs. Michigan State
1999 Trajan Langdon, G, Sr., Duke 17.3 25 vs. Connecticut
1998 Brian Williams, G, Jr., Alabama 16.1 28 vs. Kentucky in SEC Tournament
1997 Isaac Fontaine, G, Sr., Washington State 21.9 32 vs. Arizona
1996 Marcus Camby, C, Jr., Massachusetts 20.5 32 vs. Kentucky at Great Eight
1995 Ray Allen, G, Soph., Connecticut 21.1 36 vs. UCLA in NCAA playoffs
1994 Gary Collier, F, Sr., Tulsa 22.9 35 vs. Arkansas in NCAA playoffs
1993 Chris Webber, F, Soph., Michigan 19.2 27 vs. North Carolina at Honolulu
1993 Randolph Childress, G, Soph., Wake Forest 19.7 27 vs. North Carolina
1993 James Forrest, F, Soph., Georgia Tech 19.5 27 vs. North Carolina in ACC Tournament
1993 Lester Lyons, G, Jr., East Carolina 15.4 27 vs. North Carolina in NCAA playoffs
1992 Malik Sealy, F, Sr., St. John's 22.6 37 vs. Duke at Greensboro
1991 Jeff Webster, F, Fr., Oklahoma 18.3 32 vs. Duke
1990 Greg "Bo" Kimble, F-G, Sr., Loyola Marymount 35.3 42 vs. UNLV in NCAA playoffs
1989 Roy Marble, F, Sr., Iowa 20.5 32 vs. Michigan
1988 Mitch Richmond, G-F, Sr., Kansas State 22.6 35 vs. Kansas
1987 Freddie Banks, G, Sr., UNLV 19.5 38 vs. Indiana in NCAA playoffs
1986 Ron Harper, F, Sr., Miami (oh) 24.4 36 vs. Louisville in Big Apple NIT at Cincinnati
1985 Len Bias, F, Jr., Maryland 18.9 30 vs. Villanova
1984 Chris Mullin, G-F, Jr., St. John's 22.9 29 vs. Georgetown in Big East Tournament
1983 Ralph Sampson, C, Sr., Virginia 19.1 33 vs. North Carolina State
1982 Ralph Sampson, C, Jr., Virginia 15.8 30 at North Carolina
1981 Mike McGee, F, Sr., Michigan 24.4 29 vs. Indiana
1980 Jeff Ruland, C, Jr., Iona 20.1 30 vs. Louisville
1979 Joe Barry Carroll, C, Jr., Purdue 22.8 27 vs. Michigan State
1979 Calvin Roberts, F-C, Jr., Cal State Fullerton 15.3 27 vs. Michigan State
1978 Freeman Williams, G, Sr., Portland State 35.9 39 at Kentucky
1977 Dave Corzine, C, Jr., DePaul 19.0 26 vs. Marquette
1976 Terry Furlow, F, Sr., Michigan State 29.4 40 vs. Indiana
1975 Kevin Grevey, F, Sr., Kentucky 23.5 34 vs. UCLA in NCAA final
1974 Billy Cook, G, Soph., Memphis State 16.2 33 vs. North Carolina State
1973 Billy Knight, F, Jr., Pittsburgh 23.7 37 vs. UCLA
1972 Fred Boyd, G, Sr., Oregon State 19.8 37 vs. UCLA
1971 Austin Carr, G, Sr., Notre Dame 38.0 46 vs. UCLA
1970 Pete Maravich, G, Sr., Louisiana State 44.5 38 vs. UCLA
1970 Rich Yunkus, C, Jr., Georgia Tech 30.1 38 vs. UCLA
1969 Vic Collucci, G, Soph., Providence 15.4 36 vs. UCLA
1968 Elvin Hayes, F-C, Sr., Houston 36.8 39 vs. UCLA
1967 Bill Hewitt, F, Jr., Southern California 19.5 39 vs. UCLA
1966 Jerry Chambers, F-C, Sr., Utah 28.8 38 vs. Texas Western in NCAA playoffs
1965 Ollie Johnson, C, Sr., San Francisco 21.6 37 vs. UCLA
1964 Tom Dose, C, Sr., Stanford 20.0 38 vs. UCLA

Hot or Not: Difference of Opinion on Best Way to Enter NCAA Tournament

Which cliche is most accurate? If a team is on a winning streak entering the NCAA Tournament, it has momentum on its side and is peaking at the right time. On the other hand, some observers contend a loss before the start of the playoffs is deemed as a wake-up call.

Since the last undefeated team in Division I (Indiana was 32-0 in 1975-76), there have been 37 national champions. Twenty-two of those teams entered the tourney with a victory; 15 entered with a defeat. The longest winning streak of a champion-to-be in that span was by UCLA, which won 13 in a row in 1995 before posting six more triumphs in the playoffs. Louisville accounted for two of the other double-digit victory streaks for champions-to-be entering the playoffs.

Of the 22 aforementioned squads entering on a winning note, the average winning streak was six in a row. Following in reverse order is how those 37 post-unbeaten IU titlists entered the NCAA playoffs (including conference tournaments):

Year NCAA Champion Coach Pre-NCAA Playoff Finish
2013 Louisville Rick Pitino Won 10
2012 Kentucky John Calipari Lost one (Vanderbilt)
2011 Connecticut Jim Calhoun Won five
2010 Duke Mike Krzyzewski Won four
2009 North Carolina Roy Williams Lost one (Florida State)
2008 Kansas Bill Self Won seven
2007 Florida Billy Donovan Won four
2006 Florida Billy Donovan Won five
2005 North Carolina Roy Williams Lost one (Georgia Tech)
2004 Connecticut Jim Calhoun Won three
2003 Syracuse Jim Boeheim Lost one (Connecticut)
2002 Maryland Gary Williams Lost one (North Carolina State)
2001 Duke Mike Krzyzewski Won four
2000 Michigan State Tom Izzo Won five
1999 Connecticut Jim Calhoun Won five
1998 Kentucky Tubby Smith Won seven
1997 Arizona Lute Olson Lost two (Stanford and California)
1996 Kentucky Rick Pitino Lost one (Mississippi State)
1995 UCLA Jim Harrick Won 13
1994 Arkansas Nolan Richardson Lost one (Kentucky)
1993 North Carolina Dean Smith Lost one (Georgia Tech)
1992 Duke Mike Krzyzewski Won seven
1991 Duke Mike Krzyzewski Lost one (North Carolina)
1990 UNLV Jerry Tarkanian Won five
1989 Michigan Bill Frieder/Steve Fisher Lost one (Illinois)
1988 Kansas Larry Brown Lost one (Kansas State)
1987 Indiana Bob Knight Won one
1986 Louisville Denny Crum Won 11
1985 Villanova Rollie Massimino Lost one (St. John's)
1984 Georgetown John Thompson Jr. Won six
1983 North Carolina State Jim Valvano Won four
1982 North Carolina Dean Smith Won 11
1981 Indiana Bob Knight Won five
1980 Louisville Denny Crum Won three
1979 Michigan State Jud Heathcote Lost one (Wisconsin)
1978 Kentucky Joe B. Hall Won eight
1977 Marquette Al McGuire Lost one (Michigan)

Card Game: Pitino and UL are Masters at Crashing High School Reunions

Louisville, after supplementing its already overstocked roster, helped position itself for a national championship by having forward Montrezl Harrell hook up with the Cardinals after de-committing from Virginia Tech following coach Seth Greenberg's dismissal by the Hokies. Harrell had played at Hargrave Military Academy (VA) under Kevin Keatts, who joined coach Rick Pitino's staff two years ago. Another Hargrave product already at The Ville was guard Luke Hancock, who went on to become Final Four Most Outstanding Player after transferring from George Mason.

Oddly, first-year Virginia Tech coach James Johnson is one of six active Division I mentors who got their start in college coaching tagging along with a prep phenom. Keatts could become the next head coach in this category; especially since Pitino already has numerous former assistants currently serving as a DI bench boss.

Will Harrell and/or Hancock become another Louisville All-American next season after being part of UL's high school reunion? The Cardinals' top two career scorers - Darrell Griffith (Wade Houston) and DeJuan Wheat (Scott Davenport) - rejoined their high school coaches who became assistants under Denny Crum.

Pitino is well acquainted with this tried-and-true recruiting technique. Simeon Mars joined Pitino's Kentucky staff in 1996 directly with Jamaal Magloire, who went on to become the Wildcats' all-time leader in blocked shots. Pitino's initial exposure to the ploy probably was at his alma mater where all-time great Julius "Dr. J" Erving joined his high school coach with the Minutemen in the early 1970s just before Pitino arrived on Massachusetts' campus.

Ethical questions are always raised anytime the coach of a prize prospect is hired. But package deals are a longstanding practice. In 1989, Michigan was the 10th different school in a 20-year span to reach the Final Four with the help of a "coattail" franchise (assistant coach Perry Watson/starting guard Jalen Rose). There also were a total of 10 first- and second-team consensus All-Americans in that stretch stemming from such quid pro quo activity.

Can Kentucky Duplicate Championship Run Ohio Achieved in Early 1960s?

Nearly everyone in the state of Kentucky had a chance to celebrate the past two years after back-to-back NCAA titles by Kentucky and Louisville. The only time two different schools from the same state captured three consecutive NCAA titles was from 1960 through 1962 when Ohio State and Cincinnati reigned supreme. North Carolina was twice involved in back-to-back crowns with an in-state counterpart - 1982 and 1983 (N.C. State) plus 2009 and 2010 (Duke).

California is the only state with as many as four different universities win an NCAA Division I Tournament championship. Eight different states have had more than one school capture the NCAA DI Tournament title.

California (15) - California (1959), San Francisco (1955 and 1956), Stanford (1942), UCLA (1964-65-67-68-69-70-71-72-73-75-95)

Kentucky (11) - Kentucky (1948-49-51-58-78-96-98-12), Louisville (1980-86-13)

North Carolina (11) - Duke (1991-92-01-10), North Carolina (1957-82-93-05-09), North Carolina State (1974 and 1983)

Michigan (3) - Michigan (1989), Michigan State (1979 and 2000)

Ohio (3) - Cincinnati (1961 and 1962), Ohio State (1960)

New York (2) - CCNY (1950), Syracuse (2003)

Pennsylvania (2) - La Salle (1954), Villanova (1985)

Wisconsin (2) - Marquette (1977), Wisconsin (1941)

Victory Map: Only 17 NCAA Titlists Posted Higher Average Margin Than UL '13

There has been some smooth sailing, but it is usually a rugged road en route to becoming NCAA kingpin. Talk of last year's Kentucky squad being one of the all-time greatest teams is somewhat silly insofar as rival Louisville, erasing 12-point deficits in both the semifinals and final, became the 42nd NCAA champion posting higher average victory margins than UK in the tournament.

North Carolina '09 became the 12th NCAA Tournament champion to win all of its playoff games by double-digit margins. The first nine champions in this category came before the NCAA field was expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985.

Most titlists have near-death experiences and are severely tested at least once on the serpentine tourney trail. In 1997, Arizona won each of its playoff contests by a single-digit margin.

A total of 49 champions won a minimum of one playoff game by four points or less, including 22 titlists to win at least one contest by just one point. Wyoming '43 would have become the only champion to trail at halftime in every tournament game if the Cowboys didn't score the last three baskets of the first half in the national final to lead Georgetown at intermission (18-16). Four titlists trailed at intermission in both of their Final Four games - Kentucky '51, Louisville '86, Duke '92 and Kentucky '98.

UCLA '67, the first varsity season for Lew Alcindor (became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), set the record for largest average margin of victory for a champion when the Bruins started a dazzling streak of 10 consecutive Final Four appearances. They won their 12 NCAA playoff games with Alcindor manning the middle by an amazing average margin of 21.5 points.

Which of John Wooden's 10 national champion UCLA teams did the Wizard of Westwood perceive as his best?

"I've never come out and said it," Wooden said before passing away last year, "but it would be hard to pick a team over the 1968 team. I will say it would be the most difficult team to prepare for and play against offensively and defensively. It created so many problems. It had such great balance. We had the big center (Alcindor) who is the most valuable player of all time. Mike Warren was a three-year starter who may have been the most intelligent floor leader ever, going eight complete games once without a turnover. Lucius Allen was a very physical, talented individual who was extremely quick. Lynn Shackleford was a great shooter out of the corner who didn't allow defenses to sag on Jabbar. Mike Lynn didn't have power, but he had as fine a pair of hands around the boards as I have ever seen."

The roster for UCLA's 1968 national champion included six players with double-digit season scoring averages, but senior forward Edgar Lacey dropped off the team with an 11.9-point average following a dispute with Wooden after a ballyhooed mid-season defeat against Houston before 52,693 fans at the Astrodome. Lacey, assigned to defend Cougars star Elvin Hayes early in the game, was annoyed with Wooden for singling him out following Hayes' 29-point first-half outburst. Lacey, the leading rebounder for the Bruins' 1965 NCAA titlist when he was an All-Tournament team selection, missed the 1966-67 campaign because of a fractured left kneecap.

The three Lew-CLA teams rank among the seven NCAA champions with average margins of victory in a tournament of more than 19 points per game. It's no wonder a perceptive scribe wrote the acronym NCAA took on a new meaning during the plunderous Alcindor Era - "No Chance Against Alcindor."

"Bill Walton might have been a better all-around player (than Alcindor)," Wooden said. "If you were grading a player for every fundamental skill, Walton would rank the highest of any center who ever played. But Alcindor is the most valuable, owing to the pressure he put on the other team at both ends of the court."

North Carolina won all six of its playoff contests by double digits in 2009 but the only titlist to win all of its tournament games by more than 15 points was Ohio State '60. Center Jerry Lucas, a first-team All-American as a sophomore, averaged 24 points and 16 rebounds in four playoff contests for the Buckeyes. He collected 36 points and 25 rebounds to help them erase a six-point halftime deficit in their Mideast Regional opener against Western Kentucky.

Louisville's Rick Pitino was coach for Kentucky in 1996 when the Wildcats posted the fourth-highest winning margin for a titlist in NCAA tourney history. Following is a breakdown of the point differential and average margin of victory in the NCAA playoffs for the first 75 national champions:

Championship Team Coach G. Largest Smallest Average
UCLA '67 John Wooden 4 49 15 23.75
Loyola of Chicago '63 George Ireland 5 *69 2 23.0
Indiana '81 Bob Knight 5 35 13 22.6
Kentucky '96 Rick Pitino 6 38 7 21.5
UCLA '68 John Wooden 4 32 9 21.25
Michigan State '79 Jud Heathcote 5 34 11 20.8
North Carolina '09 Roy Williams 6 43 12 20.17
Ohio State '60 Fred Taylor 4 22 17 19.5
UCLA '69 John Wooden 4 38 3 19.5
UNLV '90 Jerry Tarkanian 6 30 2 18.67
Oklahoma State '45 Hank Iba 3 27 4 18.67
UCLA '70 John Wooden 4 23 11 18.0
UCLA '72 John Wooden 4 32 5 18.0
Kentucky '58 Adolph Rupp 4 33 1 17.5
Kentucky '49 Adolph Rupp 3 29 10 17.33
Indiana '40 Branch McCracken 3 24 9 17.0
Duke '01 Mike Krzyzewski 6 43 10 16.67
Louisville '13 Rick Pitino 6 31 4 16.17
Florida '06 Billy Donovan 6 26 4 16.0
UCLA '73 John Wooden 4 21 11 16.0
Kentucky '48 Adolph Rupp 3 23 8 15.67
North Carolina '93 Dean Smith 6 45 6 15.67
UCLA '65 John Wooden 4 24 8 15.5
Michigan State '00 Tom Izzo 6 27 11 15.33
Oregon '39 Howard Hobson 3 18 13 15.33
Kansas '52 Phog Allen 4 19 4 14.75
Duke '10 Mike Krzyzewski 6 29 2 14.5
UCLA '95 Jim Harrick 6 36 1 14.33
North Carolina State '74 Norman Sloan 4 28 3 14.25
Florida '07 Billy Donovan 6 43 7 14.17
Kansas '08 Bill Self 6 24 2 14.17
Duke '91 Mike Krzyzewski 6 29 2 14.0
Maryland '02 Gary Williams 6 30 8 14.0
San Francisco '56 Phil Woolpert 4 18 11 14.0
North Carolina '05 Roy Williams 6 28 1 13.83
San Francisco '55 Phil Woolpert 5 23 1 13.8
Connecticut '04 Jim Calhoun 6 20 1 13.33
Kentucky '98 Tubby Smith 6 27 1 13.3
Indiana '76 Bob Knight 5 20 5 13.2
Cincinnati '62 Ed Jucker 4 20 2 12.75
Duke '92 Mike Krzyzewski 6 26 1 12.5
Cincinnati '61 Ed Jucker 4 23 5 12.0
Connecticut '99 Jim Calhoun 6 25 3 11.83
Kentucky '12 John Calipari 6 16 8 11.83
Louisville '86 Denny Crum 6 20 3 11.83
Oklahoma A&M '46 Hank Iba 3 17 3 11.67
Holy Cross '47 Doggie Julian 3 15 8 11.33
California '59 Pete Newell 4 20 1 11.25
La Salle '54 Ken Loeffler 5 16 2 11.2
Arkansas '94 Nolan Richardson 6 19 4 11.17
Stanford '42 Everett Dean 3 15 6 10.67
Indiana '87 Bob Knight 6 34 1 10.5
Connecticut '11 Jim Calhoun 6 29 1 10.33
Michigan '89 Steve Fisher 6 37 1 9.83
Georgetown '84 John Thompson Jr. 5 14 1 9.8
Kentucky '51 Adolph Rupp 4 16 2 9.75
Louisville '80 Denny Crum 5 20 2 9.2
Kentucky '78 Joe B. Hall 5 22 3 9.0
Syracuse '03 Jim Boeheim 6 16 1 9.0
Kansas '88 Larry Brown 6 13 3 8.83
UCLA '71 John Wooden 4 18 2 8.5
North Carolina '57 Frank McGuire 5 16 1 8.4
Marquette '77 Al McGuire 5 15 1 8.0
UCLA '64 John Wooden 4 15 4 7.5
UCLA '75 John Wooden 5 14 1 7.4
Indiana '53 Branch McCracken 4 13 1 7.25
Utah '44 Vadal Peterson 3 10 2 7.0
Texas Western '66 Don Haskins 5 15 1 6.4
Wyoming '43 Everett Shelton 3 12 3 6.33
Arizona '97 Lute Olson 6 8 3 5.33
North Carolina State '83 Jim Valvano 6 19 1 5.33
Villanova '85 Rollie Massimino 6 12 2 5.0
North Carolina '82 Dean Smith 5 10 1 4.6
Wisconsin '41 Bud Foster 3 6 1 4.0
CCNY '50 Nat Holman 3 5 1 3.0

*All-time tournament record (111-42 first-round victory over Tennessee Tech).
NOTE: Fifteen teams participated in a total of 20 overtime games en route to national titles - Utah (1944), North Carolina (two triple overtime Final Four games in 1957), Cincinnati (1961), Loyola of Chicago (1963), Texas Western (two in 1966, including a double overtime), North Carolina State (double overtime in 1974), UCLA (two in 1975), Louisville (two in 1980), North Carolina State (double overtime in 1983), Michigan (1989), Duke (1992), North Carolina (1993), Arizona (two in 1997), Kentucky (1998) and Kansas (2008).

Senior Moments: Only One of Champion UL's Top Eight Scorers is a Senior

A senior-laden lineup is not a prerequisite for capturing a national championship. An average of only two seniors were among the top seven scorers for NCAA Tournament titlists since the playoff field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985.

Eight of the 16 NCAA champions from 1991 through 2006 boasted no more than one senior among its top seven scorers, which is what Louisville had this year. Only three NCAA champions since Indiana '87 - UCLA (1995), Michigan (2000) and Maryland (2002) - featured seniors as their top two scorers. Following is a look at the vital seniors for the last 29 basically youthful championship teams (in reverse order):

2013 - Louisville (one of top eight scorers was a senior/Peyton Siva was second-leading scorer).
2012 - Kentucky (one of top seven scorers was a senior/Darius Miller was fifth-leading scorer).
2011 - Connecticut (none of top six scorers was a senior).
2010 - Duke (three of nine-man rotation were seniors/Jon Scheyer was leading scorer, Brian Zoubek was fourth and Lance Thomas was sixth).
2009 - North Carolina (two of top eight in scoring average were seniors/Tyler Hansbrough was leading scorer and Danny Green was fourth).
2008 - Kansas (one of top six scorers was a senior/Darnell Jackson was fourth-leading scorer).
2007 - Florida (two of nine-man rotation were seniors/Lee Humphrey was fifth and Chris Richard was sixth).
2006 - Florida (none of top seven scorers was a senior).
2005 - North Carolina (one of top five scorers was a senior/Jawad Williams was third).
2004 - Connecticut (one of top eight scorers was a senior/Taliek Brown was sixth).
2003 - Syracuse (one of top eight scorers was a senior/Keith Duany was fourth).
2002 - Maryland (three of top eight regulars were seniors/Juan Dixon was top scorer, Lonny Baxter was second and Byron Mouton was fourth).
2001 - Duke (two of top nine scorers were seniors/Shane Battier was second and Nate James was fifth).
2000 - Michigan State (three of top 11 scorers were seniors/Morris Peterson was first, Mateen Cleaves was second and A.J. Granger was fifth).
1999 - Connecticut (one of top seven scorers was a senior/Ricky Moore was fifth).
1998 - Kentucky (two of top seven scorers were seniors/Jeff Sheppard was first and Allen Edwards was fifth).
1997 - Arizona (none of top seven scorers was a senior).
1996 - Kentucky (three of top 10 scorers were seniors/Tony Delk was first, Walter McCarty was third and Mark Pope was sixth).
1995 - UCLA (three of top seven scorers were seniors/Ed O'Bannon was first, Tyus Edney was second and George Zidek was fourth).
1994 - Arkansas (one of top 10 scorers was a senior/Roger Crawford was eighth).
1993 - North Carolina (one of top seven scorers was a senior/George Lynch was second).
1992 - Duke (two of top 10 scorers were seniors/Christian Laettner was first and Brian Davis was fifth).
1991 - Duke (one of top 10 scorers was a senior/Greg Koubek was seventh).
1990 - UNLV (two of top eight scorers were seniors/David Butler was third and Moses Scurry was sixth).
1989 - Michigan (two of top 11 scorers were seniors/Glen Rice was first and Mark Hughes was sixth).
1988 - Kansas (two of top 11 scorers were seniors/Danny Manning was first and Chris Piper was fourth).
1987 - Indiana (two of top eight scorers were seniors/Steve Alford was first and Daryl Thomas was second).
1986 - Louisville (three of top nine scorers were seniors/Billy Thompson was first, Milt Wagner was second and Jeff Hall was fifth).
1985 - Villanova (three of top eight scorers were seniors/Ed Pinckney was first, Dwayne McClain was second and Gary McLain was fourth).

States of Success: Kentucky Surpasses California For Most National Titles

Kentucky (31), buttressed by Louisville ([NCAA DI) and Georgetown (NAIA), moved ahead of California (30) as the state with the most national titles from each level of four-year college men's basketball - NCAA Division I, NIT, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Illinois and Ohio are the only states to boast at least one champion from all five levels. Among the 12 states amassing a total of more than 10 national crowns, Missouri is the only one in that group without a Division I championship. Drury (Mo.) won the DII title but the state's headline school - Mizzou - never has reached the Final Four.

The biggest surprise among states never to capture a national title is Iowa. Following is how states stack up by national titles including the NIT and various levels of small-college basketball:

State DI NIT DII DIII NAIA Total
Kentucky 11 3 10 0 7 31
California 15 7 5 0 3 30
Ohio 3 6 3 5 2 19
North Carolina 11 2 3 0 1 17
Illinois 1 6 1 6 1 15
New York 2 10 0 3 0 15
Oklahoma 2 2 1 0 10 15
Indiana 5 2 6 0 1 14
Missouri 0 1 2 2 8 13
Pennsylvania 2 6 2 3 0 13
Wisconsin 2 1 0 10 0 13
Kansas 3 1 1 0 6 11
Texas 1 2 0 0 7 10
Virginia 0 4 5 1 0 10
Michigan 3 3 0 2 0 8
Minnesota 0 2 2 1 3 8
Tennessee 0 2 1 1 4 8
Alabama 0 0 3 0 3 6
Georgia 0 0 1 0 5 6
Massachusetts 1 1 1 3 0 6
Connecticut 3 1 1 0 0 5
Maryland 1 1 2 0 1 5
Arizona 1 0 0 0 3 4
South Carolina 0 2 0 0 2 4
Utah 1 3 0 0 0 4
West Virginia 0 2 0 0 2 4
Colorado 0 1 2 0 0 3
District of Columbia 1 0 1 1 0 3
Florida 2 0 1 0 0 3
Louisiana 0 0 0 0 3 3
New Jersey 0 2 0 1 0 3
Arkansas 1 0 0 0 1 2
Rhode Island 0 2 0 0 0 2
South Dakota 0 0 2 0 0 2
Washington 0 0 2 0 0 2
Hawaii 0 0 0 0 1 1
Mississippi 0 1 0 0 0 1
Montana 0 0 0 0 1 1
Nebraska 0 1 0 0 0 1
Nevada 1 0 0 0 0 1
New Mexico 0 0 0 0 1 1
Oregon 1 0 0 0 0 1
Wyoming 1 0 0 0 0 1

NOTE: Eight states - Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Vermont - never have had a four-year school win a men's national championship.

Improbable Heroes: Michigan Nearly Put Spike in Louisville's Championship

There have been times at the Final Four when a player not recognized as an All-American supplies a Herculean performance. One that stands out was in 1984 when Georgetown's Michael Jackson, a 6-1 guard averaging 1.4 rebounds per game entering the Final Four, retrieved 10 missed shots against Kentucky's formidable frontline to help the Hoyas overcome a seven-point halftime deficit in the national semifinals.

Michigan freshman guard Spike Albrecht, averaging an anemic 1.6 points per game entering this year's Final Four, almost became an overnight legend with 17 first-half points subbing for national player of the year Trey Burke. But Albrecht and the Wolverines came back to earth after intermission in the title tilt against Louisville.

From a historical perspective, nothing compares to the version of Washington coming "out-of-the-valley forge" when UCLA's Kenny Washington was instrumental in helping venerable coach John Wooden capture his first NCAA Tournament championship in 1964. Washington, the only player with a single-digit season scoring average (6.1) to tally more than 25 points in a championship game, scored 26 points in a 98-83 triumph over Duke in the final. Teammate Gail Goodrich contributed 27 points as he and Washington became the only duo to each score more than 25 in an NCAA final.

Although Washington became the only player to score 25 or more points in a final and not be named to the All-Tournament team, he wasn't rebuffed again the next year. Washington, averaging a modest 8.9 points per game entering the 1965 Final Four, scored a total of 27 points in victories over Wichita State and Michigan as the Bruins successfully defended their title en route to 10 crowns in 12 years under Wooden. Washington joined teammates Goodrich and Edgar Lacey on the 1965 All-Tournament team with co-national players of the year Bill Bradley (princeton) and Cazzie Russell (Michigan).

In 1969, UCLA was without two-time All-Tournament team selection Lucius Allen because of academic problems, but the Bruins got another significant increase in point production at the Final Four from an unlikely source. Guard John Vallely averaged 22 points in victories against Drake and Purdue after arriving at the national semifinals with a 10.2-point average. Only one senior is on the following list of five championship team rank-and-file players to average fewer than eight points per game entering the Final Four before seizing the moment and averaging double digits in scoring in their last two games with an increase of more than seven points per game from their pre-Final Four scoring mark:

Unsung Hero Class Pos. NCAA Champion Season Avg. Avg. Before Final 4 Final 4 Avg. Avg. Increase
Kenny Washington Soph. F-G UCLA '64 6.1 5.2 19.5 14.3
Norm Mager Sr. F CCNY '50 3.6 3.0 11.5 8.5
John Dick Jr. F Oregon '39 6.7 6.3 14.5 8.2
Gene Brown Soph. G San Francisco '56 7.1 6.6 14.0 7.4
Tommy Curtis Jr. G UCLA '73 6.4 5.8 13.0 7.2

NOTE: Washington State junior guard Kirk Gebert, who scored 21 points in a 39-34 loss against Wisconsin in 1941 final to finish the year with a 6.6-point average, is the only player other than Washington with a single-digit season average to score more than 20 points in a title game.

College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #23)

CollegeHoopedia.com hopes the rigors of our daily Q&A didn't give you an inferiority complex. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, this is final of 23 days featuring a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from (10 per day from Selection Sunday until a grand finale added value of 20 on the day of the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only automatic qualifier to enter the NCAA playoffs with an overall losing record despite compiling a winning conference mark. Hint: The school lost in the first round to the nation's top-ranked team, an opponent the school succumbed to four seasons earlier when eventual NBA guard Lindsey Hunter scored a then school-record 48 points.

2. Name the only one of the different teams to twice defeat an eventual NCAA champion in their title season to not appear in the NCAA Tournament that year. Hint: A former NBA coach guided the school to its only NCAA playoff victory against an opponent whose coach also later coached in the NBA.

3. Name the only team since seeding started to reach the Final Four without meeting a top eight seed. Hint: The team was eliminated in the national semifinals.

4. Name the only school to twice be denied an at-large bid in a 10-year span despite going undefeated in regular-season conference competition. Hint: The school reached a regional final the next time it went unbeaten in league play.

5. Name the only school in the 20th Century to compete for the national championship in both football and basketball in the same academic school year. Hint: The school lost both games.

6. Who is the only individual to win tournament games while coaching schools from the three conferences with the top winning percentages in NCAA Tournament competition reflecting actual membership (ACC, Big East and Big Ten)? Hint: He is the only coach to win playoff games with as many as three different schools when they were seeded ninth or worse.

7. Who is the only coach to win national championships in junior college, the NIT and the NCAA. Hint: He won the NIT in his first year as a major college head coach.

8. Who is the only leading scorer in an NCAA Tournament championship game to subsequently serve as an admiral in the U.S. Navy? Hint: He was an NCAA consensus first-team All-America the next season before eventually commanding the aircraft carrier Saratoga for two years.

9. Who is the only championship game starter in the 20th Century to be the son of a former NCAA consensus All-American? Hint: The father was a U.S. Olympic team member and the star player for the first black coach at a predominantly white Division I school.

10. Name the only teammate twosome to each score more than 25 points in an NCAA final. Hint: They combined for 53 points to lead their school to its first of multiple NCAA Tournament titles.

11. Name the only starting backcourt to combine for more than 50 points in a Final Four game. Hint: They combined to shoot 39 percent from the floor in the two Final Four games that year.

12. Who is the only individual to coach teams in the NAIA Tournament, NCAA Division III Tournament, NCAA Division II Tournament, National Invitation Tournament and NCAA Division I Tournament? Hint: He took two different schools to the five levels of national postseason competition in a 13-year span beginning with an appearance as an interim head coach.

13. Who is the only individual to be the team-high scorer for both winning and losing teams in NCAA championship games although his season scoring average was less than half of the team leader each year? Hint: He played in the shadow of an All-American whose total of points and rebounds (4,663) is the highest in NCAA history.

14. Who is the only coach to guide teams from the same school to the football Rose Bowl and basketball Final Four? Hint: The Rose Bowl and Final Four appearances were 17 years apart.

15. Name the only son of a member of one of the first classes of baseball Hall of Fame selections to start for a school in its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Hint: The son pitched for four major league teams before becoming a prominent executive. His father was a first baseman.

16. Name the only school to reach the Final Four and College World Series championship game in the same year. Hint: The school advanced to the Final Four again the next season.

17. Who is the only coach to win three first-round games with teams seeded 12th or worse? Hint: The former coach was 4-1 in tournament games decided by fewer than five points. He played basketball at Fordham when NFL Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi was the Rams' freshman basketball coach.

18. Name the school that won all four of its first-round games despite being seeded eighth or worse each time. Hint: The four victories came in the first five tournaments after the NCAA introduced seeding.

19. Name the only school to appear in at least three NCAA Tournaments in the 20th Century and reach a regional final each time. Hint: The school's playoff appearances were in successive years.

20. Who is the only player to obtain NCAA and NBA championship rings without participating in postseason competition for either the college or pro title teams? Hint: The 7-0 center was in his first year with both of the championship squads.

Answers (Day 23)

Day 22 Questions and Answers

Day 21 Questions and Answers

Day 20 Questions and Answers

Day 19 Questions and Answers

Day 18 Questions and Answers

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Day 12 Questions and Answers

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Day 1 Questions and Answers

Last Man Standing: Luke Hancock Named Final Four Most Outstanding Player

"I'm gonna make it to heaven, Light up the sky like a flame. I'm gonna live forever. Baby, remember my name." - Theme from 1980s film and TV series Fame

Who was bound to become 2013 Final Four Most Outstanding Player? Would it be national player of the year Trey Burke (Michigan) or Russ Smith (Louisville) after he was snubbed as an All-American? No, it turned out to be George Mason transfer Luke Hancock.

At any rate, a post-playing days vocation is probably the last thing Burke, Hancock or Smith is thinking about. But what happens when the ball stops bouncing? What did the brightest stars do in the real world? The following individuals weren't always defined solely as basketball standouts who earned acclaim as the Most Outstanding Player at a Final Four:

Year(s) - Most Outstanding Player, School

1939 - Jimmy Hull, Ohio State
Employed as a dentist.

1940 - Marv Huffman, Indiana
Played one season with Goodyear in the National Industrial League in 1940-41 (5.1 ppg) and four with the Akron Collegians. After he stopped playing basketball, he was a special assistant to the president of Goodyear. He died in 1984 of multiple sclerosis.

1941 - John Kotz, Wisconsin
Retired in 1980 after working his way up from shipping clerk to president and majority stockholder of Badger Sporting Goods Company.

1942 - Howie Dallmar, Stanford
Averaged 9.6 ppg with the Philadelphia Warriors in three NBA seasons from 1946-47 through 1948-49. Compiled a 105-51 record (.673) for Penn in six seasons from 1948-49 through 1953-54 before posting a 264-264 record (.500) for Stanford in 21 seasons from 1954-55 through 1974-75. His best season was a 22-5 mark in 1952-53.

1943 - Ken Sailors, Wyoming
Averaged 12.6 ppg and 2.8 apg with seven different NBA teams in five seasons from 1946-47 through 1950-51. Lived in Gakona, Alaska, where he owned a guided big-game hunting business with his son. Had a winter home in Arizona.

1944 - Arnie Ferrin, Utah
Averaged 5.8 ppg with the Minneapolis Lakers in three NBA seasons from 1948-49 through 1950-51. General Manager of the ABA's Utah Stars, athletic director for his alma mater and chairman of the NCAA Tournament selection committee in 1988.

1945 and 1946 - Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M
Retired Phillips Petroleum executive had a retirement home in Florida.

1947 - George Kaftan, Holy Cross
Averaged 7.5 ppg with the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets in five NBA seasons from 1948-49 through 1952-53. Graduated from Georgetown Dental School, coached C.W. Post for 17 seasons and maintained a dental practice.

1948 and 1949 - Alex Groza, Kentucky
Averaged 22.5 ppg with the Indianapolis Olympians in two NBA seasons in 1949-50 and 1950-51 before his pro career ended because of a college point-shaving scandal. Got a job at General Electric in Louisville before returning to his hometown (Martin's Ferry, Ohio) and running his mother's tavern. Compiled a 91-77 record (.542) as coach for Bellarmine College in seven seasons from 1959-60 through 1965-66. Executive with two ABA franchises (Kentucky Colonels and San Diego Conquistadors) before getting involved with professional volleyball. Joined Reynolds Metals in 1977 and traveled around the country as Pacific Coast manager of its chemical division.

1950 - Irwin Dambrot, CCNY
Became a dentist.

1951 - Bill Spivey, Kentucky
After 16 years in the bush leagues with assorted nondescript teams, he extended his nomadic existence with a series of jobs - salesman, insurance agent, real estate developer, government official (Kentucky's deputy insurance commissioner) and restaurant and bar owner - before relocating to Costa Rica.

1952 - Clyde Lovellette, Kansas
Averaged 17 ppg and 9.5 rpg with the Minneapolis Lakers, Cincinnati Royals, St. Louis Hawks and Boston Celtics in 11 NBA seasons from 1953-54 through 1963-64. Assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers in 1967 when they started their ABA franchise. Served as a sheriff in his native Indiana and taught and coached at White's Institute, a school for troubled youngsters in Wabash, before moving to Munising, Mich.

1953 - B.H. Born, Kansas
Played AAU basketball until the late 1950s with the Peoria (Ill.) Caterpillars before going to work in the personnel office for Caterpillar Bulldozers. He spent his entire career working for Caterpillar until his retirement.

1954 - Tom Gola, La Salle
Averaged 11.3 ppg and 8 rpg with the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors and New York Knicks in 11 NBA seasons from 1955-56 through 1965-66. He invested in driving ranges, apartment complexes, recycling companies and residential sites. Gola owned his own insurance company and a skating rink. He was a spokesman for Texaco, Vitalis and the Army Reserve. In 1966, Gola began a two-term career as a state legislator while coaching his alma mater before becoming Philadelphia's city controller. He later became a vice president of the Valley Forge Investment Corporation and served on the board of the Philadelphia Convention Center.

1955 - Bill Russell, San Francisco
Twelve-time All-Star averaged 15.1 ppg, 22.5 rpg and 4.3 apg with the Boston Celtics in 13 NBA seasons from 1956-57 through 1968-69. Five-time MVP was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996). Compiled a 341-290 record (.540) with the Celtics (1966-67 through 1968-69), Seattle SuperSonics (1973-74 through 1976-77) and Sacramento Kings (1987-88) in eight seasons. Network analyst dabbled with acting but retreated to the quiet life on Mercer Island in Washington, and has a clothing line company called Center Court.

1956 - Hal Lear, Temple
Played in three games for the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors in 1956-57 before playing 10 seasons in the Eastern Basketball League, becoming MVP in 1956-57 and averaging 39.7 ppg for Easton in 1960-61. Also averaged 13.1 ppg for Los Angeles and Cleveland in the ABL in 1961-62.

1957 - Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas
Averaged 30.1 ppg, 22.9 rpg and 4.4 apg with the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers in 14 NBA seasons from 1959-60 through 1972-73. Made a fortune in the restaurant business, designed homes, owned racehorses and played professional volleyball. Also wrote four books: Wilt; A View From Above; Chamberlain House: The Possible Dream, and Who's Running the Asylum: The Insane World of Sports Today.

1958 - Elgin Baylor, Seattle
Averaged 27.4 ppg, 13.5 rpg and 4.3 apg with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers in 14 seasons from 1958-59 through 1971-72. Coached the New Orleans Jazz for four seasons in the late 1970s (86-135 record). Executive with the Los Angeles Clippers.

1959 - Jerry West, West Virginia
Averaged 27 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 6.7 apg with the Los Angeles Lakers in 14 NBA seasons from 1960-61 through 1973-74. Long-time executive with the Lakers before accepting a similar position with the Memphis Grizzlies.

1960 and 1961 - Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
Seven-time All-Star averaged 17 ppg and 15.6 rpg with the Cincinnati Royals, San Francisco Warriors and New York Knicks in 11 NBA seasons from 1963-64 through 1973-74. One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996). Memory expert and motivational speaker lived in Templeton, Calif., while working on revolutionary educational programs. Taught his memory and learning technique to many Fortune 500 companies and countless churches. He authored more than 60 books on learning, including The Memory Book, which was on the New York Times' best-seller list for 50 weeks and reached the No. 2 position behind All the President's Men, the investigative story that uncovered the Watergate scandal.

1962 - Paul Hogue, Cincinnati
Averaged 6.3 ppg and 7.1 rpg with the New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets in two NBA seasons in 1962-63 and 1963-64. Worked with the Tennessee juvenile program before moving back to Cincinnati to work at a milling machine firm. He served as a physical therapist at a state mental hospital, a counselor at a neighborhood youth center and as a counselor in a local school system before becoming the division supervisor for the Postal Services' Employee Assistance Program.

1963 - Art Heyman, Duke
Averaged 10.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg with the New York Knicks, Cincinnati Royals and Philadelphia 76ers in three NBA seasons from 1963-64 through 1965-66 before averaging 15.4 ppg and 6.4 rpg with the New Jersey Americans, Pittsburgh/Minnesota Pipers and Miami Floridians in three ABA seasons from 1967-68 through 1969-70. Owned and operated several restaurants.

1964 - Walt Hazzard, UCLA
Averaged 12.6 ppg, 3 rpg and 4.9 apg with five different NBA teams in 10 seasons from 1964-65 through 1973-74. Worked in the Los Angeles Lakers' front office and coached his alma mater and Chapman College before suffering a stroke and undergoing open-heart surgery in 1996.

1965 - Bill Bradley, Princeton
Rhodes Scholar averaged 12.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 3.4 apg with the New York Knicks in 10 NBA seasons from 1967-68 through 1976-77. Three-term U.S. Senator (Democrat-N.J.) until 1995 was a tax and trade expert with a strong voice on race issues and campaign finance reform. The presidential candidate against Al Gore in 2000 authored two basketball books (Life on the Run in 1976 and Values of the Game in 1998).

1966 - Jerry Chambers, Utah
Averaged 8.3 ppg and 3.2 rpg with the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves, San Diego Conquistadors and San Antonio Spurs in six NBA/ABA seasons from 1966-67 to 1973-74. Worked for the L.A. city parks and recreation department for many years.(323/732-0391 or 323/939-8874)

1967, 1968 and 1969 - Lew Alcindor, UCLA
Six-time league MVP averaged 24.6 ppg and 11.2 rpg in 20 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969-70 through 1988-89. Nineteen-time All-Star is one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996). In 1999, he worked with a high school team at White Mountain Apache Reservation in Whiteriver, Ariz. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000 and then worked in training camp with the Indiana Pacers before becoming head coach of the USBL's Oklahoma Storm for one season. Hired by the New York Knicks as a scout in March, 2004 before serving as a Lakers aide helping develop center Andrew Bynum. In January 2012, he was appointed a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State.

1970 - Sidney Wicks, UCLA
Averaged 16.8 ppg and 8.7 rpg with the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics and San Diego Clippers in 10 NBA seasons from 1971-72 through 1980-81. Worked in property management. Served as an assistant coach at his alma mater under Walt Hazzard for four seasons in the mid-1980s. At the completion of his coaching stint with the Bruins, Wicks has been in private business.

1971 - Howard Porter, Villanova
Averaged 9.2 ppg and 4.1 rpg with the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and New Jersey Nets in seven NBA seasons from 1971-72 through 1977-78. Senior probation officer for Ramsey County (Minn.) after getting clean from drugs with the help of a colleague working with him loading furniture for a construction firm in Orlando. Earlier, Porter failed at running a club in Florida and a convenience store. He was trying to trade money and crack cocaine for sex with a prostitute in St. Paul in May, 2007, when the probation officer was beaten to death, according to murder charges filed several months later.

1972 and 1973 - Bill Walton, UCLA
Averaged 13.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 3.4 apg with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics in 10 NBA seasons from 1974-75 to 1986-87. Network commentator for both the NBA and NCAA after and while working in a similar capacity for the Clippers.

1974 - David Thompson, North Carolina State
Averaged 22.7 ppg and 4.1 rpg with the Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics in nine ABA/NBA seasons from 1975-76 through 1983-84. Motivational speaker with Unlimited Sports Management was also community relations director for the Charlotte Hornets.

1975 - Richard Washington, UCLA
Averaged 9.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg with the Kansas City Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers in six NBA seasons from 1976-77 through 1981-82. Contractor in Portland.

1976 - Kent Benson, Indiana
Averaged 9.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg with four different NBA teams in 11 seasons from 1977-78 through 1987-88. Resided in Bloomington, where he worked with Diversified Benefit Services.

1977 - Butch Lee, Marquette
Averaged 8.1 ppg and 3.2 apg with the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers in two NBA seasons in 1978-79 and 1979-80. Owned two restaurants, coached pro ball in Puerto Rico and had a sign business in San Juan.

1978 - Jack Givens, Kentucky
Averaged 6.7 ppg and 2.9 rpg with the Atlanta Hawks in two NBA seasons in 1978-79 and 1979-80. Announcer for the Orlando Magic.

1979 - Magic Johnson, Michigan State
Averaged 19.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg and 11.2 apg with the Los Angeles Lakers in 13 NBA seasons from 1979-80 through 1990-91 and 1995-96. Business entrepreneur emphasized attempting to revitalize a number of minority neighborhoods. He owned the Magic Theatres, an L.A. restaurant chain (Fatburgers), a TGI Friday's and some Starbucks coffee shops. Johnson was a principal in a local black-owned bank and delved into the entertainment business as a concert promoter and owner of the Magic Johnson Record label. Part of ownership group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in the spring of 2012.

1980 - Darrell Griffith, Louisville
Averaged 16.2 ppg and 3.3 rpg with the Utah Jazz in 11 NBA seasons from 1980-81 through 1990-91. Resides in Louisville where he has several real estate investments and business interests. Father-in-law of NBA standout Derek Anderson established a foundation in his hometown.

1981 - Isiah Thomas, Indiana
Twelve-time All-Star averaged 19.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 9.3 apg with the Detroit Pistons in 13 NBA seasons from 1981-82 through 1993-94. One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996) served as president of the New York Knicks from 2003-04 through 2007-08. Executive and part owner of the Toronto Raptors, owner of the CBA and coach of the Indiana Pacers (131-115 record in three seasons from 2000-01 through 2002-03). Served as coach for Florida International the last three seasons.

1982 - James Worthy, North Carolina
Averaged 17.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 3 apg with the Los Angeles Lakers in 12 NBA seasons from 1982-83 through 1993-94. Network TV analyst.

1983 - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
Twelve-time All-Star averaged 21.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg and 3.1 bpg with the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors in 18 seasons from 1984-85 through 2001-02. Six-time All-NBA first-team selection was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996). NBA Most Valuable Player in 1993-94 is one of only eight players in league history to amass more than 20,000 points and 12,000 rebounds.

1984 - Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
Eleven-time All-Star averaged 21 ppg, 9.8 rpg and 2.4 bpg with the New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic in 17 seasons from 1985-86 through 1991-02. One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996) became an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets.

1985 - Ed Pinckney, Villanova
Averaged 6.8 ppg and 5 rpg with seven different NBA teams in 12 seasons from 1985-86 through 1996-97. Miami Heat TV analyst while trying to cope with an overactive thyroid.

1986 - Pervis Ellison, Louisville
Averaged 9.7 ppg and 6.8 rpg with the Sacramento Kings, Washington Bullets and Boston Celtics in 10 NBA seasons from 1989-90 through 1997-98 and 1999-2000. Lives in Atlanta.

1987 - Keith Smart, Indiana
Played in two games with the San Antonio Spurs in 1988-89 before basketball took him to the Philippines, Venezuela and France. After playing and coaching in the CBA with the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Fury, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as director of player development and assistant coach. Smart was named interim head coach of the Cavs midway through the 2002-03 campaign, replacing John Lucas. Also coach the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.

1988 - Danny Manning, Kansas
Two-time All-Star averaged 14 ppg and 5.2 rpg with seven different franchises in 15 NBA seasons from 1988-89 through 2002-03. Assistant coach at his alma mater for nine seasons before accepting head coaching position with Tulsa.

1989 - Glen Rice, Michigan
Averaged 18.3 ppg and 4.4 rpg with six different NBA franchises in 15 seasons from 1989-90 through 2003-04. Three-time All-Star is still the Heat's all-time leading scorer.

1990 - Anderson Hunt, UNLV
Pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in connection with marijuana found in his possession during a traffic stop in October 1993. Worked in real estate in Detroit.

1991 - Christian Laettner, Duke
All-Star in 1996-97 averaged 12.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 2.6 apg with six different NBA franchises in 13 seasons from 1992-93 through 2004-05. He and Duke teammate Brian Davis faced huge financial and legal hurdles stemming from a loan their real estate company failed to repay nearly $700,000 to former Duke captain and current Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins. Court documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal indicated that Laettner and Davis were defendants in several civil lawsuits seeking repayment of about $30 million.

1992 - Bobby Hurley, Duke
Averaged 3.8 ppg and 3.3 apg with the Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies in five NBA seasons from 1993-94 through 1997-98. Owned race horses and did TV commentary on the ACC for Fox Sports. Assistant coach under his brother, Danny, with Wagner and Rhode Island.

1993 - Donald Williams, North Carolina
Played professional basketball overseas in Germany and Greece and with the Harlem Globetrotters.

1994 - Corliss Williamson, Arkansas
Averaged 11.1 ppg and 3.9 rpg with the Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers in 12 NBA seasons from 1995-96 through 2006-07. Scored a career-high 40 points against the Pistons on 3-4-98. Coached for Arkansas Baptist College and Central Arkansas.

1995 - Ed O'Bannon, UCLA
Averaged 5 ppg and 2.5 rpg with the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks in two NBA seasons in 1995-96 and 1996-97. After his NBA career, he played in several other professional leagues and is currently playing in Poland.

1996 - Tony Delk, Kentucky
Averaged 9.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 1.9 apg with eight different franchises in 10 NBA seasons from 1996-97 through 2005-06. Scored a career-high 53 points against the Kings on 1-2-01.

1997 - Miles Simon, Arizona
Appeared in five games with the NBA's Orlando Magic in 1998-99. Played professionally in Israel in 2000 and Italy in 2001 before joining the Dakota Wizards of the CBA where he earned 2002 Newcomer of the Year and MVP honors. Also played in Venezuela and Turkey before joining his alma mater's staff as an assistant under Lute Olson in 2005. Served as a commentator for ESPN.

1998 - Jeff Sheppard, Kentucky
After playing the 1998-99 season with the Atlanta Hawks, he played professionally in Italy. Married former UK women's player Stacey Reed.

1999 - Richard Hamilton, Connecticut
Averaged 17.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 3.4 apg with the Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls in 14 seasons from 1999-2000 to 2012-13.

2000 - Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State
Averaged 3.6 ppg and 1.9 apg with four different NBA franchises in six seasons from 2000-01 through 2005-06.

2001 - Shane Battier, Duke
Averaged 9 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 1.8 apg with four different NBA franchises in 12 seasons from 2001-02 to 2012-13.

2002 - Juan Dixon, Maryland
Averaged 8.4 ppg with five different NBA franchises in seven seasons from 2002-03 through 2008-09 before playing overseas in Greece, Spain and Turkey.

2003 - Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse
Averaged 25 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 3.1 apg with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks in 10 seasons from 2003-04 to 2012-13.

2004 - Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
Averaged 12.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg and 1.7 bpg with the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards in nine seasons from 2004-05 to 2012-13.

2005 - Sean May, North Carolina
Averaged 6.9 ppg and 4 rpg with the Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings in four injury-plagued seasons from 2005-06 through 2009-10 before playing overseas.

2006 - Joakim Noah, Florida
Averaged 9.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 1.5 bpg with the Chicago Bulls in six seasons from 2007-08 to 2012-13.

2007 - Corey Brewer, Florida
Averaged 9.5 and 3.1 rpg with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets in six seasons from 2007-08 to 2012-13.

2008 - Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Averaged 8.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg and 1.5 spg with the Miami Heat in five seasons from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

2009 - Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
Averaged 6.8 ppg and 2 rpg with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers in four seasons from 2009-10 to 2012-13.

2010 - Kyle Singler, Duke
Second-round draft choice by the NBA's Detroit Pistons played overseas two seasons in Spain before averaging 8.8 ppg and 4 rpg as a rookie in 2012-13.

2011 - Kemba Walker, Connecticut
Averaged 15 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.1 apg and 1.5 spg with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

2012 - Anthony Davis, Kentucky
Averaging 13.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 1.8 bpg as a rookie with the New Orleans Hornets in 2012-13.

College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #22)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 22 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only player to lead an NCAA Tournament team in season scoring and rebounding before becoming the only NCAA playoff participant to subsequently appear in both the NBA Finals and World Series. Hint: He became his alma mater's athletic director.

2. Name the only championship team to have two guards be its top two scorers for the season. Hint: It's the only school to win an NCAA title the year after losing an NCAA Tournament opener by a double-digit margin.

3. Who is the only individual to play for an NCAA champion, NBA champion and ABA champion? Hint: The 6-2 swingman averaged almost three times as many rebounds per game for back-to-back NCAA titlists as he did points per game in his pro career.

4. Name the only school to lose an NCAA Tournament game in which it connected on at least three-fourths of its field-goal attempts. Hint: The school's leading scorer in that game was a freshman who went on to average at least 22 points per game in four tourneys, including first-round games against No. 3 and No. 4 seeds his last three years.

5. Who is the only player to hit a game-winning basket in an NCAA final one year and become a consensus All-American for another university the next season? Hint: He was a second-team All-American the same season a former teammate was first-team All-American one year after being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a freshman.

6. Name the only team to defeat three #1 seeds in a single tourney. Hint: The three #1 seeds were the three winningest schools in the history of major-college basketball. The champion is the only team needing at least four games to win the NCAA title to have all of its playoff games decided by single-digit margins. It is also the only titlist to finish as low as fifth place in its conference standings.

7. Name the only NCAA championship team to have four freshman starters. Hint: Two of the freshmen were among three starters who also excelled in a sport other than basketball.

8. Who is the only Final Four coach to previously lead the nation in a statistical category as a major-college player? Hint: He coached his alma mater to the NCAA Tournament six years later before guiding another school to the Final Four twice in a four-year span.

9. Name the only school to appear in the NCAA Tournament under two coaches who subsequently became NBA coach of the year. Hint: The school participated in the NCAA playoffs under these individuals in back-to-back seasons before they earned their NBA awards in a five-year span.

10. Who is the only player to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds for an NIT semifinalist one year and an NCAA semifinalist the next season? Hint: After earning an NIT Most Valuable Player award, he helped his school become the first member of a first-year conference to reach the NCAA Final Four.

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College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #21)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 21 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only player to post the highest-scoring game in a single tournament the same year he also played major league baseball? Hint: He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

2. Who is the only Final Four player to become AAU national champion in the decathlon in the same year? Hint: The Final Four team's third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder finished third in the decathlon the previous year.

3. Who is the only Final Four player to finish among the top two high jumpers in four NCAA national track meets? Hint: The starting center for a national championship team is the first athlete to place in the NCAA high jump four consecutive years.

4. Name the only coach in NCAA history to reach an NCAA Division I Tournament regional final in back-to-back years with different schools. Hint: He also reached a regional final in his first season at his next coaching outpost.

5. Name the only top-ranked team entering the tournament to be eliminated by an opponent it defeated by more than 40 points during the regular season. Hint: The school that avenged the embarrassing defeat upended the nation's second-ranked team in its next playoff game.

6. Who is the only individual to play in the NCAA Tournament before setting several major league fielding records for a second baseman? Hint: He was the second-leading scorer for his school's playoff team and one of his teammates has been a prominent college basketball coach for more than 20 years.

7. Who is the only member of the College Football Hall of Fame to participate in back-to-back Final Fours? Hint: He is one of the few athletes to earn consensus football All-American honors at two positions.

8. Who is the only individual to lead a school in scoring in an NCAA Tournament before leading a major league in doubles as a player and manage a team in a World Series? Hint: The outfielder drove in six runs in one inning of an American League game.

9. Name the only university to win a minimum of two games in four different postseason national tournaments - NAIA, NCAA Division II, NIT and NCAA Division I. Hint: Of the schools to win at least one game in all four national tourneys, it is the only one with an overall losing record in postseason competition.

10. Name the only school to win back-to-back basketball championships the same academic school years it participated in New Year's Day football bowl games. Hint: One of the two basketball title teams is the only school to have as many as 26 different players appear in its games in a season it won an NCAA crown. The two titlists helped the school become the only university to reach the NCAA championship game in its first three playoff appearances.

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College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #20)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 20 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only athlete to rank among the top five in scoring average in an NCAA Tournament and later start for an NFL champion? Hint: He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection who played in back-to-back Super Bowls. His brother was the first black player for the major leagues' last integrated team.

2. Who is the only player to lead an NCAA championship game in scoring while playing for his father? Hint: The son has the lowest game-high point total in NCAA final history.

3. Who comprise the only father/son combination to twice reach the Final Four together as coach and player? Hint: The son was a starter for a team that was undefeated entering the Final Four.

4. Who is the only active coach to have played in the NCAA Tournament and College World Series in the same year? Hint: He served as captain on the baseball and basketball teams as a college senior. After graduation, he played minor league baseball before becoming an outstanding fast-pitch softball player who was named to a couple of national All-Star teams.

5. Name the only school to have a single coach guide the same group of players to victories in the NAIA Tournament, NIT and NCAA Tournament. Hint: It's the only school in the last 60 years to enter the NIT with an undefeated record. One of the five regulars from the three national postseason tournament winners was one of the NBA's premier rebounders before becoming an assistant coach in the league and head coach of his alma mater.

6. Who is the only coach to guide teams to the championship game in both the Division I and Division II Tournaments? Hint: He is the only coach to have a career NCAA Division I Tournament record as many as eight games below the .500 mark, only title team coach to compile a non-winning career playoff mark and only coach to lose three consecutive regional final games.

7. Who is the only player to score more than 60% of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game and be on the losing end of the score? Hint: It was a first-round contest and the individual was national player of the year.

8. Who is the only player to score more than two-thirds of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game? Hint: He scored more than 50% of his squad's points over three playoff outings.

9. Name the only school to win a small college national postseason tournament before capturing at least one NCAA Division I title. Hint: The school opposed the same coach in the championship game of the small college tournament and the NCAA Final Four. The school also supplied the only team to win an NCAA crown after setting or tying an existing school record for most defeats the previous season.

10. Who is the only individual to participate in the Final Four before playing and coaching in the NFL at least five seasons apiece? Hint: He was a member of an NFL team that moved to another city the year after capturing the league title.

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Junior College Jewels: Wichita State Goes For Gold with Juco Products

Junior college products have made a significant difference for NCAA Tournament titlists. Keith Erickson (El Camino CA), Jack Hirsch (Los Angeles Valley CA), Larry Hollyfield (Compton CA), Terry Schofield (Santa Monica CA), John Vallely (Orange Coast CA) and Sidney Wicks (Santa Monica CA) were instrumental in helping UCLA win seven of its NCAA championships (1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973) and mighty mite Bobby Joe Hill (Burlington IA) was the spark-plug for Texas Western when the Miners captured the 1966 title. Wicks is the only individual to become a member of three NCAA champions after playing in junior college.

Taking a cue from Kansas' eight Final Four squads benefiting from J.C. recruits, Wichita State's top three scorers and six of the Shockers' 11 regulars are juco products. Harvey Grant, an All-American for Oklahoma in 1987-88 and the father of Syracuse forward Jerami Grant, is among the following alphabetical list of key Final Four team members who previously played for junior colleges:

J.C. Recruit Pos. Final Four Team(s) Junior College(s)
George Ackles C UNLV '91 Garden City (Kan.)
Tony Allen G Oklahoma State '04 Wabash Valley (Ill.)
Malcolm Armstead G Wichita State '13 Chipola (Fla.)
Rex Bailey G Western Kentucky '71 Vincennes (Ind.)
Jarvis Basnight F UNLV '87 Mount San Antonio (Calif.)
Warren Baxter G San Francisco '55 & '56 San Francisco City
Corey Beck G Arkansas '94 & '95 South Plains (Tex.)
Walter Berry F St. John's '85 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Daron "Mookie" Blaylock G Oklahoma '88 Midland (Tex.)
Corie Blount C Cincinnati '92 Rancho Santiago (Calif.)
Carl Boldt F San Francisco '56 Glendale (Calif.)
Kenny Booker F-G UCLA '70 & '71 Long Beach (Calif.)
Roy Boone G Wisconsin '00 Coffeyville (Kan.)
Ron Brewer G Arkansas '78 Westark (Ark.)
Karl Brown G Georgia Tech '90 Chipola (Fla.)
Terry Brown G Kansas '91 Erie (Pa.) & Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
Pembrook Burrows F Jacksonville '70 Brevard (Fla.)
David Butler C UNLV '90 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Chet Carr F Southern California '54 Vallejo (Calif.)
Jerry Chambers F-C Utah '66 Trinidad (Colo.)
Jason Cipolla G Syracuse '96 Tallahassee (Fla.)
Charlie Criss G New Mexico State '70 New Mexico J.C.
Howie Dallmar G Stanford '42 Menlo (Calif.)
Bennett Davison F Arizona '97 West Valley (Calif.)
Art Day C San Francisco '57 Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.)
Jason Detrick G Oklahoma '02 Southwest Missouri State-West Plains
Alex Dillard G Arkansas '94 & '95 Southern Union (Ala.)
Don Draper G Drake '69 Coffeyville (Kan.)
Al Dunbar G San Francisco '57 Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.)
Jerry Dunn F Western Kentucky '71 Vincennes (Ind.)
Cleanthony Early F Wichita State '13 Sullivan County (N.Y.)
Ebi Ere G Oklahoma '02 Barton County (Kan.)
Denny Fitzpatrick G California '59 Orange Coast (Calif.)
Jerry Frizzell F Seattle '58 Grays Harbor (Wash.)
Dean Garrett C Indiana '87 City College of San Francisco
Alex Gilbert C Indiana State '79 Coffeyville (Kan.)
Armon Gilliam F-C UNLV '87 Independence (Kan.)
Artis Gilmore C Jacksonville '70 Gardner-Webb (N.C.)
Ricky Grace G Oklahoma '88 Midland (Tex.)
Harvey Grant F Oklahoma '88 Independence (Kan.)
Jeff Graves F-C Kansas '03 Iowa Western
Evric Gray F UNLV '91 Riverside (Calif.)
Rickey Green G Michigan '76 Vincennes (Ind.)
Carl Hall F Wichita State '13 Middle Georgia & Northwest Florida State
Arnette Hallman F Purdue '80 Joliet (Ill.)
Dick Hammer G Southern California '54 Fullerton (Calif.)
Darrin Hancock F Kansas '93 Garden City (Kan.)
Josh Harrellson C Kentucky '11 Southwestern Illinois
Bobby Joe Hill G Texas Western '66 Burlington (Iowa)
Larry Hollyfield G-F UCLA '72 & '73 Compton (Calif.)
Lenzie Howell F Arkansas '90 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Othello Hunter F Ohio State '07 Hillsborough (Fla.)
Roy Irvin C Southern California '54 Fullerton (Calif.)
Bobby Jackson G Minnesota '97 Western Nebraska
Alonzo Jamison F Kansas '91 Rancho Santiago (Calif.)
David Johanning C Kansas '91 Hutchinson (Kan.)
Larry Johnson F UNLV '90 & '91 Odessa (Tex.)
Dontae' Jones F Mississippi State '96 Northeast Mississippi
Herb Jones F Cincinnati '92 Butler County (Kan.)
John Keller F-G Kansas '52 Garden City (Kan.)
Larry Kenon F Memphis State '73 Amarillo (Tex.)
Weldon Kern F Oklahoma A&M '45 & '46 Cameron (Okla.)
Charlie Koon G Washington '53 Olympic (Wash.)
Don Kruse C Houston '67 Kilgore (Tex.)
Vern Lewis G Houston '67 & '68 Tyler (Tex.)
Chadrack Lufile F Wichita State '13 Chipola (Fla.), Vincennes (Ind.) & Coffeyville (Kan.)
Archie Marshall F Kansas '86 Seminole (Okla.)
Erik Martin F Cincinnati '92 Rancho Santiago (Calif.)
Bob McAdoo C North Carolina '72 Vincennes (Ind.)
Bill McClintock F California '59 & '60 Monterey Peninsula (Calif.)
Aaron McGhee F-C Oklahoma '02 Vincennes (Ind.)
Johnny McNeil C Georgia Tech '90 Chowan (N.C.)
Lincoln Minor G Kansas '88 Midland (Tex.)
Wat Misaka G Utah '44 Weber (Utah)
Casey Mitchell G West Virginia '10 Chipola (Fla.)
Larry Moffett C UNLV '77 Compton (Calif.)
Rex Morgan G Jacksonville '70 Lake Land (Ill.)
Roger Morningstar F Kansas '74 Olney (Ill.) Central
Willie Murrell F Kansas State '64 Eastern Oklahoma A&M
Swen Nater C UCLA '72 & '73 Cypress (Calif.)
Carl Nicks G Indiana State '79 Gulf Coast (Fla.)
Jim Nielsen F UCLA '67 & '68 Pierce (Calif.)
Charles Okwandu C Connecticut '11 Harcum (Pa.)
Ehimen Orukpe C Wichita State '13 Three Rivers (Mo.)
V.C. "Buck" Overall F Texas '43 Tyler (Tex.)
Andre Owens G Oklahoma State '95 Midland (Tex.)
Gerald Paddio F UNLV '87 Kilgore (Tex.) & Seminole (Okla.)
Hal Patterson F Kansas '53 Garden City (Kan.)
Mike Preaseau F San Francisco '56 & '57 Menlo (Calif.)
Ryan Randle F-C Maryland '02 Allegany (Md.)
George Reese F Ohio State '99 Independence (Kan.)
George Reynolds G Houston '68 Imperial Valley (Calif.)
Morris "Moe" Rivers G North Carolina State '74 Gulf Coast (Fla.)
Dave Rose G Houston '83 Dixie State (Utah)
Lynden Rose G Houston '82 North Harris County (Tex.)
Terrell Ross G Texas '03 Allegany (Md.)
Randy Rutherford G Oklahoma State '95 Bacone (Okla.)
Greg Samuel G Florida State '72 Broward (Fla.)
Terry Schofield G UCLA '69, '70 & '71 Santa Monica (Calif.)
Moses Scurry F UNLV '90 San Jacinto (Tex.)
Daryan Selvy F Oklahoma '02 Carl Albert (Okla.)
Tony Skinn G George Mason '06 Blinn (Tex.)
Keith Smart G Indiana '87 Garden City (Kan.)
Odie Smith G Kentucky '58 Northeast Mississippi
Robert Smith G UNLV '77 Arizona Western
Sam Smith F UNLV '77 Seminole (Okla.)
Phil Spence F North Carolina State '74 Vincennes (Ind.)
Elmore Spencer C UNLV '91 Connors (Okla.) State
Leroy Staley F Indiana State '79 Florida J.C.
Dwight Stewart C Arkansas '94 & '95 South Plains (Tex.)
Jozsef Szendrei C Oklahoma '02 Northeastern (Colo.)
Rich Tate G Utah '66 Trinidad (Colo.)
Ron Thomas F Louisville '72 Henderson County (Tex.)
Tom Tolbert F Arizona '88 Cerritos (Calif.)
Nick Van Exel G Cincinnati '92 Trinity Valley (Tex.)
Eloy Vargas C Kentucky '11 & '12 Miami-Dade (Fla.)
Toby Veal F Virginia Commonwealth '11 Northwest Florida State
Mark Wade G UNLV '87 El Camino (Calif.)
Russell Walters F Mississippi State '96 Jones County (Miss.)
Lloyd Walton G Marquette '74 Moberly (Mo.)
Quannas White G Oklahoma '02 Midland (Tex.)
Jerome Whitehead C Marquette '77 Riverside (Calif.) City
Nick Wiggins G Wichita State '13 Vincennes (Ind.) & Wabash Valley (Ill.)
Andre Wiley F Oklahoma '88 Compton (Calif.)
David Willard C UNLV '87 Laredo (Tex.)
Willie Wise F Drake '69 San Francisco City
Janavor Weatherspoon G Oklahoma State '04 Odessa (Tex.)
Gary Zeller G Drake '69 Long Beach (Calif.)

False Start: Baylor's NIT Championship Won't Mean Much Next Season

If history means anything, a National Invitation Tournament crown won't serve as a springboard to NCAA playoff success for Baylor. Defending NIT champions combined for a 10-16 NCAA Tournament record from 1986 through 2012-13.

The NIT titlists from 1985 through 2004 combined for a losing national postseason tournament record (15-17) the year after capturing an NIT championship - NCAA (8-13) and NIT (7-4) - with three of them not reaching national postseason play. Two more NIT champions in the last seven years - South Carolina '06 and Penn State '09 - also failed to appear in national postseason competition the next season. West Virginia '08, Ohio State '09 and Wichita State '12 combined for a 2-3 NCAA playoff mark the years after winning an NIT title.

Only two schools in the last 29 years reached an NCAA regional semifinal the year after capturing an NIT title (Virginia '93 and West Virginia '08). Wichita State, the 2011 NIT titlist, exited in the opening round of the NCAA playoffs in 2012. Following is a breakdown of how the NIT champions fared the next season since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985:

Year NIT Champion Performance the Following Season
1985 UCLA 15-14 record in 1985-86; 9-9 in Pacific-10 (4th place); no postseason
1986 Ohio State 20-13 in 1986-87; 9-9 in Big Ten (6th); lost in NCAA 2nd round
1987 Southern Mississippi 19-11 in 1987-88; 5-7 in Metro (7th); lost in NIT 2nd round
1988 Connecticut 18-13 in 1988-89; 6-10 in Big East (T7th); lost in NIT 3rd round
1989 St. John's 24-10 in 1989-90; 10-6 in Big East (4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round
1990 Vanderbilt 17-13 in 1990-91; 11-7 in SEC (4th); lost in NCAA 1st round
1991 Stanford 18-11 in 1991-92; 10-8 in Pacific-10 (4th); lost in NCAA 1st round
1992 Virginia 21-10 in 1992-93; 9-7 in ACC (5th); lost in NCAA regional semifinal
1993 Minnesota 21-12 in 1993-94; 10-8 in Big Ten (T4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round
1994 Villanova 25-8 in 1994-95; 14-4 in Big East (2nd); lost in NCAA 1st round
1995 Virginia Tech 23-6 in 1995-96; 13-3 in Atlantic 10 (T1st/W); lost in NCAA 2nd round
1996 Nebraska 19-14 in 1996-97; 7-9 in Big 12 (4th/N); lost in NIT 3rd round
1997 Michigan 25-9 in 1997-98; 11-5 in Big Ten (4th); lost in NCAA 2nd round
1998 Minnesota 17-11 in 1998-99; 8-8 in Big Ten (6th); lost in NCAA 1st round
1999 California 18-15 in 1999-00; 7-11 in Pacific-10 (7th); lost in NIT 3rd round
2000 Wake Forest 19-11 in 2000-01; 8-8 in ACC (T5th); lost in NCAA 1st round
2001 Tulsa 27-7 in 2001-02; 15-3 in WAC (T1st); lost in NCAA 2nd round
2002 Memphis 23-7 in 2002-03; 13-3 in C-USA (1st/National); lost in NCAA 1st round
2003 St. John's 6-21 in 2003-04; 1-15 in Big East (14th); no postseason
2004 Michigan 13-18 in 2004-05; 4-12 in Big Ten (9th); no postseason
2005 South Carolina 23-15 in 2005-06; 6-10 in SEC (5th/East); won NIT championship
2006 South Carolina 14-16 in 2006-07; 4-12 in SEC (6th/Eastern); no postseason
2007 West Virginia 26-11 in 2007-08; 11-7 in Big East (T5th); lost in NCAA regional semifinals
2008 Ohio State 22-11 in 2008-09; 10-8 in Big Ten (T4th); lost in NCAA 1st round
2009 Penn State 11-20 in 2009-10; 3-15 in Big Ten (11th); no postseason
2010 Dayton 22-14 in 2010-11; 7-9 in Atlantic 10 (T8th); lost in NIT 1st round
2011 Wichita State 27-6 in 2011-12; 16-2 in Missouri Valley (1st); lost in NCAA 1st round
2012 Stanford 19-15 in 2012-13; 9-9 in Pac-12 (T6th); lost in NIT 2nd round
2013 Baylor To be determined in 2013-14

Short and Sweet: Gopher-Bound Pitino Goes For Gusto After Brief FIU Stint

Minnesota-bound Richard Pitino is deemed an ascending star in the coaching community after ending Florida International's 12-year losing streak with an 18-14 record (.563) in his only season with the Golden Panthers (8 1/2-game improvement from previous campaign). But what media mavens fail to point out is that there were a striking number of coaches who posted significantly better marks in "short-and-sweet" one-year stints since the generally recognized start of the modern era of college basketball in the early 1950s.

Time will tell if Minnesota was swayed solely by the name game. Drake improved by 10 1/2 games in Keno Davis' lone season with the Bulldogs in 2007-08. But the son of marquee mentor Tom Davis lasted only three seasons at Providence.

Fordham improved by 14 games in Digger Phelps' only season with the Rams in 1970-71. UNC Wilmington's Buzz Peterson, the only coach to win a national postseason championship in his only season at a school (Tulsa), is among the following "one-and-done" coaches who won more than 60% of their games in one-year tenures in the last 50 years:

Coach School Season W-L Pct. Reason for One-Year Stint
Lute Olson Long Beach State 1973-74 24-2 .923 Became coach at Iowa.
Digger Phelps Fordham 1970-71 26-3 .897 Became coach at Notre Dame.
Carl Tacy Marshall 1971-72 23-4 .852 Became coach at Wake Forest.
Keno Davis Drake 2007-08 28-5 .848 Became coach at Providence.
Matt Painter Southern Illinois 2003-04 25-5 .833 Became coach at Purdue.
Stan Heath Kent State 2001-02 29-6 .829 Became coach at Arkansas.
Thad Matta Butler 2000-01 24-8 .750 Became coach at Xavier.
Bill Fitch Bowling Green 1967-68 18-7 .720 Became coach at Minnesota.
Jim Harding* La Salle 1967-68 20-8 .714 Forced out by administration.
Buzz Peterson Tulsa 2000-01 26-11 .703 Became coach at Tennessee.
Bob Vanatta Army 1953-54 15-7 .682 Became coach at Bradley.
Larry Shyatt Wyoming 1997-98 19-9 .679 Became coach at Clemson.
Rick Barnes George Mason 1987-88 20-10 .667 Became coach at Providence.
Ron Greene Mississippi State 1977-78 18-9 .667 Became coach at Murray State.
Art Tolis New Orleans 1987-88 21-11 .656 Forced out by administration.
Scott Drew Valparaiso 2002-03 20-11 .645 Became coach at Baylor.
Louis Orr Siena 2000-01 20-11 .645 Became coach at Seton Hall.
Bob Huggins Kansas State 2006-07 22-13 .629 Became coach at West Virginia.

*Harding became coach for Minnesota (ABA) for portion of 1968-69 season.

College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #19)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 19 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only Final Four team to have a trio all average more than 20 points per game in the same season. Hint: The school won its conference tournament that year although none of the threesome shot better than 50% from the floor over the three games.

2. Name the only duo to twice reach the Final Four and both players average more than 20 points per game each season. Hint: Their team lost each year at the Final Four by the same score. One of the pair is the only player to score more than 25 points in Final Four defeats in back-to-back years.

3. Who is the only one of UCLA's eight first-team All-Americans from 1964 through 1975 to fail to earn a spot on an All-NCAA Tournament team when the Bruins won 10 national titles? Hint: He averaged more than 15 points per game in two of his three varsity seasons and went on to coach the Bruins' crosstown rival to a regional final.

4. Who is the only NCAA baseball championship coach to direct a basketball team from the same school to the Final Four? Hint: He is the school's all-time winningest basketball coach.

5. Who is the only championship team senior to average seven points per game or less entering the national semifinals before seizing the moment and averaging double digits in scoring in his last two games with an increase of at least six points per game from his pre-Final Four scoring mark? Hint: He was the seventh-leading scorer for the season on a team with just two seniors among its top eight point producers.

6. Who is the only player to score more than half of a championship team's points in a single NCAA Tournament? Hint: He was the team's only player to compile a double-digit season scoring average and no teammate scored more than seven points in either of the two Final Four games.

7. Name the only school to lose three national championship games in a city where it enjoyed a distinct homecourt advantage. Hint: The school lost two of the three title games by one point before capturing the title there in a season it became the only NCAA champion to lose four consecutive conference contests.

8. Name the only team to fail to have at least one player score in double figures in the championship game. Hint: It was the school's only NCAA Tournament appearance until the university started appearing regularly in the tourney since 1975.

9. Name the only Division II school to have three of its former head coaches go on to direct major-college teams to the NCAA Division I Tournament championship game. Hint: None of the three coaches compiled a losing record in any of the total of 11 seasons they coached at the small school, which won the Division II Tournament in 1984 and captured the first two NAIA Tournament titles.

10. Who is the only one of the individuals named NBA Most Valuable Player, score more than 20,000 pro points or be selected to at least five All-NBA teams after participating in more than six NCAA Division I Tournament games and not compile a winning tourney record? Hint: He left college with eligibility remaining, but was involved in two NCAA playoff defeats when the tournament conducted regional third-place games.

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Family Affair: Does Father Really Know Best Any Longer in Pitino Clan?

Comparable to the vast majority of player recruits, it's blatantly absurd to proclaim a new head coach ready for the NCAA Division I level because of his last name; especially in a power conference. About this time last spring, there simply were no guarantees that Florida International would halt its streak of 12 losing seasons (none with more than 13 wins) because Richard Pitino, son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino, assumed control of the Golden Panthers' program with a six-year contract. But after guiding FIU to 18 victories, the younger Pitino's achievement plus his name made him attractive to Minnesota, which gave him a six-year contract.

The only things we could reasonably be assured about a year ago was that Richard would register a higher winning percentage than his predecessor (Isiah Thomas/.286) and the Pitino clan could move into the all-time top 10 of father-son coaching combinations for most victories. Daddy Pitino boasts 663 victories entering the '13 final, including two when he was an interim coach for Hawaii in 1975-76, en route to his seventh Final Four. If son Richard, a three-year assistant under his father, averages about 20 victories annually for 25 campaigns, they have a shot at moving together atop the father-son list. New Loyola (Md.) coach G.G. Smith also faces a long haul with his father (Tubby Smith) to move up the family coaching list.

But keep in mind that only two sons of former coaches with a minimum of 200 triumphs have posted more victories than their dads - Tim Floyd and Dan Monson. At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, the Pitinos could rank 12th on the following list of all-time winningest father-son head coaching combos in NCAA history (more than 625 victories) if the Cardinals capture the championship:

1. Suttons (1,111-529 record through 2012-13, .677)
Father: Eddie Sutton (Creighton/Arkansas/Kentucky/Oklahoma State/San Francisco 1970-89, 1991-2006 and 2008, 802-323 in 37 years, .713)
Son: Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts 2000-13; 270-177 in first 14 years, .604)
Son: Sean Sutton (Oklahoma State 2007 & '08; 39-29 in two years, .574)

2. Meyers (1,023-565, .644)
Father: Ray Meyer (DePaul 1943-84; 724-354 record in 42 years, .672)
Son: Tom Meyer (Illinois-Chicago 1978-83; 77-86 in six years, .472)
Son: Joey Meyer (DePaul 1985-97; 222-125 in 12 years, .640)

3. Ibas (1,006-582, .634)
Father: Hank Iba (Northwest Missouri State/Colorado/Oklahoma State 1930-70; 767-338 in 41 years, .694)
Son: Moe Iba (Memphis State/Nebraska/Texas Christian 1967-70, 81-86, 88-94; 239-244 in 17 years, .495)

4. Knights (975-475 through 2012-13, .672)
Father: Bob Knight (Army/Indiana/Texas Tech 1966-2008; 899-374 in 42 years, .706)
Son: Pat Knight (Texas Tech/Lamar 2008-13; 76-101 in first six years, .429)

5. Bartows (939-571 through 2012-13, .622)
Father: Gene Bartow (Central Missouri State/Valparaiso/Memphis State/Illinois/UCLA/UAB 1962-77 and 1979-96; 647-353 in 34 years, .647)
Son: Murry Bartow (UAB/East Tennessee State 1997-2002 and 2004-13; 292-218 in first 16 years, .573)

6. Driesells (898-534 through 2012-13, .627)
Father: Lefty Driesell (Davidson/Maryland/James Madison/Georgia State 1961-86 and 1989-2003; 786-394 in 41 years, .666) Son: Chuck Driesell (Marymount/The Citadel 1998-2003, 2011-13; 112-140 in first eight years, .444)

7. Drews (887-597 through 2012-13, .598)
Father: Homer Drew (Bethel, IN/Ind.-South Bend/Valparaiso 1977-2002 and 2004-11; 639-428 in 34 years, .599)
Son: Bryce Drew (Valparaiso 2012 and 2013; 48-20 in first two years, .706)
Son: Scott Drew (Valparaiso/Baylor 2003-13; 200-149 in first 11 years, .573)

8. Thompsons (882-392 through 2012-13, .692)
Father: John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown 1973-99; 596-239 in 27 years, .714)
Son: John Thompson III (Princeton/Georgetown 2001-13; 277-131 in first 13 years, .679)
Son: Ronny Thompson (Ball State 2007; 9-22 in one year, .290)

9. Diddles (815-382, .681)
Father: Ed Diddle Sr. (Western Kentucky 1923-64; 759-302 in 42 years, .715)
Son: Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee State 1957-62; 56-80 in six years, .412)

10. Moirs (779-454 through 2012-13, .632)
Father: Charlie Moir (Roanoke/Tulane/Virginia Tech 1968-87; 392-196 in 20 years, .667)
Son: Page Moir (Roanoke 1990-2013; 387-258 in first 24 years, .600)

11. van Breda Kolffs (686-427, .616)
Father: Butch van Breda Kolff (Lafayette/Hofstra/Princeton/New Orleans 1952-67, 78-79, 85-94; 482-272 in 28 years, .639)
Son: Jan van Breda Kolff (Cornell/Vanderbilt/Pepperdine/St. Bonaventure 1992-2003; 204-155 in 12 years, .568)

12. Davis (682-431 through 2012-13, .613)
Father: Tom Davis (Lafayette/Boston College/Stanford/Iowa/Drake 1972-99 and 2004-07, 597-356 in 32 years, .626)
Son: Keno Davis (Drake/Providence 2008-11 and Central Michigan 2013; 85-75 in first five years, .531)

13. Pitinos (681-253 to 2013 NCAA playoff championship game, .729)
Father: Rick Pitino (Hawaii/Boston University/Providence/Kentucky/Louisville 1976, 1979-83, 1986 & '87, 1990-97 and 2002-13, 663-239 in first 28 years, .735)
Son: Richard Pitino (Florida International 2013 before accepting similar position with Minnesota, 18-14 in first year, .563)

14. Harshmans (679-524, .564)
Father: Marv Harshman (Pacific Lutheran/Washington State/Washington 1946-85; 653-450 in 40 years, .592)
Son: Dave Harshman (Pacific Lutheran 2003-06; 26-74 in four years, .260)

15. Durhams (641-450, .588)
Father: Hugh Durham (Florida State/Georgia/Jacksonville 1967-95 and 1998-2005; 634-430 in 37 years, .596)
Son: Doug Durham (Georgia Southern 1995; 7-20 in one year, .259)

16. Bennetts (634-393 through 2012-13, .617)
Father: Dick Bennett (UW-Stevens Point/Wisconsin-Milwaukee/Wisconsin/Washington State 1977-2001 and 2004-06; 489-307 in 28 years, .614)
Son: Tony Bennett (Washington State/Virginia 2007-13; 145-86 in first seven years, .628)

17. Floyds (632-368 through 2012-13, .632)
Father: Lee Floyd (Southern Mississippi 1950-54 and 1963-71; 246-147 in 14 years, .626)
Son: Tim Floyd (Idaho/New Orleans/Iowa State/Southern California/Texas-El Paso 1987-98 and 2006-13; 386-221 in first 19 years, .636)

We also know that the Pitinos are the first father-son combination to each renege on contracts with at least five seasons remaining on them. Following is a list of active mentors who reportedly still had contractual obligations to schools of more than four seasons (longer than normal recruiting class) when they left for greener pastures at some point in their careers:

  • Steve Alford (10 years remaining on contract) - left New Mexico/hired by UCLA
  • Mike Anderson (5) - Missouri/Arkansas
  • Rick Barnes (6) - Clemson/Texas
  • John Beilein (6) - Richmond/West Virginia
  • John Beilein (5) - West Virginia/Michigan
  • Tony Bennett (6) - Washington State/Virginia
  • Mike Brey (7) - Delaware/Notre Dame
  • John Calipari (10) - Massachusetts/New Jersey Nets
  • Patrick Chambers (5) - Boston University/Penn State
  • Jim Christian (5) - Kent State/Texas Christian
  • Ed Conroy (5) - The Citadel/Tulane
  • Ed Cooley (5) - Fairfield/Providence
  • Tom Crean (9) - Marquette/Indiana
  • Larry Eustachy (6) - Utah State/Iowa State
  • Tim Floyd (6) - New Orleans/Iowa State
  • Tim Floyd (8) - Iowa State/Chicago Bulls
  • Travis Ford (7) - Massachusetts/Oklahoma State
  • Mark Fox (5) - Nevada/Georgia
  • Anthony Grant (5) - Virginia Commonwealth/Alabama
  • Brian Gregory (7) - Dayton/Georgia Tech
  • Leonard Hamilton (7) - Miami (Fla.)/Washington Wizards
  • Ben Howland (6) - Pittsburgh/UCLA
  • Ron Hunter (5) - IUPUI/Georgia State
  • Tim Jankovich (5) - Illinois State/SMU assistant
  • Trent Johnson (5) - Nevada/Stanford
  • Lon Kruger (5) - Florida/Illinois
  • Jeff Lebo (8) - Chattanooga/Auburn
  • Gregg Marshall (8) - Winthrop/Wichita State
  • Thad Matta (9) - Xavier/Ohio State
  • Fran McCaffery (7) - Siena/Iowa
  • Jim McDermott (5) - Northern Iowa/Iowa State
  • Jim McDermott (5) - Iowa State/Creighton
  • Sean Miller (9) - Xavier/Arizona
  • Dan Monson (10) - Gonzaga/Minnesota
  • Porter Moser (5) - UALR/Illinois State
  • Buzz Peterson (9) - Appalachian State/Tulsa
  • Richard Pitino (5) - Florida International/Minnesota
  • Rick Pitino (5) - Providence/New York Knicks
  • Oliver Purnell (6) - Clemson/DePaul
  • Bill Self (5) - Tulsa/Illinois
  • Bill Self (5) - Illinois/Kansas
  • Tubby Smith (6) - Georgia/Kentucky
  • Mark Turgeon (9) - Wichita State/Texas A&M
  • Gary Waters (5) - Kent State/Rutgers
  • Roy Williams (5) - Kansas/North Carolina

College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #18)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 18 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Who is the only major-college coach to finish his career with more than 500 victories and never participate in the NCAA playoffs? Hint: The coach spent his entire four-year school coaching career at one institution and had nine consecutive winning seasons at the Division I level from 1972-73 through 1980-81.

2. Who is the only player to average more than 26 points per game for an undefeated NCAA champion before averaging less than five points per game in his NBA career? Hint: He averaged the same number of points in the NCAA Tournament as he did for the entire season.

3. Who is the only coach to win three national third-place games? Hint: No coach accumulated as many different All-Americans as he did (16) in his first 20 campaigns at a single school.

4. Who is the only former major-college player to score more than 23,000 points in the NBA after never participating in the NCAA Tournament or NIT? Hint: His alma mater returned to small-college status after being at the Division I level for more than 50 years but never appearing in the NCAA playoffs or NIT.

5. Of the 10 different players to compile season scoring averages of more than 23 points per game for a national champion, who is the only individual in this group to tally fewer than 40 points in two games at the Final Four? Hint: His team won both Final Four games that year by a minimum of 20 points.

6. Who is the only individual to coach a team to the Final Four after becoming an NCAA consensus first-team All-American and NBA first-round draft choice? Hint: He joined Chet Walker and Bob Love as 20-points-per-game scorers for the Chicago Bulls in 1969-70 after becoming the first African-American to earn a league MVP while attending a Southern school.

7. Who is the only national player of the year to score less than 10 points when his school was eliminated in a Final Four contest the same season? Hint: He averaged more than 25 points per game in his four previous playoff contests that year.

8. Name the only Final Four team to have as many as six players still on its roster with double-digit season scoring averages. Hint: All six individuals played in the NBA as did another player on the squad who averaged eight points per game.

9. Who is the only All-Tournament selection to finish his college playing career at another major university? Hint: His brother was a wide receiver for a Super Bowl champion.

10. Who is the only leading scorer for a Final Four team to also play for the school's football squad in a New Year's Day bowl game and win a silver medal in the Olympics as a high jumper? Hint: The Olympics climaxed a superb academic school year for the versatile athlete who won the NCAA high jump crown and led his school's football and basketball teams in scoring. He also appeared in the first two NBA All-Star Games.

Answers (Day 18)

Day 17 Questions and Answers

Day 16 Questions and Answers

Day 15 Questions and Answers

Day 14 Questions and Answers

Day 13 Questions and Answers

Day 12 Questions and Answers

Day 11 Questions and Answers

Day 10 Questions and Answers

Day 9 Questions and Answers

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

Exit Strategy: City of Angels Could Become Dunk City With 'Maxim' Effort

An average of four coaches per year leave NCAA playoff teams since seeding started in 1979. The first tournament mentor to depart this season was Andy Enfield, who abandoned Florida Gulf Coast for the thankless task trying to help Southern California return to the Final Four for the first time since 1954.

Increasing your salary tenfold is great, but a maximum number of things will need to go right for Enfield's coast-to-coast switch to turn the City of Angels into Dunk City II. In an era of shoddy shooting, the Trojan players will need to be more like their new bench boss, who set the all time NCAA career free-throw percentage record (92.5%; Johns Hopkins '91). At the very least, his wife - a former Maxim cover girl - will get more exposure.

In every year since 1968, directing a team to the NCAA Tournament has been a springboard to bigger and better things at a "poach-a-coach" school. Following are head coaches since the field expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 who had a change of heart and accepted a similar job at a different major college promptly after directing a team to the NCAA playoffs:

1985 (six) - J.D. Barnett (Virginia Commonwealth to Tulsa), Craig Littlepage (Penn to Rutgers), Nolan Richardson (Tulsa to Arkansas), Andy Russo (Louisiana Tech to Washington), Tom Schneider (Lehigh to Penn), Eddie Sutton (Arkansas to Kentucky)

1986 (four) - Jim Calhoun (Northeastern to Connecticut), Paul Evans (Navy to Pittsburgh), Clem Haskins (Western Kentucky to Minnesota), George Raveling (Iowa to Southern California)

1987 (two) - Jim Brandenburg (Wyoming to San Diego State), Benny Dees (New Orleans to Wyoming)

1988 (two) - Dave Bliss (Southern Methodist to New Mexico), Tom Penders (Rhode Island to Texas)

1989 (four) - Tommy Joe Eagles (Louisiana Tech to Auburn), Bill Frieder (Michigan to Arizona State), Rick Majerus (Ball State to Utah), Lynn Nance (Saint Mary's to Washington)

1990 (five) - Kermit Davis Jr. (Idaho to Texas A&M), Mike Jarvis (Boston University to George Washington), Lon Kruger (Kansas State to Florida), Mike Newell (UALR to Lamar), Les Robinson (East Tennessee State to North Carolina State)

1991 (four) - Tony Barone (Creighton to Texas A&M), Jim Molinari (Northern Illinois to Bradley), Stew Morrill (Montana to Colorado State), Steve Newton (Murray State to South Carolina)

1992 (one) - Charlie Spoonhour (Southwest Missouri State to Saint Louis)

1993 (one) - Eddie Fogler (Vanderbilt to South Carolina)

1994 (eight) - Tom Asbury (Pepperdine to Kansas State), Rick Barnes (Providence to Clemson), Jeff Capel Jr. (North Carolina A&T to Old Dominion), Kevin O'Neill (Marquette to Tennessee), Skip Prosser (Loyola, Md. to Xavier), Kelvin Sampson (Washington State to Oklahoma), Ralph Willard (Western Kentucky to Pittsburgh), Jim Wooldridge (Southwest Texas State to Louisiana Tech)

1995 (three) - Dick Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay to Wisconsin), Scott Edgar (Murray State to Duquesne), Tubby Smith (Tulsa to Georgia)

1996 (one) - Ben Braun (Eastern Michigan to California)

1997 (five) - Ernie Kent (Saint Mary's to Oregon), Mack McCarthy (UT-Chattanooga to Virginia Commonwealth), Jim O'Brien (Boston College to Ohio State), Steve Robinson (Tulsa to Florida State), Al Skinner (Rhode Island to Boston College), Tubby Smith (Georgia to Kentucky)

1998 (seven) - Rick Barnes (Clemson to Texas), Larry Eustachy (Utah State to Iowa State), Rob Evans (Mississippi to Arizona State), Mark Gottfried (Murray State to Alabama), Mike Jarvis (George Washington to St. John's), Melvin Watkins (UNC Charlotte to Texas A&M), Tim Welsh (Iona to Providence)

1999 (four) - Steve Alford (Southwest Missouri State to Iowa), Dave Bliss (New Mexico to Baylor), Jim Harrick (Rhode Island to Georgia), Dan Monson (Gonzaga to Minnesota)

2000 (four) - Barry Collier (Butler to Nebraska), Ray McCallum (Ball State to Houston), Buzz Peterson (Appalachian State to Tulsa), Bill Self (Tulsa to Illinois)

2001 (five) - Thad Matta (Butler to Xavier), Dave Odom (Wake Forest to South Carolina), Skip Prosser (Xavier to Wake Forest), Gary Waters (Kent State to Rutgers), Jay Wright (Hofstra to Villanova)

2002 (three) - Stan Heath (Kent State to Arkansas), Steve Merfeld (Hampton to Evansville), Jerry Wainwright (UNC Wilmington to Richmond)

2003 (eight) - Cy Alexander (South Carolina State to Tennessee State), Ed DeChellis (East Tennessee State to Penn State), Dennis Felton (Western Kentucky to Georgia), Ben Howland (Pittsburgh to UCLA), Oliver Purnell (Dayton to Clemson), Bill Self (Illinois to Kansas), Dereck Whittenburg (Wagner to Fordham), Roy Williams (Kansas to North Carolina)

2004 (eight) - Jessie Evans (Louisiana-Lafayette to San Francisco), Ray Giacoletti (Eastern Washington to Utah), Billy Gillispie (Texas-El Paso to Texas A&M), Trent Johnson (Nevada to Stanford), Thad Matta (Xavier to Ohio State), Matt Painter (Southern Illinois to Purdue), Joe Scott (Air Force to Princeton), John Thompson III (Princeton to Georgetown)

2005 (two) - Travis Ford (Eastern Kentucky to Massachusetts), Bruce Pearl (Wisconsin-Milwaukee to Tennessee)

2006 (eight) - Mike Anderson (UAB to Missouri), Brad Brownell (UNC Wilmington to Wright State), Mick Cronin (Murray State to Cincinnati), Mike Davis (Indiana to UAB), Fran Dunphy (Penn to Temple), Jim McDermott (Northern Iowa to Iowa State), Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma to Indiana), Herb Sendek (North Carolina State to Arizona State)

2007 (four) - Ronnie Arrow (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to South Alabama), Todd Lickliter (Butler to Iowa), Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M to Kentucky), Gregg Marshall (Winthrop to Wichita State)

2008 (five) - Jim Christian (Kent State to Texas Christian), Tom Crean (Marquette to Indiana), Keno Davis (Drake to Providence), Darrin Horn (Western Kentucky to South Carolina), Trent Johnson (Stanford to Louisiana State)

2009 (three) - John Calipari (Memphis to Kentucky), Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth to Alabama), Seth Miller (Xavier to Arizona)

2010 (five) - Tony Barbee (Texas-El Paso to Auburn), Steve Donahue (Cornell to Boston College), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State to Louisiana-Lafayette), Fran McCaffery (Siena to Iowa), Oliver Purnell (Clemson to DePaul).

2011 (seven) - Mike Anderson (Missouri to Arkansas), Patrick Chambers (Boston University to Penn State), Ed DeChellis (Penn State to Navy), Sydney Johnson (Princeton to Fairfield), Lon Kruger (UNLV to Oklahoma), Jim Larranaga (George Mason to Miami, Fla.), Mark Turgeon (Texas A&M to Maryland)

2012 (six) - Larry Eustachy (Southern Mississippi to Colorado State), Jim Ferry (Long Island to Duquesne), John Groce (Ohio University to Illinois), Frank Martin (Kansas State to South Carolina), Tim Miles (Colorado State to Nebraska), Sean Woods (Mississippi Valley State to Morehead State)

2013 - Steve Alford (New Mexico to UCLA), Andy Enfield (Florida Gulf Coast to Southern California)

College Exam: NCAA Tournament One-and-Only Trivia Time (Day #17)

Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 17 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com (10 per day from Selection Sunday through the championship game) tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia.com's year-by-year highlights):

1. Which school had the only trio to each score at least 20 points in two Final Four games? Hint: All three players finished their college careers with more than 2,000 points and were on the roster the next year when the school lost its playoff opener. The school is the only national runner-up to score more than 85 points in an NCAA final.

2. Name the only school to have three players score more than 20 points in a Final Four game. Hint: The school lost the championship game that year by more than 20 points although the score was tied at halftime.

3. Who is the only player to score 40 or more points in a Final Four game and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: He was held under 10 points in his other Final Four game that year.

4. Who is the only coach to go more than 40 years from his first to his last appearance in the playoffs? Hint: He and his son, who succeeded him, both compiled a losing tourney record.

5. Who is the only player to compile an NBA playoff scoring average more than 15 points per game higher than his NCAA Tournament average? Hint: He scored just six points in his NCAA playoff debut against a school participating in the tourney for just the second time.

6. Who is the only player to lead an NCAA tournament in scoring with more than 120 points and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: He averaged 32.3 points per game in his three-year college career.

7. Who is the only player from 1957 through 1996 to lead a tournament in rebounding and not eventually play in the NBA? Hint: His school was making just its second tourney appearance the year he led in rebounding.

8. Who is the only non-guard to be the undisputed leading scorer of an NCAA Tournament and not participate in the Final Four? Hint: He never played in the NBA.

9. Who is the first coach to make more than a dozen NCAA playoff appearances before reaching the Final Four? Hint: He was coach of the first team to win the national championship in its first Final Four appearance since Texas Western in 1966.

10. Who is the only player to take more than 40 field-goal attempts in a playoff game his team lost? Hint: The guard was the nation's leading scorer with more than 36 points per game for the only school to reach the national semifinals of a small-college tournament one year and participate in the NCAA Tournament the next season.

Answers (Day 17)

Day 16 Questions and Answers

Day 15 Questions and Answers

Day 14 Questions and Answers

Day 13 Questions and Answers

Day 12 Questions and Answers

Day 11 Questions and Answers

Day 10 Questions and Answers

Day 9 Questions and Answers

Day 8 Questions and Answers

Day 7 Questions and Answers

Day 6 Questions and Answers

Day 5 Questions and Answers

Day 4 Questions and Answers

Day 3 Questions and Answers

Day 2 Questions and Answers

Day 1 Questions and Answers

On This Date: Former College Hoopsters Score Big in April MLB Games

Extra! Extra! Read all about memorable major league baseball achievements and moments involving former college basketball players! Numerous ex-college hoopsters had front-row seats to many of the most notable games and dates in MLB history. Unless you habitually pore over the content at baseballlibrary.com, baseballreference.com and nationalpastime.com, following is an April calendar involving such versatile athletes:

APRIL
30 - In 1937, Philadelphia Athletics INF Clarence "Ace" Parker (letterman for Duke in 1935-36) became the first A.L. player to hit a pinch-hit homer in his MLB debut (against Wes Ferrell of the Boston Red Sox). . . . INF 1B Jack Phillips (leading scorer for 14-1 Clarkson, NY, in 1942-43) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Boston Red Sox in 1957. . . . SS Roy Smalley Jr. (one of top scorers for Drury, MO, in 1942-43 and 1943-44) purchased from the Milwaukee Braves by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1955. . . . RF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972), who was on base at least once in every game this month, tied a MLB record for RBI in April with 29 for the New York Yankees in 1988.
29 - In 1953, Milwaukee Braves 1B Joe Adcock (LSU's leading scorer in 1945-46) hit a homer into the center-field bleachers against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, a feat that had never been done before and would only be achieved twice more (by Hank Aaron and Lou Brock). . . . OF Taylor Douthit (California letterman from 1922 through 1924) awarded on waivers to the Chicago Cubs from the Cincinnati Reds in 1933. . . . 2B Dutch Meyer (letterman for TCU in 1934-35 and 1935-36) traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Cleveland Indians in 1945. . . . Cleveland tied a MLB record by winning its first 10 games of the 1966 campaign before the Indians lost, 4-1, to Chicago White Sox P Gary Peters (played basketball for Grove City, PA, in mid-1950s). . . . In 1975, OF Champ Summers (team-high scoring averages of 15.7 ppg for Nicholls State in 1964-65 and 22.5 ppg for SIUE in 1969-70) shipped by the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago Cubs to complete a deal made earlier in the month.
28 - In 1966, OF Billy Cowan (co-captain of Utah's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Chicago Cubs for cash and 3B Bobby Cox, who went on to become one of MLB's all-time winningest managers with the Braves. . . . San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) collected five hits in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in 1998, registering the ninth game of at least five hits in his career. . . . INF Tim Nordbrook (letterman in 1968-69 for Loyola, LA) traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1978. . . . P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Mizzou in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) defeated the Angels, 2-1, as the Cleveland Indians tied a MLB record by winning their first 10 contests of the 1966 season. . . . Baltimore Orioles OF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman team in mid-1960s) grounded into a double play against the Chicago White Sox to snap his streak of 10 consecutive safeties in 1981.
27 - Two NBA players - Gene Conley of the Boston Celtics and Dave DeBusschere of the New York Knicks - oppose each other as pitchers in 1963. Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led the North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as a Washington State sophomore) hurled 4-plus innings as starter for the Boston Red Sox while DeBusschere (three-time All-American for Detroit from 1959-60 through 1961-62) relieved for 2/3 of the fourth inning with the Chicago White Sox. . . . 1B Mike Hargrove (Northwestern Oklahoma State letterman) hit a bases-loaded double in the top of the 19th inning to spark the Cleveland Indians to an 8-4 win over the Detroit Tigers in 1984. . . . C Hugh Poland (Western Kentucky letterman from 1931-32 through 1933-34) traded by the New York Giants to the Boston Braves in 1943.
26 - Cleveland Indians player-manager Lou Boudreau (leading scorer for Illinois' 1937 Big Ten Conference co-champion) banged out five hits, including a pair of doubles and pair of triples, in a 12-11, 14-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox in 1948. . . . OF Curtis Pride (led William & Mary in steals three times and assists twice from 1986-87 through 1989-90) shipped by the New York Mets to the Boston Red Sox as part of a conditional deal in 2000. . . . Reliever Cecil Upshaw (led Centenary in scoring as a junior while averaging 13.7 ppg and 6 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees in 1974.
25 - Two weeks after helping the Boston Celtics capture the 1961 NBA title, P Gene Conley (All-PCC first-team selection led the North Division in scoring in 1949-50 as a Washington State sophomore) earned his first A.L. victory (6-1 for the Boston Red Sox over the Washington Senators). . . . Cleveland Indians RF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union team that won 1943 CIAA title) tied MLB record by striking out five times in a single game (at Detroit in 1948). . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85) went deep twice for the Cleveland Indians as they hit a team-record eight homers in an 11-4 triumph over the Milwaukee Brewers in 1997. . . . Only 14 games into the 1982 season, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner fired manager Bob Lemon and replaced him with Gene Michael (Kent State's leading scorer with 14 ppg in 1957-58), the man Lemon succeeded the previous September. . . . 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64) put the Minnesota Twins ahead with a three-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning but they wound up losing at Chicago, 6-5, in 1969. . . . P Joe Niekro (played for West Liberty WV in mid-1960s) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the San Diego Padres in 1969.
24 - Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman basketball squad in 1953-54) tied a MLB record by striking out 18 batters in a nine-inning game at Chicago in 1962. . . . OF Danny Litwhiler (member of JV team with Bloomsburg, PA, three years in mid-1930s) collected four of 22 hits by the Boston Braves in a 14-5 victory over the New York Giants in 1947. Johnny Mize socked three successive homers for the Giants. . . . John Pyecha (led Appalachian State in scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting in 1951-52 and 1954-55) lost his only pitching appearance with the Chicago Cubs in 1954.
23 - In a celebrated fracas, New York Giants SS Alvin Dark (letterman for LSU and USL during World War II) confronts Jackie Robinson (Pacific Coast Conference leading scorer both seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) after the Brooklyn Dodgers' INF bowled over a Giants pitcher covering first base on a bunt in 1955. . . . The previous year, Robinson swiped second, third and home in the sixth inning before doubling in the winning run in the 13th in a 6-5 decision over the Pittsburgh Pirates. . . . P Jay Hook (Northwestern's third-leading scorer as a sophomore with 10.7 ppg in 1955-56) posted the expansion New York Mets' first-ever victory (9-1 at Pittsburgh in 1962) after they dropped their initial nine contests. . . . St. Louis Cardinals rookie CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) went 5-for-5 but the Milwaukee Braves won, 7-5, in 14 innings in 1954 when Hank Aaron hammered his first of 755 MLB homers. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) involved in four-player swap going from the Chicago Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968.
22 - In 1953, New York Giants P Jim Hearn (Georgia Tech letterman in 1941-42) posted his 12th consecutive win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. . . . Chicago Cubs SS Don Kessinger (three-time All-SEC team selection for Mississippi from 1961-62 through 1963-64 while finishing among nation's top 45 scorers each year) contributed three hits, including an inside-the-park HR, in a 7-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970, snapping P Mike Torrez's 11-game winning streak dating back to previous season. . . . OF Lyle Mouton (starter in LSU's backcourt with All-American Chris Jackson for 1989 NCAA playoff team) shipped by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox in 1995 to complete an earlier deal involving P Jack McDowell. . . . Reliever Cecil Upshaw (led Centenary in scoring as a junior while averaging 13.7 ppg and 6 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64) traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Houston Astros in 1973.
20 - Boston Red Sox 1B Dick Gernert (Temple letterman in 1948-49) smashed three homers in a doubleheader sweep of the Washington Senators in 1953. . . . A single by Kansas City Royals OF Jerry Martin (Furman's second-leading scorer in 1969-70 and third-leading scorer in 1970-71) was the only hit Detroit Tigers P Milt Wilcox surrendered in an 8-0 shutout in 1980. . . . Chicago Cubs OF Bill Nicholson (played for Washington College, MD, in the mid-1930s) blasted two homers, including a grand slam, in a 7-4 win at St. Louis in 1947. . . . 2B Wayne Terwilliger (two-year letterman for Western Michigan averaged 5.6 ppg in his final season in 1947-48) collected an eighth-inning single for the Washington Senators' lone safety in a 7-0 loss against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954.
19 - 3B Bosey Berger (Maryland's first basketball All-American in 1931-32) awarded on waivers to the Chicago White Sox from the Cleveland Indians in 1937. . . . Five hits by OF Bake McBride (averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 21 games for Westminster, MO, in 1968-69 and 1969-70) were in vain as the St. Louis Cardinals incurred a 17-inning, 4-3 loss to the New York Mets. . . . P Sonny Siebert (team-high 16.7 ppg for Missouri in 1957-58 as an All-Big Eight Conference second-team selection) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Boston Red Sox in a six-player swap in 1969.
18 - P Jim Konstanty (Syracuse player in late 1930s) was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with cash to the Boston Braves in 1946. . . . Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) threw the second of two immaculate innings in his career when he struck out the side on nine pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the third frame in 1964. . . . Atlanta Braves OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) had a homer among his five hits in a 14-0 romp over the Colorado Rockies in 1997. . . . Davey Lopes (NAIA All-District 15 selection for Iowa Wesleyan averaged 16.9 ppg and 3.4 rpg as a freshman in 1964-65 and 12.1 ppg as a sophomore in 1965-66) fired as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002. . . . Hall of Fame P Robin Roberts (one of Michigan State's top three scorers each season from 1944-45 through 1946-47) surrendered the first hit on artificial turf in 1966 when Los Angeles Dodgers SS Maury Wills singled to center at Houston's Astrodome. . . . Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) hit his first homer for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 (against the New York Giants).
17 - Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Joe Gibbon (two-time All-SEC forward for Ole Miss was the nation's second-leading scorer as a senior in 1956-57), making his MLB debut in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds in 1960, threw two scoreless innings and emerged as the winner when the Bucs erupted for six runs in the ninth. . . . Utilityman Chuck Harmon (freshman starter was Toledo's second-leading scorer for 1943 NIT runner-up) became the second black to play for the Cincinnati Reds when he pinch-hit against the Milwaukee Braves in 1954. . . . Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) got his first hit with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. It was one of 19 bunt hits as a rookie.
16 - 1B Kerby Farrell (key player for a couple of strong Freed-Hardeman, TN, basketball squads in mid-1930s) purchased from the Boston Braves by the Chicago White Sox in 1945. . . . St. Louis Cardinals P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) and Philadelphia Phillies P Cal McLish both fail to finish the first inning when each starter allowed six runs of the Cards' 12-6 win at Philly in 1962. . . . P Roy Parmelee (letterman for Eastern Michigan in 1924-25 and 1925-26) purchased from the Chicago Cubs by the Boston Red Sox in 1938.
15 - P Bob Gibson (Creighton's leading scorer in 1955-56 and 1956-57) made his St. Louis Cardinals debut at Los Angeles in 1959, hurling the final two innings in a 5-0 setback against the Dodgers. He became the first future Hall of Famer to yield a homer to first batter he faced in the majors (3B Jim Baxes went downtown in seventh inning). . . . INF Gene Handley (Bradley letterman in 1932-33 and 1933-34) purchased from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1940. . . . 1B Jackie Robinson (highest scoring average in Pacific Coast Conference both of his seasons with UCLA in 1939-40 and 1940-41) debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, becoming the first black player to appear in a MLB game. Before being replaced by Howie Schultz (played for Hamline, MN, in early 1940s), he went hitless in three at-bats against the Boston Braves a year before President Truman desegregated the military. . . . San Diego Padres P Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection for Princeton in 1999-00) tied a MLB record with 25 straight starts on the road without a defeat before bowing at Los Angeles to the Dodgers in 2007.
14 - Los Angeles Dodgers P Sandy Koufax (Cincinnati's freshman squad in 1953-54) threw the ninth complete game without permitting a walk in his career as he blanked the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-0, in 1964 in his only Opening Day start. . . . Atlanta Braves OF Kenny Lofton (Arizona's leader in steals for 1988 Final Four team compiling a 35-3 record) contributed five hits and five runs scored in a 14-5 rout of the Cincinnati Reds in 1997. . . . New York Yankees 3B Graig Nettles (shot 87.8% from free-throw line for San Diego State in 1963-64), en route to tying a MLB record with 11 homers in the month of April, collected four round-trippers - two in each game - during a 1974 doubleheader split with his former team (the Cleveland Indians).
13 - San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) and two teammates establish a MLB record by each hitting a homer as the first three batters in the bottom of the first inning of their 1987 home opener against the San Francisco Giants. . . . 1B Tony Lupien (Harvard captain in 1938-39) awarded on waivers from the Boston Red Sox to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. . . . St. Louis Cardinals CF Wally Moon (averaged 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50) swats a homer against the Chicago Cubs in his first at-bat en route to becoming 1954 N.L. Rookie of the Year. . . . St. Louis Cardinals closer Lee Smith (averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg with Northwestern State in 1976-77) set MLB record for most career saves in 1993 (mark subsequently broken). . . . P Jim Wilson (letterman for San Diego State's 1942 NAIA Tournament participant) purchased from the Milwaukee Braves by the Baltimore Orioles in 1955. . . . Angels OF Dave Winfield (starting forward with Minnesota's first NCAA playoff team in 1972) collected 15 total bases and six RBI on three homers, a double and single in a 15-9 verdict over the Minnesota Twins in 1991.
12 - P Rich Beck (listed on Gonzaga's roster in 1961-62) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the New York Yankees in 1965. . . . P Dick Hall (averaged 13.5 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51 for Swarthmore's Middle Atlantic States Conference Southern Division champions) traded by the Kansas City Athletics to the Baltimore Orioles in 1961. . . . After a pair of rainouts, 1B-OF Norm Siebern (member of Southwest Missouri State's back-to-back NAIA Tournament titlists in 1952 and 1953) socked a decisive eighth-inning HR to give the New York Yankees a season-opening 3-2 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox in 1959. . . . Pittsburgh Pirates P Bob Veale (scored 1,160 points from 1955-56 through 1957-58 with Benedictine, KS) outdueled San Francisco Giants P Juan Marichal, 1-0, in 1965.
11 - P Roger Craig (forward with North Carolina State's 1949-50 freshman team) released by the Cincinnati Reds and promptly signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1966. . . . P Dallas Green (Delaware's runner-up in scoring and rebounding in 1954-55) purchased from the Philadelphia Phillies by the Washington Senators in 1965. Returned to the Phillies a month later. . . . In 1932, utilityman Harvey Hendrick (Vanderbilt letterman in 1918) is traded with P Benny Frey and cash by the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals for holdout OF Chick Hafey, the previous year's N.L. batting champion. . . . 1B Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948) hit the first homer in New York Mets history (at St. Louis in 1962). . . . In 1961, Hall of Fame P Robin Roberts (one of Michigan State's top three scorers each season from 1944-45 through 1946-47) tied Grover Cleveland Alexander's N.L. record with a 12th straight Opening Day start for the Philadelphia Phillies. . . . San Diego Padres OF Will Venable (All-Ivy League first-team selection as a junior and second-team choice as a senior averaged 9.3 ppg under Princeton coach John Thompson III from 2001-02 through 2004-05) posted his first five-RBI game (against the Atlanta Braves in 2010). . . . OF Bill Virdon (played for Drury, MO, in 1949) traded by the New York Yankees to the St. Louis Cardinals in a deal involving OF Enos Slaughter in 1954. Seven years later, Virdon socked a two-out, three-run homer to give the Pittsburgh Pirates an 8-7 victory at San Francisco.
10 - OF Wally Roettger (Illinois letterman in 1921-22 and 1922-23) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Giants in 1930.
9 - 1B George Crowe (four-year letterman from 1939-40 through 1942-43 for Indiana Central after becoming the first high school player named the state's "Mr. Basketball") traded by the Milwaukee Braves to the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. . . . LF Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Detroit Tigers with $10,000 to the Los Angeles Dodgers for P Larry Sherry in 1964.
8 - OF Babe Barna (two-year West Virginia letterman in mid-1930s) purchased from the Philadelphia Athletics by the Washington Senators in 1939. . . . P Mark Freeman (averaged 3.6 ppg for LSU as a senior in 1950-51) traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. Returned to Yankees a month later. . . . P Pete Sivess (played for Dickinson, PA, in 1935-36) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with cash to the New York Yankees in 1939.
7 - Minnesota Twins OF Brant Alyea (Hofstra's leading scorer and rebounder in 1960-61 after being runner-up in both categories the previous season) amassed seven RBI, a major league record for opening day, against the Chicago White Sox in 1970. Alyea drove in 19 runs in P Jim Perry's first four starts that year. . . . P Bobby Humphreys (four-year letterman for Hampden-Sydney, VA, in mid-1950s) traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Chicago Cubs in 1965. . . . P Dave Madison (letterman for LSU from 1939-40 through 1942-43) purchased from the New York Yankees by the St. Louis Browns in 1952. . . . Boston Red Sox P Gary Peters (played basketball for Grove City, PA, in mid-1950s), after allowing no earned runs in 32 spring training innings, secured a 4-3 season-opening win at New York in 1970.
6 - Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark (San Diego State's leading scorer in WAC games in 1991-92) contributed two sixth-inning hits, including a grand slam, in a 10-inning, 10-9 win over the Chicago White Sox in 2001. . . . In 2006, P Mark Hendrickson (two-time All-Pacific-10 Conference selection paced Washington State four straight seasons in rebounding 1992-93 through 1995-96) hurls first complete-game shutout for the Tampa Devil Rays in a span of 349 contests (three-hit, 2-0 whitewash against the Baltimore Orioles). . . . P Joe Niekro (played for West Liberty WV in mid-1960s) purchased from the Atlanta Braves by the Houston Astros for $35,000 in 1975. . . . P Darrell Sutherland (averaged 8.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Stanford from 1960-61 through 1962-63) awarded on waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Mets as a first-year waiver selection in 1964.
5 - INF Frank Baker (Southern Mississippi letterman in 1965-66 and 1966-67) traded by the New York Yankees to the Baltimore Orioles in 1973. . . . P Fred Kipp (two-time all-conference selection for Emporia State, KS, in early 1950s) traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Yankees in 1960. . . . OF Ted Savage (led Lincoln, MO, in scoring average in 1955-56) purchased from the Cincinnati Reds by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. . . . OF Ken Singleton (Hofstra freshman squad in mid-1960s) traded with Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Rusty Staub. . . . Atlanta Braves reliever Cecil Upshaw (led Centenary in scoring as a junior while averaging 13.7 ppg and 6 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64) registered the victory in a season-opening 7-4 success at Cincinnati in 1971. Upshaw missed the previous campaign after almost losing the ring finger on his right hand when it go entangled in a net while dunking a basketball.
4 - LF Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Cleveland Indians to the California Angels for OF Chuck Hinton in 1969.
3 - 1B Bill White (played two years with Hiram, OH, in early 1950s) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969. . . . P Chris Young (All-Ivy League first-team selection for Princeton in 1999-00) traded by the Montreal Expos to the Texas Rangers in 2004.
2 - In 2001, San Diego Padres OF Tony Gwynn (All-WAC second-team selection with San Diego State in 1979-80 and 1980-81) became the fifth player in N.L. history to spend 20-plus years playing his entire career with one franchise. . . . New York Mets manager Gil Hodges (played for Oakland City, IN, in 1947 and 1948), two days shy of his 48th birthday, suffered a fatal heart attack in 1972 after playing a round of golf in West Palm Beach with his coaches on Easter Sunday. . . . P Bobby Humphreys (four-year letterman for Hampden-Sydney, VA, in mid-1950s) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Washington Senators in 1966. . . . OF David Justice (led Thomas More, KY, in assists in 1984-85), debuting with the Cleveland Indians, whacked a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning in a 9-7 decision over the Oakland A's in 1997.
1 - OF Larry Doby (reserve guard for Virginia Union's 1943 CIAA titlist) traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians in 1958. . . . LF Lou Johnson (Kentucky State teammate of legendary HBCU coach Davey Whitney averaged 5.7 ppg and 2 rpg in 1951-52) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Los Angeles Angels in 1961. . . . OF-1B Len Matuszek (starter for Toledo's 18-7 team in 1975-76) traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985. . . . INF Paul Popovich (averaged 3.3 ppg for West Virginia's 1960 NCAA playoff team) traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974.

Melting Pot: NCAA Championship Game Could Center on Battle of Senegal

College basketball has taken on an increasingly international flavor with an average of more than 400 foreign athletes competing for NCAA Division I men's teams over the last 11 seasons. Classic examples are vastly-improved centers from Senegal - Gorgui Dieng (Louisville) and Baye Moussa Keita (Syracuse) - who could have met in the NCAA championship game if the Orange had defeated Michigan in the national semifinals.

You've heard of a trade deficit. How about the trade surplus the national semifinals have enjoyed of late? All but one Final Four since 1993 had an international flavor with at least one player from outside North America in the regular rotation of a team reaching the national semifinals.

"If communism hadn't fallen, I would have had to make the most difficult decision in my life," said UCLA center George Zidek, the starting center for UCLA's 1995 national champion who once was yelped at by dogs and arrested during a riot in Prague. "I would have had to leave to play basketball and never come back to my country or my family. I don't know if I could have done that."

An old adage claimed that fans couldn't tell the players without a roster. Now, it's at the point where fans can't pronounce the names on rosters without taking a couple of Berlitz language courses. Following is a chronological look at Final Four foreigners in the last 21 years coming from 22 different nations (in reverse order):

2013 - Louisville C Gorgui Dieng (Senegal), Syracuse C Baye Moussa Keita (Senegal) and Wichita State C Ehimen Orukpe (Nigeria)

2012 - Kentucky C Eloy Vargas (Dominican Republic) and Louisville C Gorgui Dieng (Senegal)

2011 - Connecticut G-F Niels Giffey (Germany) and C Charles Okwandu (Nigeria) and Kentucky C Eloy Vargas (Dominican Republic)

2010 - West Virginia F Deniz Kilicli (Turkey)

2009 - Connecticut C Hasheem Thabeet (Tanzania) and Michigan State C Idong Ibok (Nigeria)

2008 - UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon), F Nikola Dragovic (Serbia) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon)

2007 - UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon)

2006 - Florida G Walter Hodge (Puerto Rico), F-C Al Horford (Dominican Republic) and G David Huertas (Puerto Rico), Louisiana State F Magnum Rolle (Bahamas) and UCLA F-C Alfred Aboya (Cameroon) and F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Cameroon)

2005 - Louisville F-G Francisco Garcia (Dominican Republic), F-C Otis George (Dominica) and Juan Palacios (Columbia)

2004 - Duke F Luol Deng (Sudan) and Georgia Tech C Luke Schenscher (Australia)

2003 - Texas G Sydmill Harris (The Netherlands)

2002 - Oklahoma C Jabahri Brown (Virgin Islands) and C Jozsef Szendrei (Hungary)

2001 - None

2000 - Wisconsin G Kirk Penney (New Zealand)

1999 - Connecticut C Souleymane Wane (Senegal) and Ohio State G Boban Savovic (Yugoslavia)

1998 - Utah F Hanno Mottola (Finland) and North Carolina C Makhtar Ndiaye (Nigeria)

1997 - North Carolina F Ademola Okulaja (Germany) and C Serge Zwikker (Netherlands)

1996 - Syracuse G Marius Janulis (Lithuania) and Massachusetts G Edgar Padilla (Puerto Rico) and G Carmelo Travieso (Puerto Rico)

1995 - UCLA C George Zidek (Czechoslovakia), Arkansas G Davor Rimac (Yugoslavia) and North Carolina C Serge Zwikker (Netherlands)

1994 - Arkansas G Davor Rimac (Yugoslavia) and Florida F Martti Kuisma (Finland)

1993 - North Carolina G Henrik Rodl (Germany)

Change of Address: Transfer Guard Could Determine NCAA Playoff Finalist

Although there is a disenchantment stigma attached to transfers, it shouldn't be considered a crime. The play of transfer guards Luke Hancock (Louisville from George Mason) and Malcolm Armstead (Wichita State from Oregon) could determine which of those teams advances to the NCAA final. Including injured Kentucky star Derek Anderson in 1997, 26 of the last 30 Final Fours featured teams with at least one starter or key reserve who began his college career at another four-year Division I school.

Vanderbilt guard Billy McCaffrey, a transfer from Duke, is the only All-Tournament selection to finish his college playing career attending another major university. There was no All-Tournament team in 1942 when Stanford guard Howie Dallmar was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player before completing his undergraduate work at Penn toward the end of World War II. McCaffrey earned a spot on the 1991 All-Tournament team by scoring 16 points to help Duke defeat Kansas (72-65) in the championship game.

"What I really wanted was consistency; not playing a key factor in some games, very minimal in others," McCaffrey said. "My role probably would have been the same if I had stayed. I felt I could do more. I needed to enjoy the game more. I think a player likes to know that he can be counted on for certain things every night. That's how I get pleasure from the games. Your college career is too short to spend somewhere you're not happy.

"I don't regret leaving. I cherish those memories. I was happy for them (when the Blue Devils repeated in 1992). I knew when I left that they had a good chance to win (again). I took that into consideration when I made my decision to leave. I'd already been a part of a national championship. Maybe that made it easier."

Following is a chronological look at how transfers have impacted the Final Four in the last 30 years (in reverse order):

2013 - Wichita State G Malcolm Armstead* (Oregon) and Louisville G-F Luke Hancock (George Mason).

2012 - Ohio State F Evan Ravenel (Boston College), Louisville G Chris Smith (Manhattan), Kentucky C Eloy Vargas* (Florida), Kansas F Justin Wesley (Lamar), Kansas C Jeff Withey (Arizona) and Kansas F Kevin Young (Loyola Marymount)

2011 - Kentucky C Eloy Vargas* (Florida), Virginia Commonwealth F Jamie Skeen (Wake Forest), Virginia Commonwealth F Toby Veal* (Colorado)

2010 - None

2009 - None

2008 - Kansas G Rodrick Stewart** (Southern California) and Memphis F Shawn Taggart (Iowa State)

2007 - Georgetown F Patrick Ewing Jr. (Indiana) and Ohio State G Ron Lewis (Bowling Green)

2006 - None

2005 - Illinois F-C Jack Ingram (Tulsa)

2004 - Oklahoma State G Daniel Bobik (Brigham Young), Georgia Tech G Will Bynum (Arizona), Oklahoma State G-F Joey Graham (Central Florida), Oklahoma State F Stephen Graham (Central Florida), Oklahoma State G John Lucas III (Baylor) and Oklahoma State F Jason Miller (North Texas)

2003 - Texas F Deginald Erskin (North Texas) and Marquette F-C Robert Jackson (Mississippi State)

2002 - Oklahoma C Jabahri Brown (Florida International) and F-C Aaron McGhee* (Cincinnati) and Maryland G-F Byron Mouton (Tulane)

2001 - Michigan State F Mike Chappell (Duke), Maryland G-F Byron Mouton (Tulane) and Arizona C Loren Woods (Wake Forest)

2000 - Michigan State F Mike Chappell (Duke)

1999 - Ohio State G Scoonie Penn (Boston College)

1998 - Kentucky F Heshimu Evans (Manhattan) and North Carolina C Makhtar Ndiaye (Michigan)

1997 - Kentucky G-F Derek Anderson (Ohio State)

1996 - Kentucky G-F Derek Anderson (Ohio State) and C Mark Pope (Washington)

1995 - Oklahoma State F Scott Pierce (Illinois)

1994 - None

1993 - Kentucky G Travis Ford (Missouri) and Kansas G Rex Walters (Northwestern)

1992 - Cincinnati G Anthony Buford (Akron) and F Erik Martin* (Texas Christian)

1991 - UNLV G Greg Anthony (Portland) and C Elmore Spencer* (Georgia)

1990 - UNLV G Greg Anthony (Portland)

1989 - Illinois F Kenny Battle (Northern Illinois)

1988 - Oklahoma F Harvey Grant (Clemson) and Arizona F Tom Tolbert* (UC Irvine)

1987 - Providence G Delray Brooks (Indiana) and UNLV G Mark Wade* (Oklahoma)

1986 - Kansas C Greg Dreiling (Wichita State)

1985 - St. John's G Mike Moses (Florida)

1984 - Virginia G Rick Carlisle (Maine)

*Played for a junior college between four-year schools.
**Injured.

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