MU made mark by reaching final in 1974
With the sports world on hold, we gave you the 50 greatest moments in Wisconsin sports history over the past 50 years. What about the next 10 that just missed the list? This is No. 57.
Even Marquette coach Al McGuire recognized that his team's program-affirming win over Kansas was the undercard.
"I'm just real pleased at winning the B
championship," McGuire said of his team's 64-51 win over Kansas in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 23, 1974. "When it was over, I thought we'd really done something, and I went over to talk to Tom Hawkins on NBC. But just about then, (North Carolina) State came out on the floor and there was so much noise that that was the end of the interview."
The 1974 semifinal between NC State and UCLA is regarded as one of the greatest NCAA Tournament games of the 1970s.
It was a matchup between the No. 1 Wolfpack and No. 2 Bruins, and the latter came into the game with a 38-game tournament winning streak and seven straight NCAA titles. But David Thompson hit the winning field goal with 53 seconds left in double overtime, Tom Burleson finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, and NC State prevailed, 8077, despite 29 points and 18 rebounds from Bill Walton.
"They'll know we're here," McGuire said of the showdown that was to follow two nights later between Marquette and NC State for the title. "We'll have to change our tactics to take care of the aircraft carrier in the middle (the 7-4 Burleson).
Ultimately, NC State was too much in a 76-64 outcome for the title. But it still marked the first Final Four appearance in program history — granted, the term "Final Four" actually rose from the 1974 tournament and was several years away from being trademarked. Marquette's run helped set the table for the sustained success that followed, including the 1977 national championship, and served as highlights in the memorable careers of Bo Ellis and Maurice Lucas.
Al McGuire, then Marquette basketball coach, shouts to his team during their NCAA semifinal game against Kansas in Greensboro, N.C. FILE PHOTO
Russell's shots fall short
"We're going to be dynamite," McGuire said after his team outlasted Michigan to reach the semifinals.
Marquette had been 0-6 against Big Ten teams in the NCAA Tournament until the 72-70 win over Michigan at the University of Alabama Memorial Coliseum. Campy Russell had two looks before time expired, but neither was particularly close as Marquette held on.
Michigan had done the Warriors a favor by upsetting Notre Dame one game earlier, but the Wolverines proved to be plenty formidable in their own right.
Lucas, who would go on to dazzle in the national semifinal, was a non-factor late after fouling out with 8 minutes to go. At the time, the Warriors were down by two points, then four with the free throws that resulted from Lucas' final foul. But plays came from everywhere to put Marquette back in front.
Rick Campbell converted a threepoint play. Jerry Homan grabbed a rebound and hit a go-ahead jumper. Lloyd Walton hit big shots, Ellis broke a tie with a high-arcing jump shot that made it 70-68 with 2:23 to go, and Earl Tatum broke up a potential driving basket from Michigan's Wayman Britt.
Dave Delsman corralled a steal and made two free throws that gave Marquette a four-point lead, though Russell's hook shot made it 72-70 with 32 seconds left. After Walton missed two free throws, Michigan called timeout with 18 seconds left but couldn't score. Russell's hurried shot was no good, as was his desperation shot out of the resulting jump ball.
Michigan fans mercilessly booed the result, and McGuire said afterward, "I've been to six NCAAs and I've lost five, but I didn't go out like a baby."
Kansas, which defeated Oral Roberts at the same stage of the tourney, would be waiting on noon the following Saturday.
MU finally takes control
In the national semifinal game, the Jayhawks led at the break, 24-23, but Marquette went on a pivotal 12-5 run in the first 6 minutes after halftime.
"Marquette had that little spurt, gained momentum, and that was the difference," said Kansas coach Ted Owens. "During the course of the year, we've had one or two people have a bad night, but someone else would pick us up. Today, no one had a good game."
Lucas was the difference maker, finishing with 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.
"I don't know where Lucas came from," McGuire said. "This was by far his best game."
"I was ready," Lucas said. "And the ball was coming to me more than it normally does. I thought all along that we had a good enough team to get here, and this just proves it. We had a little trouble in the first half. Everybody was rah-rah about playing good but nobody was playing. Coach said to forget about the rah-rah and just go out and play. We had a friendly discussion, as usual, at halftime."
Marcus Washington added 16 points, while Ellis hauled down 10 rebounds but finished with only five points. "I wasn't nervous, but I was tight," Ellis said. "I'll know better next time. I'll know what's coming."
It might have been the lower-visibility semifinal, but it solidified thirdranked Marquette as the third-best team in the nation behind the Wolfpack and Bruins. If only it could somehow figure out a way to upset NC State.
Marquette takes its best shot
There were glimmers of hope. In the first half, Lucas gave Marquette a 28-27 lead with 2:48 to play, but he also got whistled for a foul shortly thereafter, and McGuire was given the first of his two technicals for arguing. Thompson made three free throws, Burleson got a layup, and suddenly the Wolfpack led, 34-28.
When Ellis was called for goaltending, McGuire picked up another technical. That made it 37-28, and at half, it was 39-30.
"The technicals cost us the game," McGuire said. "I would say I gave them 2 five-point plays. I'd rather not try to explain the calls, because I was absolutely right on them. I wouldn't say so if I wasn't. But look, if North Carolina State hadn't gotten us that way, they would have gotten us some other way. They deserve to be No. 1. They're a great basketball team. They're better than Marquette."
In the second half, Marquette pulled to within 55-46, but NC State again answered.
"Yeah, I thought we had something going," McGuire said. "I thought they were starting to choke. But then I imagine a lot of things."
Burleson finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks.
"We played just about as well as we could," McGuire said. "Bo and Luke (Lucas) gave us super games, but North Carolina is just a great ball club."
Lucas scored 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting and brought in 13 rebounds, helping the Warriors win the battle on the glass, 43-34.
"It wasn't so much the technicals," Washington said. "We've been through that all year. You can't change the man's style of coaching. I thought we just lost our momentum, and maybe we were awed by the home crowd. We had 'em once, but they were probably in a little better physical condition than we were."
How the moment lives on
The 1974 season perhaps gets eclipsed by what followed in 1977, but it was a huge showcase for MU, in the midst of 10 straight NCAA Tournament berths and 14 of 16. The Warriors lost in the first round the next season to Kentucky, a battle between two top-six teams in the country, but reached the regional final in 1976 and finished the year 25-2 after the loss to No. 1 Indiana, a team that went on to win the NCAA title with an undefeated record. That was the springboard toward what happened the following year, the MU championship season.
Lucas had a nice year in 1977, too. The four-time NBA All-Star (and one-time ABA all-star, for that matter), won the NBA championship with the Portland Trail Blazers. Three players on that 1974 team, including Lucas, Tatum and Ellis, had their numbers retired by MU.