LAST TIME UH WAS NO. 1

The University of Houston is No. 1.

For just the third time in program history, the Cougars took over the top spot in the Associated Press men’s basketball poll released Monday.

How long has it been?

Akeem Olajuwon had not yet added the “H” to his name and Houston Post columnist Thomas Bonk coined the nickname Phi Slama Jama less than two months earlier.

UH’s last time at No. 1?

You have to go back to March 14, 1983, for the last time the Cougars were the nation’s top-ranked team in the final poll of the 1982-83 season. The last time UH was ranked first in the USA Today coaches poll was March 15, 1983.

The climb to No. 1

After beginning the 1982-83 season ranked No. 14, the Cougars lost consecutive December games to Syracuse and top-ranked Virginia in Tokyo. From that point, the Cougars won 18 straight games, including a 75-60 win over No. 4 Arkansas, to climb to No. 2. On Feb. 28, 1983, UH became the new No. 1.

Who was on that UH team?

With Hall of Fame coach Guy V. Lewis at the helm, the Cougars’ roster featured two future Hall of Famers, Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, and four future NBA draft picks — Michael Young, Larry Micheaux, Alvin Franklin and Reid Gettys.

Young led the team in scoring with 17.3 points per game. Drexler, a first-team All-American, averaged 15.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Olajuwon, a third-team All-American selection, averaged 13.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and had 175 blocks. Micheaux, who was nicknamed “Mr. Mean,” averaged 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds as the only senior starter. Gettys had 209 assists.

What came next?

The Cougars celebrated their No. 1 ranking with a 74-66 win at No. 5 Arkansas. On a 26-game winning streak, UH entered the national championship game as the prohibitive favorite. We all know what happened next: North Carolina State 54, Houston 52. It’s been played as part of “One Shining Moment” ever since.

What else was going on

• Ronald Reagan was the U.S. president. • Mark White was Texas’ governor. • UH coach Kelvin Sampson was the head coach at Division II Montana Tech. • UH assistant coach and head coach-in-waiting Kellen Sampson was more than two years from being born.

• The No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 was “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. • “Tootsie” was the No. 1 movie at the box office. • “Dallas” was the top-rated TV show.• A Big Mac cost $1.60. Add fries and a drink for $2.59. • A gallon of gas cost 96 cents • A gallon of milk cost $2.24• A dozen eggs cost 86 cents. • The cost of a postage stamp was 20 cents. • The average movie ticket price was $3.15.• Oldsmobile’s Cutlass Surpreme was the best-selling car. • The popular dance: the moonwalk, which Michael Jackson performed for the first time while performing his hit “Billie Jean” during the “Motown 25” celebration. • “A Rosy Reunion:" Phillies’ Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez, former Reds teammates now in Philadelphia, were on the cover of Sports Illustrated.