1971 - CRIMSON & BLUE HANDBOOK ARTICLE

Owens began the 1970-71 season with a 12-man team that included nine returning lettermen and seven players who had started for the Jayhawks at some point.  Led by All-American Dave Robisch, Kansas streaked to a 25-1 regular-season record, the best in school history, and went undefeated in league play.  The team joined the 1959 K-State team as the only ones to go through the eight-team league schedule unbeaten.  More important, KU advanced to the NCAA final Four for the first time in seven years.

In regional play in Wichita, KU beat Houston 78-77 behind Robisch’s 29 points and Stallworth’s 25.  KU beat Drake 73-71 in the final, as Robisch scored 27 points.  The victory sent KU to Houston for a matchup with five-time NCAA champion UCLA, ranked No. 1 in the nation at that time.  Although KU and UCLA had the same 27-1 records heading into the game, KU had struggled, winning its last six games by a total of 13 points, two of them in overtime.  Three days before the KU-UCLA game, Owens spoke about the matchup:  “I think every coach dreams about how to play UCLA.  Every time I’ve seen them on television, I’ve wondered how to play them.”

But he didn’t quite figure it out.  KU never recovered from a seven-point halftime deficit and lost 68-60.  Robisch scored 17 points and Stallworth and Pierre Russell added 12 each as KU’s 21-game winning streak came to an end.  Robisch and Stallworth, already named All-Big Eight, were named to the NCAA All-Tournament team.