The title, fashioned in a bruising, brawling battle that saw the Redmen
trying to wrestle their way from behind from the outset, was the first for
Kansas and for the Big Seven Conference in the 14 years the playoffs have been
in existence.
For a misty-eyed but happy Phog Allen, it was the climax of a fabulous
coaching record that started 42 seasons ago. The 66-year-old "Mr.
Baksetball" now has won every honor the game has to offer.
For Clyde Lovellette, who has fashioned an equally favulous career in three
seasons on Mt. Oread, it was a fitting finish in his last collegiate outing.
The amazing Terre Haute, Ind., product hit 33 points, the sixth straight time
he's been over 30 in the KU stretch driving to the National title, and
completed his rewriting of the NCAA playoff record book.
Lovellette now owns nine of the 72 individual performance makrks in the
NCAA record book, eight of them for scoring and the ninth for rebounds.
The Jayhawkers, who never once trailed in this final test, now more into
the Olympic tryouts, meeting Springfield, Mo., Teachers Saturday night in
Kansas City. If they win that one, they move on to New York City for the final
rounds of the tryouts.
While faint strains of the famous "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" yell came
from the few Kansas boosters in the crowd, Kansas accepted the trophy for the
championship, and Lovellette, the greatest thing these playoffs ever saw, was
named the most valuable player. Clyde averaged slightly more than 35 points
per game in the four games Kansas played in the title march.
Kansas' winning score was the greatest in the playoff's history, and the
voctory, No. 26 for the season, set a new all-time school record.
St. John's, hopelessly outclassed, never was in the game, and the Redmen,
who upset both Kentucky and Illinois, the nation's first and second-ranked
teams in their move to the finals, turned the game into a rough house in the
second half trying to slow the unstoppable Jayhawkers. In the end, it was the
tremendous outside shooting of the Jayhawkers in the first half that spelled
the difference. They hit nine of 18 from far out in the first 10 minutes and
wrecked a collapsing defense the Redmen had hoped would stop Lovellette.
Lovellette Breaks Ice With Gree Throw John Keller hit the first fielder at the two-minute mark to send Kansas
ahead, 3-0, but Jim Davis, fouled by Lovellette, sank a free toss with three
minutes gone.
Bill Lienhard hit from the deep corner, and Kenney followed with a 20-foot
one-hander to run the margin to 7-1, but Lovellette quickly drew his second
foul and Zawoluk hit both free tosses to make it 7-3 with 6:18 remaining in
the first period.
Lovellette then hit his first fielder with 5:35 to play, but Ronnie
McGilvary countered with a driving layup to run the count to 9-5 with five
minutes left.
Dick Duckett drove for a court-length layup after stealing a Kansas pass,
but Lovellette hit a free toss to keep K.U. in front at 10-7. Zawoluk hit his
first basket with 3:25 left, but Kenney again hit from long range before
Zawoluk again tipped in a cripple to move St. John's within one point at
12-11.
KU Leads, 18-13, as Second Period Opens Hougland, firing easily over the sinking St. John's defense, hit a one-hander,
but Jim Walsh countered and it was 20-15 Kansas with 8:30 left in the half.
Lovellette tipped in his ninth and 10th points, but McGilvary hit a layup
before Houghland again fired over the top to widen the bulge to seven points
again at 24-17. Walsh tipped one in for the Redmen, and McMahon drove in on a
fast break to cut the lead to three points at 24-21 with six minutes left.
Lienhard Catches Fire, Spurs Hawk Flurry Lienhard, saving his best shooting eye for this big one, hit agian from 20
feet, and Kenney hit on a steal after Walsh had blazed to a layup for the
Redmen. Zawoluk drew his third foul with 2:45 left, and Lovellette hit the
free toss to send Kansas ahead by 13 at 36-23.
Duckett canned two charity tosses for the Redmen, but the Red-hot Lienhard
hit again from the corner to maintain the pace. Lienhard then hit a free
throw, and Kansas led by 14 before McGilvary hit a layup to cut the lead to
39-27.
Firebrand Charlie Hoag then closed out the first-half scoring by connecting
from 25 feet to make it 41-27 at the intermission.
Kansas hit 47 per cent of its shots overall in the torried half.
Kenney's Free Toss Pads Edge to 44-28 Davis landed a tipin and free toss for St. John's to cut the lead to 47-32
with 7:45 left in the period, but Lovellette hit from the free throw line for
his 20th point seconds later. Lovellette drew his third foul with 5:44 left in
the quarter and Zawoluk converted the toss. Walsh added another free toss, and
st. John's went into a full-court press trying to catch the winging Jayhawks.
Four minutes deep into the final period, the Jayhawkers still were hanging
on to a 10-point lead at 67-48, and fans began filing out of the paviliion as
the Redmen all but turned the game into football with their reckless pressing
defense with five minutes left, Kansas was in front by 16 at 70-54, and the
end was in sight.
Lovellette chalked up the first Jayhawker point when he sank one of two free
tosses after being fouled with the game just 30 seconds old. St. John's was
playing a collapsing defense on Lovellette, and making the going under the
basket rough.
Kelley crammed in a short one from the side, and Lovellette, shaking his
two-man guard, hit a tipin and Kansas once again moved in front by five at
16-11. Lovellette immediately hit another close one to widen the gap to seven
points before Jack McMahon connected from the side to make it 18-13 at the end
of the first period.
But Lovellette agian worked loose for a close one, and added a free throw to
send the Jayhawks in front again by six, and Lienhard then went over the top
from the corner and KU led, 29-21, with five minutes to go.
Zawoluk, bock in the lineup, canned a free throw to open the second half, but
Lovellette countered with two from the charity line, and Kenney added another
to put Kansas in front at 44-28. Lovellette again hit a free throw, and
McGilvary followed suit for the Redmen before Lienhard, firing brilliantly,
was true again from 25 feet.