CRIMSON & BLUE HANDBOOK ARTICLE

In the Jan. 24, 1966 Sports Illustrated, Frank Deford wrote about JoJo White, who would join the Jayhawks at midterm:  “The freshman Jayhawks were led by a 6-foot-3 guard, Jo-Jo White, who entered college for the spring semester last year, and who thus will be eligible for varsity competition on February 12.  Besides everything else, KU positively leads the world in keeping a little something for rainy days.  Here is a potential star popping up at midseason.”

The 1965-66 Kansas team featured All-American Walt Wesley and veterans Al Lopes, Ron Franz and Del Lewis, but much of the excitement surrounded Jo Jo White, as 6-foot-3 guard who would join the varsity in the second half of the season.  White had entered school in the middle of the season the year before, making him eligible for the second semester of the 1965-66 season.  KU made the most of his arrival.  The Jayhawks trailed by one game in the conference standings when White joined the team, then won seven straight games to claim their first outright conference title in nine years.

KU advanced to the NCAA Regional at Lubbock, Texas, to face Southern Methodist in the first round.  KU, led by Wesley’s 23 points, won 76-70.  Franz added 19, Lopes 11 and White 10 as the Jayhawks pulled away from a 46-46 halftime tie.  That set up the regional final against Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso).  KU trailed 38-35 at the half, but White tied the game with 38 seconds to play in regulation, hitting his shot and the ensuing free throw to send the game to its first overtime at 69-69.  The score was 71-71 when White let loose a 30-foot jumper that went in as the buzzer sounded to end the first overtime.  But an official ruled that White’s heel was on the out-of-bounds line, and the game went to a second overtime, where Texas Western won 81-80.

Texas Western went on the beat Kentucky for the NCAA title, providing Owens with what he would later call his “biggest disappointment”.  According to a 1970 Wichita Eagle article, Owens used to stay after KU practices, making imaginary shots from the same spot as White’s attempt:  “Ive made that pivot of Jo Jo’s hundreds of times … but I’m still not sure that his heel was actually touching the line,” Owens said.  ‘To the referee’s credit, he called the play before the ball ever went through the basket.  I still feel that if we had beaten Texas Western, we would have won the NCAA title.”