Friday, February 15, 2008
There were 20 games, 6 days and 16 teams battling it out to be NCAA Champions of the 1951-1952 season. Although most fans and the media tend to think of the more recent Jayhawk basketball teams, the 1951-1952 Kansas men’s basketball team made room in the Jayhawk history books by winning the NCAA title that year.
Led by coach Forrest “Phog” Allen in his 35th year as head coach, the Jayhawks finished 28-3 for the season and placed first with an 11-1 Big 7 Conference record. Star player Clyde Lovellette was averaging 28.6 points for the season before the tournament began March 21, 1952. Dean Smith, who went on to be a legendary coach at North Carolina, was a reserve guard on the tea.
Kansas’ first-round opponent was Texas Christian University. While the Hawks weren’t playing in Lawrence, the tournament’s Kansas City, Mo., location gave the Jayhawks an edge in a 68-64 victory against TCU that day.
The following day, March 22, the Jayhawks had a much easier time, knocking off St. Louis 74-55.
The national semifinals took place on March 25 and 26 in Seattle. St. John’s would win against Illinois 61-59 while the Jayhawks took on Santa Clara and won big, 74-55.
Kansas and St. John’s battled for the title in the championship game on March 26. The Jayhawks managed to gain an 18-point lead over St John’s and win the NCAA title 80-63.
The Kansas Jayhawks were declared the NCAA champions of the 1951-1952 season and Clyde Lovellette was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after scoring 33 points and getting 17 rebounds in the title game. The year marked the third title for Coach Allen and a proud moment in Jayhawk basketball history.
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