BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…March 25, 1972, 50 years ago today:
UCLA captures its sixth straight national championship and completes a perfect season with an 81-76 win against Florida State at the L.A. Sports Arena, the last time the City of Angels hosted the Final Four. The Bruins didn’t need any help, but they obviously felt right at home. Bill Walton had 24 points and 20 rebounds, with Keith Wilkes adding 23 points and 10 boards for the invincible Bruins; the other starters were Larry Farmer (a future UCLA coach), Greg Lee and Henry Bibby. UCLA finished the season 30-0 with an NCAA-record average scoring margin of 30.3 points.
The tournament run began with a 90-58 romp over Big Sky champion Weber State and continued with victories over Long Beach State and Louisville before the memorable title tilt. It was the last NCAA Tournament finale played on a Saturday afternoon. The championship game would move to Monday night in 1973 — and UCLA would win again in an 87-66 rout of Memphis State (now Memphis). Walton would be named Most Outstanding Player for a second straight year, setting a tournament record by scoring 44 points on 21-for-22 shooting in the championship game.
The 1972 national crown was UCLA’s eighth in nine years under John Wooden. And the victory was the Bruins’ 45th in a row, putting them just past the midway point of a record 88-game winning streak. The streak and the run of championships would end in 1974, Walton’s senior year. But he would be selected first overall in the NBA Draft that year and would lead the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title. His first four NBA seasons were great, but the latter part of Walton’s pro career would be marred by a series of foot injuries.
The Big Redhead was a perfect fit in early 1970s culture, and considered himself a friend of Ken Kesey (Google him). Walton was also a Deadhead, a renowned fan of the Grateful Dead. He once traveled with the Dead to Egypt for a performance next to the Pyramids and joined the band on drums. Walton remains in the public eye today as, let’s say, the quirkiest TV analyst in college basketball. His commentary often goes way off into left field. Fans have a love-hate relationship with Walton’s wild tangents. I don’t have a problem with them.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
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