1963–64 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team

1963–64 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
A blue block M with maize-colored borders and the word Michigan across the middle.
Big Ten Conference Co-Champions
Mideast Regional Champions
Conference Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches #2
AP #2
1963–64 record 23–5 (11–3 Big Ten)
Head coach Dave Strack
Assistant coach James Skala
Assistant coach Tom Jorgensen (Freshman coach)
MVP Cazzie Russell
Captain Bob Cantrell
Home arena Fielding H. Yost Field House
1963–64 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   PCT     W   L   PCT
#2 Michigan 11 – 3   .786     23 – 5   .821
Ohio State 11 – 3   .786     16 – 8   .667
Minnesota 10 – 4   .714     17 – 7   .708
Michigan State 8 – 6   .571     14 – 10   .583
Purdue 8 – 6   .571     12 – 12   .500
Illinois 6 – 8   .429     13 – 11   .542
Northwestern 6 – 8   .429     8 – 13   .381
Indiana 5 – 9   .357     9 – 15   .375
Iowa 3 – 11   .214     8 – 15   .348
Wisconsin 2 – 12   .143     8 – 16   .333
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1963–64 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan in intercollegiate college basketball during the 1963–64 season. The team played its home games at Fielding H. Yost Field House on the school's campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Under the direction of head coach Dave Strack, the team tied for the Big Ten Conference Championship with the Ohio State Buckeyes.[1][2] This was the first of three consecutive Big Ten titles and Michigan's first visit to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Final Four.[2][3] According the Michigan's Basketball media guide, during the season junior Bill Buntin led the Big Ten conference in rebounding,[2] although the Big Ten records, which count only conference games, do not recognize this fact.[4] The team earned the Big Ten team statistical championships for both scoring defense (75.5) and scoring margin (10.3).[5] Sophomore Cazzie Russell led the team in scoring with 24.8, while Buntin added 23.2 points per game.[2] The team spent the entire 15-week season ranked in the Associated Press Top Ten Poll, ending the season ranked number two after starting the season ranked number eight.[6] The team also finished the season ranked number two in the final UPI Coaches' Poll.[7] Bob Cantrell served as team captain, while Russell earned team MVP.[8] Buntin earned All-American recognition.[9] During the season, Russell established the school single-season point total record with 670.[10] On December 11, 1963 against the Butler Bulldogs, Buntin made all eleven of his field goals which is the best 100% shooting night in Michigan history.[11] Russell made 150 of 178 free throws to establish the school single-season free throw percentage record of 84.27, which stood for 32 years and continues to be the highest percentage by a Wolverine sophomore.[12] Buntin made 151 free throws which was a school record that Russell eclipsed the following season.[12]

In the 25-team 1964 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, Michigan had an opening round bye before defeating the Loyola Ramblers 84–80 and the Ohio Bobcats 69–57 to win the Mideast region. In the final four, the team lost to a Jeff Mullins-led Duke Blue Devils team 91–80 before defeating Kansas State 100–90 in the consolation game.[3][13][14] In the tournament Buntin set an NCAA tournament final four single-game record by making 15 free throws on March 21 against the Wildcats. The record was broken the following season on March 20, 1965.[15] Although the team lost in the national semi-finals, it would return its two key stars and reach the finals of the 1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament the following season.[2]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final 
AP Poll[6] 8 7 3 3 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2

Notes

Team players drafted into the NBA

Four players from this team were selected in the NBA Draft.[16][17]

Year Round Pick Overall Player NBA Club
1965 1 Territorial 2 Bill Buntin Detroit Pistons
1965 15 3 103 George Pomey St. Louis Hawks
1966 1 1 1 Cazzie Russell New York Knicks
1966 3 2 22 Oliver Darden Detroit Pistons

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Big Ten Basketball 2009–10 Media Guide". CBS Interactive. p. 54. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2007–08 Men's Basketball Media Guide. University of Michigan. 2007. p. 11.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Final Four" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 8. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  4. ↑ "Big Ten Basketball 2009–10 Media Guide". CBS Interactive. p. 34. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  5. ↑ "Big Ten Basketball 2009–10 Media Guide". CBS Interactive. p. 36. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Division I Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. pp. 68–83. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  7. ↑ "Division I Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 85. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  8. ↑ "All-Time Accolades". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. pp. 9–10.
  9. ↑ "All-Time Accolades". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. pp. 4–7.
  10. ↑ 2007–08 Men's Basketball Media Guide. University of Michigan. 2007. p. 162.
  11. ↑ 2007–08 Men's Basketball Media Guide. University of Michigan. 2007. p. 170.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 2007–08 Men's Basketball Media Guide. University of Michigan. 2007. p. 174.
  13. ↑ "1964 Men's College Basketball Bracket". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  14. ↑ "1964 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket". databaseSports.com. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
  15. ↑ "The Final Four" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 9. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  16. ↑ "1965 NBA Draft". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  17. ↑ "1966 NBA Draft". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2014-04-25.

External links