1977–78 FTU Knights men's basketball team

1977–78 FTU Knights men's basketball
NCAA Final Four (Div. II)
SSC Tournament Champions
SSC Regular Season Champions
Columbus Christmas Tournament Champions
NCAA Div. II Semifinal vs. Cheyney State, L 63–79
Conference Sunshine State Conference
1977–78 record 26–4 (10–0 SSC)
Head coach Torchy Clark
Home arena Education Gymnasium

The 1977–78 FTU Knights men's basketball team was a NCAA Division II college basketball team that represented Florida Technological University, now named the University of Central Florida.[1] The Knights competed in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), and played their home games in the university's education gymnasium on FTU's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The team was led by head coach Torchy Clark who was in his ninth season with the team.[2]

In the previous year, the Knights finished the season 24–4, 8–2 in SSC play. In 1978, Clark led the Knights, which at the time were riding a 24–game winning streak, to a Sunshine State Conference regular season title, the inaugural Sunshine State Conference post-season tournament title, and the NCAA South Regional and the NCAA Quarterfinals titles, en route to the Final Four in Springfield, Missouri.[2] It was one of six tournament appearances that the Knights made between 1976 and 1982. Due to the team's impressive performance, Clark was named the Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year.[3] To this date, the teams 24–game winning streak and 26 total wins are still program records.[4]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent Result Record Site
Regular season
November 30, 1977* Flagler W 84–56  1–0
December 8, 1977* Southern Benedictine W 64–61  2–0
December 12, 1977* at Lamar L 62–65 OT 2–1
November 13, 1977* at Rice Owls L 63–65  2–2
December 17, 1977* Lawrence W 100–77  3–2
December 19, 1977* vs. Knoxville
(Columbus Christmas Tournament)		 W 95–85  4–2
December 20, 1977* at Columbus
(Columbus Christmas Tournament)		 W 74–62  5–2
January 5, 1978* Edward Waters W 102–92  6–2
January 7, 1978* UNC–Asheville W 88–70  7–2
January 11, 1978* Western New England W 106–79  8–2
January 14, 1978* Florida Memorial W 106–79  9–2
January 17, 1978 at St. Thomas W 64–46  10–2 (1–0)
January 21, 1978 at Rollins W 81–71  11–2 (2–0)
January 24, 1978 Florida Southern W 78–75  12–2 (3–0)
January 26, 1978* at South Florida W 79–57  13–2
January 28, 1978 at Eckerd W 109–81  14–2 (4–0)
January 31, 1978 Saint Leo W 68–53  15–2 (5–0)
February 2, 1978* at Flagler W 88–64  16–2
February 4, 1978 St. Thomas W 76–68  17–2 (6–0)
February 8, 1978 Rollins W 76–72  18–2 (7–0)
February 11, 1978 at Florida Southern W 97–90  19–2 (8–0)
February 14, 1978 Eckerd W 100–67  20–2 (9–0)
February 18, 1978 at St. Leo W 79–61  21–2 (10–0)
Sunshine State Conference Tournament
February 21, 1978 vs. St. Leo
(Semifinals)		 W 89–60  22–2
February 22, 1978 vs. Rollins
(Championship)		 W 103–66  23–2
NCAA Tournament
March 3, 1978 vs. Augusta
(First Round)		 W 86–66  24–2
March 4, 1978 vs. Florida A&M
(First Round)		 W 85–78  25–2
March 11, 1978 vs. San Diego
(Quarterfinal)		 W 77–71  26–2
March 17, 1978 vs. Cheyney State
(Semifinal)		 L 63–79  26–3
March 18, 1978 vs. Eastern Illinois
(Third Place)		 L 67–77  26–4
*Non-Conference Game.

See also

References

  1. ↑ In December 1978, Florida Technological University was renamed the University of Central Florida.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "2007–08 UCF Knights Men's Basketball Media Guide - UCF History". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
  3. ↑ "FTU's Early Athletics Programs; UCF First Champions". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
  4. ↑ "2012–13 UCF Men's Basketball Yearbook". University of Central Florida Athletics Association. Retrieved 2013-01-03.

External links

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