UCLA Basketball - The 1970 Championship Team

The 1970 Championship Team

With Lew Alcindor graduated, the focus of the 1970 Bruin team went back to more balanced team play. All five starters averaged double figures: Sidney Wicks at 18.9, John Vallely 16.3, Henry Bibby 15.6, Curtis Rowe 15.3, and Steve Patterson 12.5. They averaged 92 points a game for the season, and scored 133 points against an LSU team led by "Pistol" Pete Maravich.

TOP (l to r): Kenny Booker, Rick Betchley, John Ecker, Sidney Wicks, Steve Patterson, Jon Chapman, Curtis Rowe, Bill Seibert, John Vallely. MIDDLE: George Morgan (manager), Gary Cunningham, John Wooden, Denny Crum, Ducky Drake. BOTTOM: Henry Bibby, Terry Schofield, Andy Hill.

With their high-scoring, balanced offense and pressure defense working in high gear, the Bruins rolled right through the NCAA Tournament. They had an average margin of victory of 18 points, and double-teamed Artis Gilmore in the final to beat the Jacksonville Dolphins. Rowe, Vallely, and Wicks all made the All Tournament team, with Wicks winning Most Outstanding Player. The UCLA juggernaut rolled on.

March 12: NCAA West Regional semi-final at Seattle, Washington:

			UCLA 88		Cal State Long Beach 65
	Leading Scorers:		Wicks 20 Bibby 20 Rowe 15 Vallely 14 Patterson 13		Trapp 20 Robinson 18 Johnson 13

March 14: NCAA West Regional final at Seattle, Washington:

			UCLA 101		Utah State 79
	Leading Scorers:		Wicks 26 Rowe 26 Bibby 15 Vallely 14		Roberts 33 Williams 14 Jeppesen 12 Epps 12

March 19: NCAA Championship semi-final at College Park, Maryland:

			UCLA 93		New Mexico State 77
	Leading Scorers:		Vallely 23 Wicks 22 Bibby 19 Rowe 15 Patterson 12		Collins 28 Criss 19 Smith 10 Lacey 8

March 21: NCAA Championship final at College Park, Maryland:

			UCLA 80		Jacksonville 69
	Leading Scorers:		Rowe 19 Wicks 17 Patterson 17 Vallely 15		Gilmore 19 Burrows 12 Wedeking 12 Morgan 10

March 12: NCAA West Regional semi-final at Seattle, Washington:

UCLA 88

Cal State Long Beach 65

Leading Scorers:

Wicks 20Bibby 20Rowe 15Vallely 14Patterson 13

Trapp 20Robinson 18Johnson 13

March 14: NCAA West Regional final at Seattle, Washington:

UCLA 101

Utah State 79

Leading Scorers:

Wicks 26Rowe 26Bibby 15Vallely 14

Roberts 33Williams 14Jeppesen 12Epps 12

March 19: NCAA Championship semi-final at College Park, Maryland:

UCLA 93

New Mexico State 77

Leading Scorers:

Vallely 23Wicks 22Bibby 19Rowe 15Patterson 12

Collins 28Criss 19Smith 10Lacey 8

March 21: NCAA Championship final at College Park, Maryland:

UCLA 80

Jacksonville 69

Leading Scorers:

Rowe 19Wicks 17Patterson 17Vallely 15

Gilmore 19Burrows 12Wedeking 12Morgan 10

Wicks 20
Bibby 20
Rowe 15
Vallely 14
Patterson 13

Trapp 20
Robinson 18
Johnson 13

Wicks 26
Rowe 26
Bibby 15
Vallely 14

Roberts 33
Williams 14
Jeppesen 12
Epps 12

Vallely 23
Wicks 22
Bibby 19
Rowe 15
Patterson 12

Collins 28
Criss 19
Smith 10
Lacey 8

Rowe 19
Wicks 17
Patterson 17
Vallely 15

Gilmore 19
Burrows 12
Wedeking 12
Morgan 10