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The 1972 Championship Team

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The 1972 team had only one returning starter, Henry Bibby, but a pack of promising sophomores including Greg Lee, Keith (now Jamaal)Wilkes, and 6-11 center Bill Walton. With powerful Walton in the middle, Lee dishing out the assists, and the outside shooting of Bibby and Wilkes, the Bruins were dominators once again. They scored over 100 points in each of their first seven games of the season. Until the final game of the NCAA Tournament, only one team closed within 6 points of the Bruins. For the season, they outscored their opponents by an average of 30.3 points, which is still an NCAA record.

[1972 Championship Team]
TOP (l to r): Tommy Curtis, Greg Lee, Larry Hollyfield, Jon Chapman, Keith Wilkes, Bill Walton, Swen Nater, Vince Carson, Larry Farmer, Gary Franklin, Andy Hill, Henry Bibby. MIDDLE: John Wooden, Ducky Drake, Gary Cunningham. BOTTOM: Les Friedman (manager).

In the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins blew out their first 3 opponents by 32, 16, and 19 points, and it was never even that close. In the final they faced Florida State, led by 11 at the half, and held on to win by 5. With this they completed a 30-0 year. Walton won the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, and was joined by Keith Wilkes on the All Tournament team.

March 16: NCAA West Regional semi-final at Provo, Utah:

UCLA 90

Weber State 58

Leading Scorers:

Bibby 16
Farmer 15
Nater 12
Wilkes 10
Hill 10

Davis 16
Wimberly 14
Cooper 8

March 18: NCAA West Regional semi-final at Provo, Utah:

UCLA 73

Cal State Long Beach 57

Leading Scorers:

Bibby 23
Walton 19
Wilkes 14
Lee 6

Ratleff 17
McDonald 8
Gray 7
McWilliams 7

March 23: NCAA West Regional semi-final at the LA Sports Arena:

UCLA 96

Louisville 77

Leading Scorers:

Walton 33
Farmer 15
Wilkes 12
Lee 10

Price 30
Bacon 15
Carter 8
Vilchek 6

March 25: NCAA West Regional semi-final at LA Sports Arena:

UCLA 81

Florida State 76

Leading Scorers:

Walton 24
Wilkes 23
Bibby 18
Curtis 8

King 27
Harris 16
Royals 15
McCray 8
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