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The 1975 Championship Team

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The 1974-75 Bruins didn't have an Alcindor or a Walton anchoring the center. Walton and Wilkes were gone, and Richard Washington and Marques Johnson weren't quite up to the level they would reach in their junior and senior years. They didn't have a lot of experience, with only David Meyers as a returning starter. They finished the regular season 23-3; a very good record, but not good enough for a #1 ranking, and not good enough to intimidate opponents going into the tournament.

[1975 Championship Team]
TOP (l to r): John Wooden, Gary Cunningham, Marques Johnson, Dave Meyers, Richard Washington, Ralph Drollinger, Brett Vroman, Wilbert Olinde, Casey Corliss, Frank Arnold, Len Friedman (manager). BOTTOM: Marvin Thomas, Gavin Smith, Jim Spillane, Raymond Thompson, Pete Trgovich, Andre McCarter.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins had to work a lot harder for their victories than in previous seasons. The only team they really dominated was Arizona State, and went to overtime in 2 of the 5 games. After UCLA beat Louisville in the Championship semi-final, John Wooden announced that he would retire at the end of the season. In the final against Kentucky, the scrappy Bruins pulled together for one last victory and one last championship for the Wizard of Westwood.

Though they would make the tournament frequently in subsequent years, it would be twenty years before UCLA made it back into the NCAA Tournament championship game. Wooden's 10 titles in 12 years still stand as a testament to the best coach in the history of the NCAA.

March 15: NCAA West Regional 1st round game at Pullman, Washington:

UCLA 103

Michigan 91 (OT)

Leading Scorers:

Meyers 26
Washington 22
Johnson 22
Trgovich 17

Kupec 28
Robinson 24
Grote 14
Johnson 11

March 20: NCAA West Regional semi-final at Portland, Oregon:

UCLA 67

Montana 64

Leading Scorers:

Washington 16
Trgovich 16
Meyers 12

Hayes 32
McKenzie 20
Smedley 10

March 14: NCAA West Regional final at Portland, Oregon:

UCLA 89

Arizona State 75

Leading Scorers:

Johnson 35
Washington 16
Meyers 11

Lloyd 20
Hollins 16
White 15

March 14: NCAA Championship semi-final at San Diego, California:

UCLA 75

Louisvile 74 (OT)

Leading Scorers:

Washington 26
Meyers 16
Trgovich 12
Johnson 10

Murphy 33
Cox 14
Bridgeman 12
Bunton 7

March 14: NCAA Championship final at San Diego, California:

UCLA 92

Kentucky 85

Leading Scorers:

Washington 28
Meyers 24
Trgovich 16
Drollinger 10

Grevey 34
Guyetter 16
Flynn 10
Conner 9
[John's Home Page] [Before the Game] [The Crowd] [The Game] [After the Game]