Photo by News Sentinel archive
An undated photograph of University of Tennessee basketball Coach Ray Mears, left, with University of Kentucky Coach Adolph Rupp.
Kentucky and South Carolina, both headed to Thompson-Boling Arena this week, share a niche in Tennessee basketball history — one neither the Wildcats nor Gamecocks enjoy.
In a five-season span during the Ray Mears Era, the Vols notched upsets of two No. 1-ranked teams.
Tennessee’s early history playing against No. 1 consisted of losing to Kentucky by double digits. One magical afternoon in UT’s Armory Fieldhouse broke the trend.
Eight times the Vols had faced a No. 1-ranked Kentucky team, a span that began in 1949 and ran through Feb. 26, 1966, a 78-64 victory by the Wildcats in Lexington.
The next week Kentucky’s “Rupp’s Runts” came to Knoxville with a 23-0 record for the regular-season finale in what would be the final game at the Fieldhouse (soon to be transformed into Stokely Athletics Center).
On March 5, Tennessee ruined Kentucky’s bid for perfection with a 69-62 upset.
It was a stunner. Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp was pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated that week. The national media came to Knoxville for basketball as never before.
They saw Ron Widby score 22 points and Red Robbins add 18. Playmaker Jimmy Cornwell scored 11, outshining Kentucky star Louie Dampier.
Larry McIntosh and Tom Hendrix chipped in some big defense and rugged senior Howard Bayne went out in a blaze of glory.
Bayne scored 12 points, double his average, and dominated Kentucky on the boards. His tip-in broke a 53-53 tie to give UT the lead for good.
The News Sentinel’s Marvin West wrote that it was “Howard Bayne’s greatest moment.’’
Mears credited assistant coach Tommy Bartlett with a key defensive adjustment. Tennessee finished 19-8 but earned no postseason.
Kentucky regrouped to reach the NCAA tournament title game, only to be upset again, this time by Texas Western.
Mears, at the time, called that win his greatest achievement but reconsidered after opening night of the 1969-70 season.
The Vols went to Columbia, S.C., as prohibitive underdogs against Frank McGuire’s Gamecocks, who opened the season atop the polls.
McGuire’s New York recruiting pipeline had brought excitement to South Carolina. A trio of big men patrolled the paint and guard John Roche was the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year.
Tennessee, meanwhile, had somewhat modest expectations for the season, having lost standout senior guards Bill Justus and Billy Hann.
But the Vols pulled another stunner, winning 55-54 as Mears played his starting five the entire game.
Jimmy England and Don Johnson scored 20 and 18 points, respectively. Johnson, Bobby Croft and Jim Woodall fought South Carolina’s tall trees to a near-standoff on the glass.
Kerry Myers scored only four points, but hit two pressure-packed free throws to give UT a 53-50 lead with just over a minute to play. Ironically, Myers had been on a recruiting visit to Knoxville the day the Vols upset Kentucky in ‘66.
England, UT’s all-time best free-throw shooter (88.1 percent) hit two more at the stripe to make it a 55-52 game and the Vols held on.
A crowd of 500 met the Vols’ plane at the airport. Mears said the upsetting the Gamecocks trumped the win over Kentucky “because it was at their house.’’
He also shared the glory with another assistant.
“Give Stu Aberdeen the credit for this,’’ said Mears. “He deserves a full share. Stu stresses the mental toughness. It pays full dividends on the road. ... Those last three minutes were gut basketball if I’ve ever seen any.’’
South Carolina played on to a 25-3 season; UT finished 16-9.
The Vols went 37 years before they played another No. 1-ranked team then did it twice the same season. They lost 94-78 to the soon-to-repeat NCAA champion Florida Gators on Feb. 3, 2007. Six weeks later they lost an 85-84 heartbreaker to Ohio State in a Sweet 16 game in San Antonio.
That left Tennessee 2-10 all time against No. 1-ranked opponents.
But there’s one more No. 1 meeting to discuss. Look for another installment next week.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 29
utallvol writes:
1st
utallvol writes:
Hope we can knockoff a #1 again soon
blitzshoot writes:
Would have been fun to be at those two games.
CHS52VOL writes:
Had the privilege of seeing the Kentucky game. It was wild! At the time, My wife and I were living in Glendale, CA and had come home to Chattanooga for a visit. A friend had an extra ticket, and I almost turned him down. Sure glad I didn't! Ron Widby and Howard Bayne were terrific. Still have fond memories of how those Vols simply refused to lose! BTW I am 75 years old and still a 24 carat Vol fan. Even recall seeing Hank Lauricella, Ted Daffer and the wonderful football teams of the early 1950's - National Champs in 1951! GO VOLS!!!
blitzshoot writes:
AWESOME! Thanks for the information. Good health
and good fortune. Hopefully you'll get to watch a few more good ones this year. Take care!
CHS52VOL writes:
Thanks BlitzShoot. I make it up to a few football and basketball games when health allows. Appreciate your good wishes.
The new football coaching staff has me genuinely excited, and Coach Bruce Pearl has certainly energized all us fans. Whether it's football, basketball (men and Lady Vols), baseball, track or swimming, the Vols are my hoss....if they never win a race. Best wishes to you for a life as wonderful as mine has been!
richvol writes:
That was THE most exciting basketball game I ever went to. The tension in the old armory fieldhouse was so thick it was palpable. Bayne was a terror on the boards in any game but when he tipped that ball in the hair on your body stood on end and the place shook with noise. I don't think anyone sat down in the second half.
If memory serves it's Cornwall not Cornwell. Every player on Tennessee's team was a hero that day. Everyone played above their abilities except Widby...he was exceptional all the time.
SemperVol writes:
Red Robbins and Jimmy Cornwell are two, very cool names....
Though Red Robbins makes me think of an overpriced, pathetic excuse of a cheese burger.
richvol... Cornwall is pretty cool as well.
db11_cn writes:
For those of us old enough to recall, the key adjustment made from the Ky. game in Lexington and the one in K'ville was on Pat Riley. Rupp attacked the 1-3-1 zone by putting Riley in one corner and, I believe, Tommy Kron in the other. The guards just moved the ball via passing faster than the Vols could rotate. Riley was hot in Lexington and lit 'em up. In Knoxville, UT kept Riley bottled up and gambled that Kron would go cold, which he did. Riley forced shots and UT made no errors. Rupp was really pissed.
CHS52VOL writes:
Having seen many of the Bruin games during the time I lived in Los Angeles (early to late 1960's), I would have to politely disagree. Coach Mears had his personal problems (haven't we all?) and lacked the talent pool available to Coach Wooden and Coach Rupp. Even so he did a fantastic job with the players he coached and deserves to be remembered kindly by all Vol fans. In his own right, he is a legend.
TommyJack writes:
Absolutely, David. Naffy is just crying out for attention, as usual.
writer#358485 writes:
CHS52VOL. Thanks for the post. I'm not quite as old as you, but almost, and I remember those games well. Great days those and, like you, I believe more are just around the corner. Live long and prosper and God Bless!
blitzshoot writes:
Thank you sir! Go Vols!
Go4Two writes:
Ray Mears had a very strong winninig % without the talent Rupp or Wooden had. He also did it with class unlike Adolph
CHS52VOL writes:
Wow! Your recall of that game is impeccable, Had even forgotten that Pat Riley was in that game, and yes, if we both recall correctly, he and Kron did a number on us in Lexington - but not at the ole Armory Fieldhouse. I yelled so much at that game, I could barely speak on the drive back to Chattanooga - had laryngitis for 2-3 days!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Good eye, Rich! That "Cornwell" thing caught my eye, too. I, too, was at that Kentucky game and will never forget it! And couldn't we use Widby's smooth jumper on this year's team! Not to mention Bayne's strength and toughness! And yes, all you youngsters out there, both of them could DEFINITELY play in today's game, even though they played more than 40 years ago! Brings to mind a funny story: One of the all-time great hitters in baseball was asked what he would hit in today's game. He said, "Oh, maybe around .250." The interviewer said, "What? You had a .330 career average!" The old guy said, "Yeah, but I'm 68 now!"
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
sorry, my memory ony goes back to Jemmy England and Mike Edwards, John Snow, a few others. Edwards would have loved today's 3-point line.
Some of the most fun had to be ERnie and Bernie.
BigOrangeVol writes:
First of all, Rupp was at UK for 33 years before Coach Mears was ever hired at UT. In 42 years Rupp only won four NCAA Titles and only went to the Final Four six times.
Does anyone remember the greatest point-shaving scandal of all time in the NCAA? Anyone remember that his "Fab Five" players took money and were barred for life from the NBA? "Gamblers can't touch my players with a 10-foot pole." Ooops; yeah right!
Did anyone mention Rupps Raciam? He wouldn't sign a black player for anything until his final year of coaching in 1972.
Without question Rupp started the trend of UK being the most corrupt program in the history of the NCAA. Now there's a legacy.
Now THERE'S a guy possessing the same character and integrity that nafslov can emulate and really get behind!!!
CHS52VOL writes:
John, that's funny! Brings to mind a story I heard recently. Two friends
were talking and one says, "I'm 75 years old, but I can still do the same things I did at age 25." His friend replied, "Well it's obvious you weren't doing a hellava lot when you were 25!"
Yes, Ron Widby had that silky smooth Dale Ellis-like jumper, and Bayne was TOUGH!
JWilly writes:
I lived in Ky for many years and heard Rupp worship for as many years. Rupp was certainly a successful coach but I don't believe many people realize how weak a basketball conference the SEC was for much of Rupp's career. At least through the 1950's many SEC schools saw the basketball team as a way to get more football players. I remember an interview with Bear Byrant once in which he told the host that he actually went to Alabama on a basketball scholarship. Byrant noted "but I never played a down". Although that time was pre-Rupp, it was a practice that continued for many years by at least half of the SEC schools. Ray Mears came along about the time that most SEC schools started taking baskerball seriously.
I will also point out to the Ruppophiles and Woodenophiles that during their tenures, only the conference champions made it to the NCAA tournament. The SEC champ played in the Mid-East region. You only had to win 2 games to make it to the final four. Todays NCAA tournament is so different than it was then. Because of that, no team will ever repeat the incredible NC run that Wooden and UCLA had. UCLA (PAC 8) played in the noncompetitive West region and essentially had a bye to the final four. Realistically, they only had to win 2 games to be natl. champs.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
wht does that have to do with being a legend?? He brought life and black players to the UT basketball program. The basketball wias exciting and competitive.
Let me put it this way: you seem to hate all white people. Great for you; as a whiety, I don't really care what you hate or don't hate.
HOWEVER, lucky me, I can appreciate BOTH black players/coaches and whites!!! On of my favoriet all-timers is Condredge, as is Dale Ellis. Mike Jackson and Terry Crosby and Chris Lofton and Jajuan are high on the list, as is Al Wilson, Little Man Stewart, Charlie Garner, Johnnie Jones.... On the other hand, there's Hacksaw, Steve Kiner, Bobby Majors, Tim Priest, Dale Jones, Mike Edwards, Jimmy England, Curt Watson, Larry Seivers...
Enjoy your hate, dude, makes you what you are.
CHS52VOL writes:
TJ,I noticed you refer to RobTheVol as "Naffy" Is that his first name? As you know, I am a neophyte to this posting business, but RobTheVol seems to be one angry person!
Too, from having read many of your posts prior to becoming a poster, I tend to believe we just might be kindred spirits, TJ. Hope you will take that as a compliment.
NO_DIGGITY writes:
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.
RobtheVol has been kicked off this site under at least three other screen names (nafslov, dvolfan and eyenoeverything). I posted the KNS user agreement to show why he has been kicked off. He has been defamatory and abusive mostly to 3 former Vols. He has accused Peyton Manning of Sexual Assualt, he said Reggie White died of a drug overdose and accused Larry Seivers of Fraud.
If the above comments are not defamatory I don't know what is. My guess is he may be an employee of KNS since he has lasted so long under his latest screen name. Going by some of his previous posts, he is in his late 50's in age. His posts are sometimes like a 12 year old. Most say don't feed posters like Rob (Naffy), but sometimes you have to call him out.
BigOrangeVol writes:
CHS,
nafslov (volsfan) a.k.a., "naffy" a.k.a., RobtheVol are all one in the same.
Some bottom-feeders that have been booted from the KNS for excessive content violations reappear under another screen name; he is one of them.
If lies; infantile and unimaginative pot-stirring; racism; regurgitation of bogus internet trolling tripe; uninformed rumor and innuendo; stupidity and worthless comments are your thing then you'll just love his exercises in poster mental retardation.
CHS52VOL writes:
No_Diggity & BigOrange Vol
Thanks for the background info. Now I understand. Peyton, Reggie and Larry? As I am sure all agree, except "Naffy", ain't no way, Jose!
volburger writes:
You must be the biggest idiot ive ever seen on here. Mears gave Rupp fits. And Rupp, by the way, was the biggest cheater in the history of b- ball.
theoldbear writes:
I was in Knoxville for the Kentucky game, sitting in the student section. Pat Riley was so rattled by Tennessee's defense that I actually caught one of his passes about ten rows up!
Howard Bayne was a man! When he came down with a rebound, he would shake the gym! And if he caught you with an elbow, it was major trauma. I emulated his rebounding style, and that is probably why my knees are shot and I had to have both hips replaced last year.
Adolph Rupp actually had his team playing a 1-3-1 defense that night. And he hated the zone! I actually believe he wanted his team to lose a game, so that they would not go into the NCAA tournament undefeated and number one!
Later saw Louie Dampier play for the Kentucky Colonels, and watched Red Robbins shoot the Colonels down in the ABA Championship series when a rookie named Dan Issel wouldn't come out and play defense on him. It caused Issel to dedicate himself to defense, which he did for the rest of his career.
Those were great days, and great ball players!
Ray Mears is responsible for "Go Big Orange", and for promoting basketball like no one else has until Bruce Pearl.
Maybe he doesn't belong in the same class as John Wooden, but he was a notch up on the man in the brown suit, both ethically and as a promoter. And he did indeed give Rupp fits!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Good post! Seems like we had a number of similar experiences. Rupp hated the zone so much that when he used it, he called it a "stratified transitional man-to-man" defense! BTW, it has been fairly reliably reported that many of the players on some of Wooden's great UCLA teams were paid rather handsomely by a wealthy booster. The man accused of doing this never convincingly denied it. This information only surfaced years after the fact, so there was no chance that any of those championships were going to be vacated. Given what I know of Wooden's character, I doubt that he knew about it, but he was the HC at UCLA for more than 10 years before he made his first NCAA tournament appearance.
sambad writes:
Speaking of SEC basketball scholarships, Doug Atkins the greatest defensive in football history, came to UT as a basketball player.
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