Bill Walton dies

[64NIT]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40229031/nba-champion-hall-famer-bill-walton-dies-71

BU played Walton and UCLA in the 1972-73 season and lost 73-38. BU had ten points in the first half. Henry Thomas, who was 5'6", scored a basket by going under Walton. This is one of several "notable" BU games that I remember clearly.

 

[yoda]

Bradley also played at UCLA when Lew Alcindor was dominating.
Bradley lost to UCLA 109-73 just before Christmas 1967, but of significance- one of Bradley’s players (reserve center Greg Berry) inadvertently scratched Alcindor’s cornea, poking him in he eye accidentally. Alcindor recovered but it happened again a couple games later, causing him to wear goggles the rest of his career. A few games later, before Lew was fully used to the goggles, UCLA lost to Houston & Elvin Hayes in the Astrodome to snap a 47 game winning streak.
So Bradley did play a small part in the game of the century.- https://exhibits.lib.uh.edu/s/timeline/item/15359

Two years later Bradley almost pulled off the upset of the century, playing #1 ranked & eventual
National Champion UCLA on Jan. Jan. 16, 1970, and losing in the final seconds 61-56

 

[Da Coach]

Bradley also played at UCLA when Lew Alcindor was dominating.
Bradley lost to UCLA 109-73 just before Christmas 1967, but of significance- one of Bradley’s players (reserve center Greg Berry) inadvertently scratched Alcindor’s cornea, poking him in he eye accidentally. Alcindor recovered but it happened again a couple games later, causing him to wear goggles the rest of his career. A few games later, before Lew was fully used to the goggles, UCLA lost to Houston & Elvin Hayes in the Astrodome to snap a 47 game winning streak.
So Bradley did play a small part in the game of the century.- https://exhibits.lib.uh.edu/s/timeline/item/15359

Two years later Bradley almost pulled off the upset of the century, playing #1 ranked & eventual
National Champion UCLA on Jan. Jan. 16, 1970, and losing in the final seconds 61-56

In that 1967 BU-UCLA game (12/22/67), Bradley senior center Joe Allen had one of the better games of his career, outscoring Lew Alcindor. Joe had 31 points and he held Alcindor to, I believe, just 13. Alcindor had 11 blocks in the game. But UCLA was loaded with talent and they won easily 109-73. UCLA went on to win the NCAA Championship that season.
Bradley finished the season 19-9, and 12-4 in the MVC, but finished 2nd to Louisville (14-2), and the Braves played in the NIT.

 

[BravesWinINStyle]

He will be missed. So entertaining.

 

[Go_Braves]

I was a student at Bradley the same years that Bill Walton was a student / player at UCLA 1971 - 1975. Attached is a picture of Bradley playing at UCLA against Bill Walton - December 1972.

 

[Da Coach]

Bradley lost to UCLA 73-38 (12/1/72).
Bradley didn't have a very good team that 1972-73 season. They ended 12-14 overall, and 4-10 in the MVC - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/bradley/men/1973-schedule.html

Meanwhile, UCLA finished that season undefeated 30-0, and the 1973 NCAA Champion. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972–73_UCLA_Bruins_men's_basketball_team

Here is the '72-'73 Bradley roster and stats- https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/bradley/men/1973.html

Here is a link to that video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i07B9Ssy2Hg

 

[64NIT]

Saw Joe Allen on the BU bench. He was an assistant coach at the time. Also John Wooden was shown, briefly.

Bradley didn't have a very good team that 1972-73 season.

BU lost to Milwaukee in the next game which was at home. Coach Stowell lasted five more years as HC. AD Orsborn was hesitant to fire him before the 77-78 season, which was Stowell's last. Maybe he should have been fired after the Milwaukee game.

 

[yoda]

for those who are card collectors - do you know that Joe Allen did appear on a Panini issue in 1969
while playing professionally in Italy