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Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati Midwest Regional, First Round Lawrence, KS March, 13, 1976 |
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In 1976, I was a junior in high school in Kansas. My older brother attended Notre Dame. I was very fortunate that Notre Dame played in the Midwest Regional in 1975 at Tulsa, OK and in 1976 at Lawrence, KS. Because my hometown was within driving distance, my father took me to both of these games. It was a magic time in my life and magic is exactly what we got on March 13, 1976. Over thirty years later, the Notre Dame-Cincinnati game of 1976 is still the greatest ending I have witnessed.
The Buildup
Cincinnati, a sophomore dominated crew, had won 25 of 30 and were ready to recapture the glory years of the early 1960s. The Bearcats were led by Robert Miller, 6-11 center, and had beaten strong competition in Memphis State and San Francisco. The Irish were led by Adrian Dantley, 6-5 All-American, who averaged 29 points a game. Dantley had already become Notre Dame's No. 2 all-time scorer. He was backed up by sophomore guard Dick Williams, with an 11.6 scoring average. Notre Dame's five losses were all at the hands of nationally ranked teams
The 1975 season had ended in the Midwest Regionals for both teams. After beating Texas A & M in the first round, Cincinnati lost to Louisville. Notre Dame defeated the University of Kansas and lost to Maryland. The teams capped the year by meeting in a regional consolation game. Cincinnati defeated Notre Dame, 95-87.
Cincinnati was burning for a rematch against the Irish.
"After we beat them last year in the Midwest Regional they said the game didn't mean anything." says Bearcat Guard Steve Collier.
Irish nip Cincinnati, 79-78
LAWRENCE, Kan. (UPI)- Talk about the luck of the Irish. Notre Dame had it Saturday.
After struggling to keep alive in its opening game of the NCAA Midwest Regionals against 16th-ranked Cincinnati. Notre Dame received two big breaks in the final eight seconds and edged the Bearcats 79-78 on a last second tip by Toby Knight. Eleventh ranked Missouri beat No. 10 Washington 69-67 in the other half of the regional doubleheader for the Tigers' first post-season tournament win.
"We were just playing out of desperation at the end," said Digger Phelps, coach of the eighth-ranked Fighting Irish. "We were lucky to win it. I admit that but we didn't quit and that is what counts."
This time, Cincinnati's Hal Ward was unable to make the inbounds pass in the allotted five seconds and Notre Dame got the ball.
"In that particular situation we just told the players they had eight seconds to get the ball in bounds and get the shot off and once the shot was off I wanted all five on the offensive boards," said Phelps.
Knight was one of the five who crashed the board and he was in the right spot, tipping in a missed 18-foot jumper by Bill Paterno.
"I was right next to him and gave him the pass so when Bill shot all I had to do was follow the ball and tip it in," said Knight, who had 12 points.
"We were all in there and so if it had not come to me it would have gone to Bruce Flowers or Adrian Dantley."
And while that shot did not go to Dantley, plenty of them did as he led the Irish with 27 points and eight rebounds.
Brian Williams paced Cincinnati with 19 and Gary Yoder had 14 for the Bearcats.
Cincinnati had the largest lead of the first half when it took a 39-33 margin with 1:28 to play. But Notre Dame came back with baskets from Bernard Rencher on a 20-foot jump shot and Knight on a layup to cut the margin to two at the half.
Notre Dame had trouble getting started in the second half and with Dantley scoring 10 of the Irish's first 12 points, Cincinnati raced to a 55-49 lead which it built to eight points, 61- 53, with 8:42 to play before Dantley got help.
In the final 6:50 Don Williams began hitting from outside and scored 10 points, including six on long jump shots in the last 1:55 to bring Notre Dame back into the game and set up Knight's shot.
Cincinnati, holding a 78-77 lead with eight second left to play, lost the ball when Hal Ward was unable to throw the ball inbounds within five seconds.
Notre Dame took the ball out, passed it in to Paterno who fired his long jump shot which Knight tipped in just before the buzzer (video).
In the first game, Missouri's Jim Kennedy sank two pressure free throws with less than a minute left, helping the Tigers beat Washington.
Kennedy went to the foul line with the score tied 65-65. A few seconds later, Washington's Clarence Ramsey missed two free throws that could have forged another tie.
Missouri's final two points came on foul shots by Willie Smith and Scott Sims. Smith was held to eight points in the first half but exploded for 13 after intermission and led all scorers with 21 points. Kennedy finished with 20 for the Tigers.
Ramsey and Lars Hansen paced the Huskies with 14 points apiece.
NOTRE DAME (79) Martin 0 0-0 0, Paterno 2 0-0 4, Batton 1 0-0 2, Flowers 4 0-0 8, Dantley 10 7-8 27, D. Williams 11 0-0 22, Rencher 2 0-0 4, Knight 6 0-0 12. Totals 36 7-8 79.
CINCINNATI (78) Collier 3 0-0 6, B. Williams 9 1-2 19, Miller 4 1-3 9, Jones 3 0-0 6, Cummings 3 2-2 8, Yoder 6 2-2 14, Ward 3 6-6 12, Kamstra 1 0-0 2, Artis 1 0-0 2. Totals 33 12-15 78.
Missouri and Washington met in the first game.
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It would
have been easy for Notre Dame to quit if it so desired. The Irish
trailed by eight three different times in the second half and were down
by three with 23 seconds to play. But Don Williams, who finished with 22
points, hit a jump shot with 12 seconds left to cut Cincinnati's lead to
one. The Bearcats got the inbounds pass in but. it was knocked out of
bounds with eight seconds left.
