OT: A Little History About a Mismatch.

[Kibitzer]

The recent discussion about Gabby vs. taller post players got me to thinking about an epic mismatch of short vs. very tall.

Rewind to 1957. NCAA Championship. Kansas vs. UNC. When 7'+ AA Wilt Chamberlain went out for the opening tip, UNC Coach Frank McGuire sent out >6' Tommy Kearns to face Wilt -- as his Tarheel teammates deployed in a zone defense. (Talk about mind games!)

The game was a classic. Double OT, and Kansas eked out a 53-52 win, UNC's first NCAA NC. And it started with Tommy Kearns confronting a legendary player -- and spotting him a dozen or more inches.

 

[Zorro]

Uhhh; Kibs; If Kansas eked out a win, why did they give the championship to NC? Don't seem fair, somehow.

 

[UcMiami]

Typo on who eked out the win, but we get the idea!

 

[Kibitzer]

Uhhh; Kibs; If Kansas eked out a win, why did they give the championship to NC? Don't seem fair, somehow.

OOPS! My BIG error. Sorry!

The most amazing feature of this historic game was that UNC unexpectedly won!

It was in the early days of sports TV and did much to capture national attention on the NCAA Basketball Championship (for men).

 

[MilfordHusky]

One of UCLA's early championships, featuring Gail Goodrich, was won over a Michigan team that included the very physical duo of Cazzie Russell and Bill Buntin. UCLA was small, but quick.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Typo on who eked out the win, but we get the idea!

I'd call that a "mismatch" between the winning team and the score.

 

[Zorro]

Actually, since it was the NCAA, I thought there for a minute that Kansas DID win the game and they DID give the NC to UNC anyway. UNC is very popular with the NCAA.