Night UCLA’s 88-Game Streak Died

It's January nineteenth, nineteen seventy four in South Bend, Indiana, and basketball fans from across the nation are tuning in to see a game at Notre Dame that's not about football. See, the UCLA Bruins have won eighty eight games in a row, the number one team in the nation, have won seven straight national titles, and they are coming in to face Notre Dame, the number two team in the nation and the last team to beat them. But no one really expects Notre Dame to actually beat UCLA, And for thirty six minutes, that's what it looks like until Notre Dame goes on a run and eventually beats UCLA, ending there the most dominant streak in Ncuba history against the most dominant team in Ncuba history. Join us today as we dive into this incredible game and what led to it, and it's aftermath today on Daily Sports History. Welcome to Daily Sports History. I'm Ethan Reese, your guide because I've made eighty eight basketball shots in my life. So match is the greatest college basketball team, right, So how did you see LA get this good? It's because of John Wooden. He actually coached in high school in South Bend, Indiana. He's an Indiana guy, and he worked his way up through the ranks. At this point, he is sixty three years old, glasses sweater vests, looks more like your grandpa than a basketball coach. And he had won seven national titles over six hundred career wins, and he did it through a zero tolerance policy. He demanded perfection. And he even has this famous thing called the Pyramid of Excellence, which was made in a joke in Parks and rec with Ron Swanson, And honestly, this is kind of what led to it. Players would buy in and he would dominate, mainly because he knew the big man was changing the game. He did it with Luel Sinder, who later became Kareem audul Jabbar, one of the greatest college basketball players ever. And this team had Bill Walton, one of the greatest college basketball players ever. And so the streak started on January thirtieth, nineteen seventy one, after a loss two Notre Dame, and they ran eighty eight games. Seventy two of these games were won by ten points or more, with an average winning margin of twenty six opponent And this was not just them playing Division three cupcakes. They were playing top teams. This included going through the National Championship tournament in nineteen seventy one. Bill Walton was a sophomore and he was starting to come out, and they won the national championship in nineteen seventy two, won the national championship in nineteen seventy three. In nineteen seventy three seventy four season, they started eleven to zero, outscoring their foes by a total of three hundred points. Up to this point, they weren't just beating people, they were demolishing them. They were so much better than everyone else. It was led by Bill Walton, the six to eleven Redhead National Player of the Year, averaged over twenty points and fifteen rebounds a game, dominating the low posts on the offense and defensive end. And they also had a great wing in Jamal Wilkes, who averaged seventeen points a game and was a great shooter. They had a great point guard in Tommy Curtis who averaged ten points a game and would hit daggers from deep, and Larry Farmar was the front court ally of Walton. He was a rebounder and a great compliment to the Waltons game, and then we come to Notre Dame. Notre Dame, as most of you know, is not a basketball school. They are known for football, still known for football, but they've had some really good basketball teams and some good basketball players. Austin Carr was on the team that last beat them before the streak started, and Austin Carr set the record for the most points in a tournament game and went on to become a Hall of Famer in the NBA. So they did have some good players, and at this time they were doing pretty good, and they were being led by Digger Phelps, the guy from the TV you hear every March Madness. Yes, that Digger Phelps. And he was a younger guy. He was forty three, twenty years younger than John Wooden, looking at a lot different than he does now. But he really turned this kind of middling team into a powerhouse. And they were twelve and zero and outscoring teams by twenty six points a game this season, the same as UCLA. They were dominating. They were the number two team in the nation and they were the last team to beat UCLA, so they knew what it took to beat them. Ucla didn't change. They were the same team they with Luel Cinder that they were with Bill Walton. Nothing had really changed. They were dominant, they had great players and not allowed had changed. And on their team they had John Schuemate, a six' Nine All american forward who averaged over twenty four points a game in twelve, rebounds a good competitor and matchup For Bill, walton even though he gave up a few, inches he was a great front court. Player and Then Gary, brokaw a six' three, senior guard a local kid who averaged twenty five points. A game the main driving point of, This Team, dwight clay was a junior guard who came off, the bench was a great role player and averaged thirteen point two points a game and ended up with a iconic moment in. This game so we come to the Showdown In. South Bend Remember south bend Is, in Indiana and indiana. Loves basketball they pack the house over eleven, thousand people shoulders shoulder students and, leprechaun hats Alumni And green blazers cameras everywhere for this nationally televised game against one, versus two and the tip Off happens walton, wins obviously and they start out going six to zero in the first. Three minutes ucla is showing, their Dominance But notre dame doesn't. Back down they work their way back and they claw back to make it twenty five to, twenty four But the bruins go on a twelve to two run to take the lead and start to, pull away Although the irish are able to mend the bleed a little bit and make it into the half only down by nine forty three to, thirty four not. A half they're used to the season as they have been blowing teams out and now comes the. Halftime adjustments what are they? Gonna Do notre Dame says they're Gonna body walton as much as they can and press as much as, they can really put the Pressure. On ucla ucla is. Even keel this is what they. Always do. They win they're winning. Status quo so they come out in the second half And the irish go on a nine to, two Run, with Shoemate broke all And clay all scoring helping lead them to only be down by one fifty two to fifty one with fourteen. Minutes left the crowd is going crazy chanting everything, they can excited for, this Opportunity so wooden calls a timeouts and coming Out the bruins going a nine to. Zero burst walton does what. He does wilkins makes a pull up and they are now Up by tins with about eleven minutes left in. The game all they're. Climbing back didn't, seem much But the irish were. Giving up they clawed their, way back. They fought shoemate was going toe to Toe with walton down low and helping make, a comeback and made a couple free throws to make it a four, point game sixty three to. Fifty nine BUT again ucla. Pulls away it's that cat. And Mouse notre dame has never led in. This game they get close AND then ucla. Pulls away then with about four, minutes left the game is seventy to, fifty nine and this is when the game seems like it's about out. Of hand use is gonna pull away and in. This dominance but here's. What Happens Notre dame's brocaw steals the ball and they get. A layup then they are able to get the ball back off a Miss and shoemaker gets physical in the front court and is able to get an and, one shot so now it's seventy to. Sixty four they come back after another MISS by Ucla and brokaw hits a fifteen foot, pull up making a four. Point game Then the irish make another free throw after a FOUL. From ucla then off of MISS and ucla is able to make a, free throw so it's now seventy one to seventy twenty nine seconds on. The Clock the irish have. The ball brocaw is at the top of the key and kicks it to the right Corner, and clay the guy that comes off, the bench their, steady guy shoots it from, the corner nothing but net and the lead for the first time the. ENTIRE game ucla. Is stunned not only did they just lose the lead in the, closing seconds they they had the game in hand and the crowd is, going CRAZY but ucla still has a little bit. Of time the game is. Not over there's about ten. Seconds left they get the Ball to walton in the Post, versus shoemate the guy he's been going up against the, entire Game and shoemate does everything he Can and walton misses hits the front of. The rim the clock runs out And the irish, have won and something that had never been seen. Before happens the students storm. The, court yes this is the first time students have strown. The court it was a. Huge moment not only was it their team continuing to, be undefeated they went And. Beat goliath they beat the team that. Was Unbeatable bill walton had not lost an organized game of basketball in. High school, in college he had. Not lost this was his first ever basketball loss and it. Destroyed him and it's not like he didn't. Play well he had twenty, Four points wilkins had. Twenty five they played a, good Game but shoemate showed he could go toe to Toe With bill walton scored twenty, four points had. Eleven rebounds brokaw had nineteen points and showed clutchness in his. Senior leadership, AFTER this ucla would lose another game in, the tournament not winning an eighth straight Tournament As North carolina state would go on to win the national Championship And notre dame had another, good season but they would Lose to michigan in the semi finals of, the Tournament And notre dame would remain a pretty good team and be Coached By digger phelps until nineteen ninety one when. He retired but the best they ever did Was A final four appearance in nineteen, seventy eight and the. Following Year john wooden would end up retiring winning one more, national title go out on a, swan song and be the most decorated college. Basketball. Coach ever he may not have the, Most wins he's got the most championships, for sure and this streak is something that will never be. The beat closest that ever come to IT, is unlv who won forty five games in. A row to, do this you have to win two national championships in a row to get to eighty. Eight wins you cannot do it any. Other way so not only do you have to, be good you have to win two. National championships it's a crazy streak and it was gonna come down at. Some point it's just crazy that it ended up happening right where. It began the last team to beat Them Was notre dame and the team to break the Streak Was. Notre dame that's the stuff a. SPORTS legend i want to thank you for Listening To Today's Daily. Sports history if you, like this please follow us on. Our socials i'm doing this thing on THERE where i do these short videos about random guys that have. Sports records it's a lot. OF fun i want you to check. Those out you can do that on the. Links below It's, On, Facebook, YouTube instagram anywhere you like. To socialize all the links are Below At Daily sports history on all, those socials check us out and we'll see you on one thing and thinking