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Fate Frowns On Tops Again
By Bob Adams
BG Daily News
March 13, 1967
Lexington, Ky. - If there had been a fire alarm, Memorial Coliseum couldn't have evacuated faster than it did Saturday night.
There was an almost unbelievable hush, despite the small din which surrounded the Dayton Flyers.
And few of the several thousand red towel-waving Hilltopper fans wanted to stay around for the trophy presentation.
For them, it was all over. There was nothing to look forward to. Just a nightmarish dream which in fact was heartbreaking reality.
The fact was: Dayton 69, Western 67.
But no one took the loss harder than the Hilltoppers themselves.
Behind the closed door of the dressing room there were sobs. And why not?
Fate had frowned again on the Hilltoppers' NCAA aspirations and dreams.
There wasn't a single person who could erase the bitter taste still lingering from last year's setback at Iowa City at the hands of Cazzie Russell's Michigan Wolverines.
And it seemed criminal that the same ugly fate snatched victory from the Toppers again so soon.
Even a visit from Gov. Edward Breathitt, who was on hand to boost the Kentuckians, couldn't ease the pain of defeat.
Any explanation of the turn of events would surely be labeled "excuses" by anyone not closely associated with the Hilltoppers.
The most often heard comment in the hallway near the Western dressing room concerned the All-American.
But, we'll never know how it might have been with Clem at full strength.
It was apparent to everyone who had ever seen the real Clem Haskins in action that No. 22 was almost a shadow of The Gem.
Fourteen times he tried to connect from the field - 11 were off the mark. And five times the man with the heavily taped broken wrist stepped up to the foul line - only two dropped through.
The healthy Haskins was shooting over 46 percent from the field and nearly 85 percent from the charity stripe.
Dayton's young coach realized the big difference. "I don't think we'd have beat them if Haskins had been healthy."
And nobody agreed more than the Hilltoppers and their followers.
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The second most popular topic of discussion by despondent Topper fans was the officiating - always a lively topic for the defeated.
The Toppers were in foul trouble at the half. That was obvious when you consider that Dayton made just seven field goals in the first 20 minutes and trailed by just 10 points. But the Flyers converted 10 of 14 free shots to stay in contention.
For the game Western was whistled with 21 infractions while Dayton was charged with 13 personals.
Both teams missed nine times from the foul line, but Dayton was 19 of 28 while Western hit 11 of 20. That was the margin of victory since the Hilltoppers bagged three more field goals than the Flyers.
There may have been some calls that didn't settle well with Topper rooters. But nothing as paramount as lat year's "Honzo Steal."
The two halves of the game were as different as night and day. Western won the first, Dayton the second. And unfortunately, that is the one which counts.
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