This latest entry in the Hilltopper Flashback series is the showdown between the Hilltoppers and Ohio State in the 1971 Mideast Regional championship game.

Coming off an emotional 107-83 victory over kentucky two days earlier, the Toppers would have to regroup and prepare for perennial powerhouse Ohio State for the right to advance to the NCAA Final Four in Houston, Tx.

Ohio State and WKU weren't strangers to one another as the two programs had faced off twice before in NCAA Tournament action, in 1960 and 1962. In 1960, the Toppers had given the Buckeyes, led by Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek, their toughest test in the tournament during their march to the national championship. Then in 1962 the two teams were matched up once more but once again the Buckeyes proved too strong as they defeated Western 93-73 on their way to finish as NCAA runners-up.

In the 1971 NCAA Tournament however, Western finally had another chance at redemption, and led by seven-foot All-American Jim McDaniels, they would take advantage of the chance.

By Bert Borrone
Daily News Sports Editor

Athens, Ga. - The NCAA'S Mideast Regional Tournament championship game had just ended with Western an 81-78 victor over Big Ten Champion Ohio State.

It was goodbye Athens and hello Astrodome for the Hilltoppers.

Coach Johnny Oldham was inundated by well-wishers and when he emerged from the mass of humanity, someone asked him how he felt. "I'm as high as one of Clarence Glover's jump shots," he said.

And well he might be! For his Hilltoppers made up deficits like 33-21, 36-23 and 50-42 before triumphing.

The marginal points were scored by senior Jim Rose with 30 seconds left when he canned a pair of free throws for a 79-76 lead.

Seven-foot Jim McDaniels busted 31 points against a tough and super-aggressive Buckeye defense. Glover had an incredible 22 rebounds and 11 points, hitting seven of nine free throws.

Also in double figures for Western in scoring were Rex Bailey with 18 points, Rose with 13 and Jerry Dunn with 12.

Al Hornyak led the Bucks with 26 points and Russ Witte, just a sophomore, canned 23.

Western shut off everybody else though, as the Hilltoppers won their first-ever NCAA regional championship. And believe it or not, this is the first time Ohio State has ever lost a game in the regional!

It was a corner basket by Bailey with just 10 seconds to play that gave Western a 69-all tie and forced the overtime period.

"Bailey really surprised us - actually, he killed us on his corner shots," said Ohio State coach Fred Taylor. The Bucks' Witte missed a long jumper at the gun. So it was overtime.

Jim Cleamons opened the extra period with a driving layup for State. McDaniels retaliated from the corner and it was 71-all.

McDaniels hit again from the sidelines to make it 73-71, Western, with 2:30 to go. Cleamons pumped home a 20-foot jumper and it was a new game again at 73-all. Witte gave State its last lead at 76-75 with a single.

Then, Western went on top to stay on Glover's sensational rebound of a missed McDaniels shot. Rose then stole and scored from the corner and it was 79-76.

"I've never seen such corner shooting!" howled coach Taylor. Glover got the final two points on a pair of free throws. Cleamons layup at the horn was too little too late.

Western finished with a 34-31 edge in field goals, but trailed in rebounds by 56-42. The Tops hit .463 percentage from the field and State batted .464.

The Bucks had the edge at the foul line, canning 16 of 21 while Western meshed 13 of 17.

Presenting the regional championship trophy to Western president Dero Downing, Oldham could not keep from telling the 13,000 cheering fans: "We surely did enjoy this wonderful Georgia hospitality."

Now, it's the NCAA finals at Houston's Astrodome next Thursday and Saturday, when the four greatest teams in the land assemble to decide the nation's championship basketball team.

If Glover can play 40 minutes each night, nobody in Athens is betting the Hilltoppers don't bring home the Big One.

Ohio's shooting was out of this world in the first half, which the Bucks dominated. They led 40-34 at intermission and had canned 16 of just 22 attempts for a .667 percentage.

Western hit 15 of 35 for a respectable .428.

The Hilltoppers are playing like they won it all against kentucky thursday night," said one press row observer. If they did feel that way, Oldham had them a different team in the last half, although it took awhile to get that momentum.

McDaniels quickly got the Toppers within 50-47. Then, Al Hornyak keyed another State burst which lofted the edge to 60-55 and then 62-57. That's when Western made the tournament's big move. Bailey hit from the circle and Dunn bagged a driving layup. It was 62-61 State now, and 3:32 remained to be played.

Hornyak's corner goal made it 64-61 with 3:15 to go.

McDaniels sank two singles for Western. Rose stuffed home a rebound basket and Western led now, 65-64. Rose hit again from the circle after a Rex Bailey steal. But Herb Minor drove and scored for State.

Then, with just 1:42 remaining, that tough Witte got underneath for a layup and State led 68-67. Witte's single on McDaniels' fourth foul made it a two point State lead at 69-67.

Just seconds remained now. And Western promptly lost possession on a floor error! But State returend the favoe with 66 seconds to go.

Again, the Toppers coughed up possession without getting a shot. But Rose stole with just 17 seconds to play and State in a stall. And then, with only 10 seconds to go, that Bailey jumped one home from the corner.

"It ought to be against the law to shoot from the corners like this team does," said Coach Taylor.

Cleamons' drive gave State its last lead in the opening seconds of the overtime and you know what happened after that.

"What are your chances win it all now Johnny?" a reporter asked him at the mass press interview.

"Well," said Oldham, "in the last 10 days we have defeated Jacksonville, kentucky and now Ohio State. So I would have to say that our chances are - well one in four!"

Of course only four teams are left now in the national championship chase.

McDaniels took a whopping 35 shots, most of them from long range, and hit 14. He added three of six from the foul line. So, in two games in the Mideast Tournament, McDaniels scored 58 - which is about par for him.

Bailey scored 28, Rose bagged 26, Dunn got 24 and Glover posted 22 - plus 39 rebounds! They're going to miss that boy on the Hilltop.

The Hilltoppers will face Eastern Regional champion Villanova in the semi-finals at the Astrodome next Thursday night. With the momentum they have going, watch out UCLA!

Previous Game Articles
WKU vs. kentucky (1971 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Jacksonville (1971 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Loyola (Ill.) (1966 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Michigan (1966 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Dayton (1967 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Syracuse (1978 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Georgetown (1982 Wendy's Classic)
WKU vs. Auburn (1985 Wendy's Classic)
WKU vs. UAB (1/25/86 - Mars Bars Game)
WKU vs. UNLV (1986 Preseason NIT)
WKU vs. Memphis State (1986 Preseason NIT)
WKU vs. Texas Christian (1986 Preseason NIT)
WKU vs. Notre Dame (1986 Preseason NIT)
WKU vs. West Virginia (1987 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs.Florida St. (1993 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Seton Hall (1993 NCAA Tournament)
WKU vs. Louisville (2/16/93 - W 78-77)