Three National Championship men’s basketball teams will be entering the University of Evansville Athletics Hall of Fame in January of 2019. Included in the class are the teams from 1959-60, 1963-64 and 1970-71. The 1958-59 and 1964-65 championship squads were previously inducted into the hall.
These three teams will be honored in a banquet on Saturday, January 19, 2019 inside the main ballroom of the DoubleTree Hotel, which is adjacent to the Ford Center. The event is slated to take place following the Purple Aces men’s basketball game against Illinois State that afternoon. UE takes on the Redbirds at 1 p.m. inside the Ford Center with the Hall of Fame banquet taking place following the game. A cash bar will be available inside the DoubleTree immediately following the game, giving inductees and fans the opportunity to interact.
Dinner will be served at 4:15 p.m. with the festivities beginning at 5 p.m. Cost for the banquet and dinner is $50 and fans can register immediately by clicking the registration link above.
Just a year after winning the first National Championship in school history, the 1959-60 team made it 2-for-2, going 25-4 on their way to the championship. After dropping the season opener to Iowa, the team won 10 in a row including wins over Valparaiso and Fresno State. In the season finale, the Aces defeated Chapman by a final score of 90-69 to earn its second championship.
Members of the 1959-60 team included: Tom Boyles, Walter Deal, Larry Erwin, Vince Gwaltney, Tom Hamilton, Mel Lurker, Tom Mulherin, Jim Nossett, Ken Reising, Bob Reisinger, P.M. Sanders, Ed Smallwood, Bill Thurneck and Dale Wise. Smallwood paced the team with 26.1 points and 12.0 rebounds. Wise added a team-high 17.1 rebounds.
Evansville made its return to the championship stage in 1964 as the team went 26-3 with triumphs over New Mexico State, Arizona and Purdue. The team rolled through the NCAA Tournament, with its closest game being a 64-59 win over Southern Illinois in the second round. UE clinched the championship on March 13, 1964, defeating Akron, 72-59.
The 1963-64 team members were: Wayne Boultinghouse, Buster Briley, Paul Bullard, Dave Cox, Larry Denton, Ed Coleman, Ron Eberhard, Dave Green, Russ Grieger, Robert Hermeyer, Larry Humes, Larry Isley, Allen McCutchan, Jerry Sloan, Jim Smith, Sam Watkins and Ed Zausch. Smith was the leading scorer with 15.8 points while Sloan (13.9) and Briley (13.5) were just behind. Sloan paced the team with 11.6 caroms per contest.
Evansville’s final College Division National Championship came in 1971. The Aces started the year 4-5, but went on to win 18 of the final 21 games including a 97-82 victory over Old Dominion in the finals to clinch the school’s fifth championship.
Team members were: Don Buse, Bob Clayton, John Clayton, Rick Coffey, John Couch, Peter Hughes, Curt John, Bob Keegan, Mike Kern, Greg Martin, James McKissic, Herman Oliver, Dan Paddock, Chaundice Pullom, Rick Smith, Monte Stebbins, Tyrone Towler, John Wellemeyer and Steve Welmer. Wellemeyer led the way with 19.8 points while Buse notched 18.2. Clayton was the top rebounder with 6.7 per game.
All three teams were led by Hall of Fame head coach Arad McCutchan. Paul Beck and Ray Bawel were assistants in 1959-60, Tom O’Brien was an assistant in 1963-64 and Wayne Boultinghouse was the assistant in 1971.
