| Three times the Eastern Michigan Hurons played major-college basketball teams early in the 1971-72 season. Three times the Hurons--who had just achieved NCAA College Division status--hit the road to play in the home gymnasium of those University-Division rivals. And three times Eastern's roundballers came up short...by a total of just 16 points. EMU easily beat up on its old College Division and NAIA rivals en route to an 8-4 record, but couldn't seem to pull off that one impressive win over a major basketball program. The problem for head coach Jim Dutcher's 1971-72 Hurons was, of course, Kennedy McIntosh. Or, the lack of a Ken McIntosh. Huron fans were finding out that life without the Little All-American center wasn't going to be easy. The 6'7" McIntosh retired with Eastern's career scoring and rebounding records. He was easily the most dominating player who ever donned the green and white. But McIntosh was gone--selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls--a year after leading the Hurons to the NAIA Championship Game in 1971. Coach Dutcher would miss Mac, naturally, but there was a certain sophomore waiting in the wings who would quickly take command of the Hurons. A slender 6'8" forward who was smooth and cool as "Ice:" George Gervin. Gervin was in the process of instantly rewriting all of McIntosh's records. The Detroit Martin Luther King High School product would eventually set EMU single-season records for scoring (886), field goals (339), rebounding (458), and free throws (208), surpassing McIntosh in every category. After suffering the losses to those three major college programs--Toledo, Purdue, and Michigan--the Hurons rolled into Pittsburgh after the January break having won eight times in their last nine games. The opposition would provide an even greater test than what had come before: the Duquesne University Dukes. Eastern Michigan teams had beaten nationally-ranked squads before, but only those competing at the NAIA or NCAA Small College level. The Dukes were a perfect 8-0 and ranked 17th in the latest UPI poll. Equally as impressive was Duquesne's long basketball tradition, which had produced several All-Americans and a NIT National Champion in 1955. There were 4,331 fans on hand to try to make noise in the cavernous 16,000-seat Civic Arena. Both squads were well-rested--or maybe rusty--not having played in nearly two weeks. Gervin, however, was bothered with an injured ankle. He started but would play fewer than three minutes in the first half. The loss of their floor leader and leading scorer did not upset the other Hurons. In fact, they played as though they never missed him. Eastern scored the first five points of the game and kept the lead for the entire first half. The backcourt team of Lindell Reason and Gary Tyson ran Dutcher's offense with precision. Forward Earl Dixon and center Bill James banged the boards for 16 first half rebounds. Eastern jumped out to a 31-23 lead before Dukes guard Ruben Montanez hit a pair of field goals to cut the halftime difference to 35-29. |
| Although Gervin limped on to the court to start the second half, Duquense immediately erased EMU's advantage and took a three point lead, 54-51, at the eight minute mark of the second half. The two teams kept pace with one another from that point on. With 3:42 remaining Gervin, toting a heavy bandage and limping noticeably, picked up his fourth foul. Duquesne's Lionel Billingy hit one of two free throws to give the Dukes a 63-59 lead. It looked like an- other heroic effort might go to waste for EMU. Resolutely fighting back, the Hurons tied the score. But the Dukes moved back in front, 67-63 with just over two minutes left. Following a Dutcher time out, James hit a short jumper and then a free throw to make it 67-66. With 1:16 showing on the clock, Duquesne head coach Red Manning called time. The Dukes then tried to stall but it didn't work. Gervin stole the ball 19 seconds later and James was fouled. He connected twice to give Eastern a 68-67 lead. Working carefully, the Dukes brought the ball upcourt. There was plenty of time to retake the lead--but also enough to give the Hurons a final chance. With a half minute left Billingy took an inside pass and drove the lane, banking in a shot that put Duquesne in front, 69-68. Now it was Dutcher's turn to sweat. Calling his final time out, he pondered his choices. Gervin was on one leg but no one else had been consistent enough to score more than 12 points. Dutcher decided to go with his meal ticket. The Hurons inbounded at midcourt, and as the clock unwound, Gervin took a pass and drove the lane. Billingy moved to defend but couldn't get in the way fast enough; the Iceman's layup softly fell through the net with one second showing. Silence echoed throughout the far reaches of the Civic Arena. A long desperation shot went awry as the buzzer sounded, and the Eastern Michigan basketball team finally had that elusive first win over a major college power. For EMU, the fourth time was the charm. Gervin was the hero, yes. But although he scored 22 points in just 23 minutes of action, his teammates proved themselves some of the most worthy support players in Huron Hardwood History. Return to: Huron Hardwood History Dave's Attic |
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| George Gervin |
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| January 11, 1972 Pittsburgh, PA Eastern Michigan 70 Duquesne 69 |