Cards to Recognize `83 NCAA Final Four Team
January 13, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2009
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville will honor its 1983 NCAA Final Four team at halftime of the Cardinals' Jan. 17 game against Pittsburgh. Prior to the game, members of the team will be available for autographs in Freedom Hall from 430-5:30 p.m.
A commemorative poster will be available as an insert in Saturday's game program.
The 1982-83 Cardinals posted a 32-4 record, won the Metro Conference title with a perfect 12-0 mark, and won its last 16 straight games before falling to Houston in the NCAA national semifinals. That game, which featured U of L's "Doctors of Dunk" against the Cougars' "Phi Slamma Jamma," is the highest rated college basketball game other than a national title game.
Four of the five members of the starting five from that team and at least five additional team members are expected to attend the event, in addition to Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum. Guard Milt Wagner, leading scorer on that team and the Cards' No. 5 all-time scorer (1,836 pts.), will be unable to attend as he currently serves as an assistant coach at UTEP. UTEP plays at East Carolina on Jan. 17.
The team is also well-known for winning the first "Dream Game" matchup with Kentucky in the Mideast Region Championship, an 80-68 overtime thriller in which regional MVP Lancaster Gordon scored 24 points and collected four steals to lead the Cardinals. Gordon is the No. 14 all-tme scorer at U of L (1,614 pts.) and is fourth in career steals (192).
Rodney McCray, one of only four Cardinals with both 1,000 career points (1,247) and rebounds (1,029), earned Metro Conference Player of the Year honors in 1983. He was the third selection in the NBA Draft that year to the Houston Rockets.
His brother Scooter McCray, whose tip-in at the buzzer beat Arkansas in the NCAA regional semifinal, started at the other forward position. Rounding out the starting five was Charles Jones, the team's leader in blocked shots and a future 1,000 point career scorer (1,124).
Later this season, U of L will recognize the Cardinals' 1959 NCAA Final Four team -- U of L's first of eight Final Four teams, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year -- on Jan. 31 at halftime of the Cards' game against West Virginia.
