ESPN's Top 75 Moments in March - 34. Al's Last Run and 15. Whitehead Lays it in

[mu35577]

15. Whitehead lays it in

Marquette's Jerome Whitehead was an unlikely hero in one of the most dramatic finishes in NCAA tournament history. After UNC Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell tied the score at 49 with three seconds to go in the 1977 national semifinal, Marquette coach Al McGuire called timeout. McGuire designed a play for Butch Lee to throw a full-court pass to center Bo Ellis, with Whitehead setting a screen. But Lee's pass was tipped by Maxwell and ended up in Whitehead's hands inside the free throw line. Whitehead tried to dunk the ball, but Maxwell recovered to partially block his shot. Miraculously, the ball bounced off the backboard and into the rim at the buzzer to give Marquette a 51-49 victory. Whitehead, who died in December at age 56, scored 21 points with 16 rebounds. Marquette defeated North Carolina 67-59 in the final.
-- Mark Schlabach




34. McGuire's final run

College basketball fans never knew what to expect from Marquette coach Al McGuire. He once took a player to the Milwaukee lakefront, where he had the undersized center throw a beach ball into the water, to refute a rival coach's claim that he "couldn't throw the ball into the ocean from the beach." So maybe fans shouldn't have been surprised that McGuire spent the final seconds of Marquette's 67-59 victory over North Carolina in the 1977 championship game at the end of the bench, with his head buried in his hands as he wept. Midway through the 1977 season, McGuire announced he was retiring at age 48, and he reached college basketball's pinnacle in his final game as a coach. -- Mark Schlabach

[Goose]

Pretty impressive being #34. A lot of great NCAA moments over the years and to be #34 is awesome. Story book ending and deserves the ranking.

[Hards Alumni]

15. Whitehead lays it in

Marquette's Jerome Whitehead was an unlikely hero in one of the most dramatic finishes in NCAA tournament history. After UNC Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell tied the score at 49 with three seconds to go in the 1977 national semifinal, Marquette coach Al McGuire called timeout. McGuire designed a play for Butch Lee to throw a full-court pass to center Bo Ellis, with Whitehead setting a screen. But Lee's pass was tipped by Maxwell and ended up in Whitehead's hands inside the free throw line. Whitehead tried to dunk the ball, but Maxwell recovered to partially block his shot. Miraculously, the ball bounced off the backboard and into the rim at the buzzer to give Marquette a 51-49 victory. Whitehead, who died in December at age 56, scored 21 points with 16 rebounds. Marquette defeated North Carolina 67-59 in the final.
-- Mark Schlabach




34. McGuire's final run

College basketball fans never knew what to expect from Marquette coach Al McGuire. He once took a player to the Milwaukee lakefront, where he had the undersized center throw a beach ball into the water, to refute a rival coach's claim that he "couldn't throw the ball into the ocean from the beach." So maybe fans shouldn't have been surprised that McGuire spent the final seconds of Marquette's 67-59 victory over North Carolina in the 1977 championship game at the end of the bench, with his head buried in his hands as he wept. Midway through the 1977 season, McGuire announced he was retiring at age 48, and he reached college basketball's pinnacle in his final game as a coach. -- Mark Schlabach

That is just amazing to think about.  When these days coaches are still going strong in their 70s, Al stopped before his 50th birthday.

[mu35577]

Adding to this, they list the Top 75 Players in the Tourney....


65. Dwyane Wade, Marquette

Before Tom Crean became a Hoosier and Marquette joined the Big East, the Golden Eagles were coached by a guy known mostly as "a former Tom Izzo assistant." Fortunately for Crean, he had a star with a funny first name that writers kept misspelling: Dwyane Wade. Nothing about this team's run to the 2003 Final Four came easily, but the game that truly made Wade's legend (and may even have persuaded the NBA to abandon any last lingering doubts) was the epic triple-double he recorded against top seed Kentucky in Marquette's 83-69 regional final win: 29 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. He's been "D-Wade" ever since.
-- John Gasaway


52. Butch Lee, Marquette

The floor general and driving force behind Marquette's 1977 national championship team -- the first and only title for head coach Al McGuire -- Lee's full-court inbounds pass was collected and scored by Jerome Whitehead in Marquette's Final Four win over Charlotte. He scored 19 points in the national championship game win over North Carolina and averaged 16.9 points per game in his NCAA tournament career. -- Conor Nevins

[77ncaachamps]

We think a lot about Whitehead putting the ball in the hoop that we forget Lee's pass that had to make it to him (of course, with the help of Cornbread).

Two amazing plays: the throw and the score. Could be three if you consider Maxwell tipped the ball AND recovered to partially block the shot.

[SaveOD238]

I'm kinda surprised that Wade's triple-double against Kentucky didn't make the cut.  Then again, for people who aren't MU fans...who cares?

[Hards Alumni]

I'm kinda surprised that Wade's triple-double against Kentucky didn't make the cut.  Then again, for people who aren't MU fans...who cares?

I think it was one of 3 triple doubles in NCAA Tourney history.  I could be mistaken.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Wade made it for players. As for "moments", there wasn't one that stood out that game.

[Goose]

MU fan or not Wade's performance against Kentucky was one of the best I have ever seen. He put on a clinic.

[mileskishnish72]

Had a dinner engagement in a nearby wacky liberal college town here in NE. Had to toke the bartender just to get the game on - then everyone was rooting for Ky. They asked my wife and I why we were rooting for this other team and we told them "We went there." Those Birkenstock wearers got into it after that, since we were, shall we say, enthusiastic. By the midpoint of the second half they were buying us drinks! Glad I didn't go all OC and go back for the Kansas game.

[Tums Festival]

Very impressive to be on the list twice from the same tournament. Shows how big a deal that year still is.

Also, interesting how Schlabach says Jerome Whitehead "tried to dunk the ball." Dunking was illegal at that time so I'm guessing the basket would've been waved off. Yes I'm being a nitpicker.

[T-Bone]

Here's Whitehead's shot:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5u8JuNltiw
Hadn't seen it before.  Definitely a moment.

Had a dinner engagement in a nearby wacky liberal college town here in NE. Had to toke the bartender just to get the game on - then everyone was rooting for Ky... By the midpoint of the second half they were buying us drinks! Glad I didn't go all OC and go back for the Kansas game.

OT
Had a similar experience in Los Gatos a few years back watching Marquette beat ND.  Some regulars at the bar asked me why I was rooting for Marquette after they had been cheering for ND. Sure enough by end of game, they were Warrior fans (and buying drinks). 

[MUfan12]

Also, interesting how Schlabach says Jerome Whitehead "tried to dunk the ball." Dunking was illegal at that time so I'm guessing the basket would've been waved off. Yes I'm being a nitpicker.

I could have sworn Bo Ellis dunked the ball in that game. I thought it was reinstated by then.

[dgies9156]

Adding to this, they list the Top 75 Players in the Tourney....


65. Dwyane Wade, Marquette

Before Tom Crean became a Hoosier and Marquette joined the Big East, the Golden Eagles were coached by a guy known mostly as "a former Tom Izzo assistant." Nothing about this team's run to the 2003 Final Four came easily, but the game that truly made Wade's legend (and may even have persuaded the NBA to abandon any last lingering doubts) was the epic triple-double he recorded against top seed Kentucky in Marquette's 83-69 regional final win: 29 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. He's been "D-Wade" ever since.
-- John Gasaway

I was at that game at the Metrodome. It was the greatest Marquette moment since 1977.

If Al is ever going to be St. Al of Brookfield, that game was without a doubt the first miracle he performed. And on Kentucky no less. Al probably looked down into the furnace, saw Adolph Rupp's toasty face, and smiled widely.

[77ncaachamps]

I was at that game at the Metrodome. It was the greatest Marquette moment since 1977.

If Al is ever going to be St. Al of Brookfield, that game was without a doubt the first miracle he performed. And on Kentucky no less. Al probably looked down into the furnace, saw Adolph Rupp's toasty face, and smiled widely.

I was at a conference and had to be on the floor for the inaugural opening and later breakout sessions.

I skipped it all. Caught part of the game after I exited the plane in the airport, reunited with the game in the lobby as I checked in, and sat in my room to finish it all.

It's like a 9/11 story (respectfully, of course).

[dgies9156]

15. Whitehead lays it in
Marquette's Jerome Whitehead was an unlikely hero in one of the most dramatic finishes in NCAA tournament history. After UNC Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell tied the score at 49 with three seconds to go in the 1977 national semifinal, Marquette coach Al McGuire called timeout. McGuire designed a play for Butch Lee to throw a full-court pass to center Bo Ellis, with Whitehead setting a screen. But Lee's pass was tipped by Maxwell and ended up in Whitehead's hands inside the free throw line. Whitehead tried to dunk the ball, but Maxwell recovered to partially block his shot. Miraculously, the ball bounced off the backboard and into the rim at the buzzer to give Marquette a 51-49 victory.
34. McGuire's final run
College basketball fans never knew what to expect from Marquette coach Al McGuire. He once took a player to the Milwaukee lakefront, where he had the undersized center throw a beach ball into the water, to refute a rival coach's claim that he "couldn't throw the ball into the ocean from the beach." So maybe fans shouldn't have been surprised that McGuire spent the final seconds of Marquette's 67-59 victory over North Carolina in the 1977 championship game at the end of the bench, with his head buried in his hands as he wept.

Saw both of these at Brooks Memorial Union. Even got my girlfriend (now my wife of 33 years) to come with. She came for the party; I came for the basketball! And people wonder why I went to Marquette after growing up in Nashville?

[keefe]

Dunking was illegal at that time so I'm guessing the basket would've been waved off. Yes I'm being a nitpicker.

1976-77 was the first year dunking was allowed back. If J had dunked it would have counted.

[Tums Festival]

1976-77 was the first year dunking was allowed back. If J had dunked it would have counted.

I stand corrected.

[mu35577]

Another edition to the top 75 list - ranking the champions. The Warriors come in at no. 36


36. Marquette, 1977

Perhaps more than any other team that won a title, the 1977 Marquette squad was a reflection of their legendary coach, Al McGuire. The Warriors played with street smarts and tenacity. After McGuire announced at midseason that he would retire at season's end, the Warriors took a 20-7 record into the NCAA tournament. They beat Kansas State by one point in the second round and UNC Charlotte by two points in the national semifinals. With the score tied at 49 in the final seconds, UNC Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell deflected a pass to Marquette's Jerome Whitehead, who dribbled once and then tried to dunk the ball. Maxwell partially blocked his shot, but the ball bounced through the rim, giving the Warriors a 51-49 victory. They defeated North Carolina 67-59 in the finals, leaving McGuire weeping at the end of the bench. -- Mark Schlabach