UCLA Dazzles Wichita State; Michigan Overpowers Princeton

Mar. 19, 1965 - UCLA dazzled Wichita State with its footwork and Michigan overpowered Princeton tonight as the top-ranked teams swept to NCAA basketball semifinal victories at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore.

The Bruins had a laugher, routing the Wheatshockers, 108-89, before 13,197 fans in the nightcap.

Michigan triumphed, 93-76, pulling away in the closing minutes when Princeton’s polished All-American forward, Bill Bradley, fouled out.

When it was suggested afterward to Michigan coach Dave Strack that the fouls which put Bradley in jeopardy early may have taken come of the gloss off Michigan’s victory, he disagreed.

“Bradley is a great player,” he said, “but we would have won even if he had played the entire game. It was just a case of midnight striking for Cinderella. Our kids were just bigger and stronger and better.”

The Wolverine-Tiger game was at least a contest for the better part of the game.

Wichita, the surprise winner of the midwest regional, simply couldn’t keep up with the defending national champions.

The Bruins jumped out to a commanding 65-38 lead at halftime and then just went through the motions in the final 20 minutes.

Thus, the dream match pitting the nation’s No. 1 team, Michigan, against the No. 2 team, UCLA, is a reality.

The teams haven’t met since the semifinals of the Los Angeles Basketball Classic in 1963. UCLA routed the Wolverines, 98-80, in that one, and the Big Ten team has been spoiling for revenge ever since.

A third-place playoff between Princeton and Wichita at 5 p.m. tomorrow will precede the championship joust at 7 o’clock.

The Bruins, 27-2 on the season, will try to become the fifth team in NCAA history to win back to back titles. 

Michigan has never won the NCAA title, being ousted in the semifinals by Duke last year in Kansas City.

After tonight’s triumph, UCLA coach John Wooden said: “We’ll not try to beat Michigan physically. We’ll try to run them. If we can keep them from dominating the boards, we can beat them.”

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