Cardinal Tradition Louisville Basketball Louisville Basketball Tradition asketball is special to Kentuckians. The sport B permeates everyday life from offices to farm- lands, from coal mines to neighborhood drug stores. It is more than just a sport played in the cold winter months. It is a source of pride filled year-round with anticipation, hope and celebration. Kentuckians love their basketball, and the tradition-rich University of Louisville program has supplied its fans with one of the nation’s finest products for decades. Legendary coach Bernard “Peck” Hickman, a Basketball Hall of Fame nominee, arrived on the UofL campus in 1944 to begin a remarkable string of 46 consecutive winning seasons. For 23 seasons, Hickman laid an impressive foundation for UofL. John Dromo, an assistant coach under Hickman for 19 years, continued the Louisville program in outstanding fashion following Hickman’s retirement. For 30 years, Denny Crum followed the same path of success that Hickman and Dromo both walked, guiding the Cardinals to even higher acclaim. Now, Coach Rick Pitino energized a re-emergence in building upon the rich UofL tradition in his 16 years, guiding the Cardinals to the 2013 NCAA championship, NCAA Final Fours in 2005 and 2012 and the NCAA Elite Eight five of the past 10 sea- sons. Among the Cardinals’ past successes include national championships in the NCAA (1980,1986, 2013), NIT (1956) and the NAIB (1948). UofL is Taquan Dean kisses the Freedom Hall floor Tremendous pride is taken in the tradition the only school in the nation to have claimed the after his final game as a Cardinal. established at the University of Louisville. Student- championship in all three major tournaments. athletes who attend UofL follow in the footsteps of The Cardinals have appeared in the NCAA tour- Louisville was arguably the most dominant some of college basketball’s all-time greats. These nament on 42 occasions, which places UofL fifth team in college basketball during the decade of the athletes must be willing to give of themselves, just in all-time NCAA Tournament appearances behind 1980s. Evidence of that claim is simple; during the as former UofL stars did, to maintain UofL as one of Kentucky (57), North Carolina (48), UCLA (47), decade of the 80s, the Cardinals won two national the nations’ top programs. It is more than the Wes and Kansas (46). championships (equalled only by Indiana); sent an Unseld’s, Darrell Griffith’s and Pervis Ellison’s of the Louisville has played in the Final Four 10 times, unmatched four teams to the Final Four; appeared UofL world. It’s the teamwork of those with the Tim including four times in the 1980s. Only six schools among the final 16 teams seven times (bettered Henderson’s, Roger Burkman’s and Derwin Webb’s — North Carolina (20), UCLA (17), Kentucky (17), only by North Carolina’s nine times); and posted on the Cardinal rosters that blend into one team, Duke (16), Kansas (14) and Ohio State (11) have the highest NCAA Tournament winning percentage one unit, to achieve a common goal. It is a commit- reached the Final Four more often. of any other team (.793, 23-6). ment that has been worthwhile for decades. UofL ' s Post-Season Tournament Success All Time NCAA Kansas 14 UofL in Post-Season Play Tournament Appearances Ohio State 11 School Yrs. W-L Louisville 10 NCAA Tournament Appearances 41 Kentucky* 56 124-50 Michigan State 9 (10 of the last 11, 13 of the last 15 years, North Carolina 48 123-45 Indiana 8 15 of the last 19, 21 of the last 26, UCLA* 46 101-39 Three tied at 6 33 of last 41) Kansas 46 103-45 NCAA Championships (3) -1980, 1986, 2013 Louisville 42 76-42 All-Time NCAA NCAA Final Fours (10) - 1959, 1972, Duke 41 108-36 Tournament Wins 1975,1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 2005, Indiana 39 66-34 Kentucky 124 2012, 2013 Syracuse* 38 61-38 North Carolina 123 *does not include vacated years. Duke 108 National Invitation Tournaments 14 Kansas 103 NIT National Championships (1) - 1956 All-Time Final Fours UCLA 101 NAIB National Championship (1) - 1948 North Carolina 20 Louisville 76 UCLA 17 Indiana 66 Note: UofL has participated in the NCAA Kentucky 17 Michigan State 64 Tournament or NIT in 47 of the last 52 years. Duke 16 Syracuse 61 110 University of Louisville | gocards.com Louisville Basketball Retired Numbers 42 Pervis Ellison 35 Darrell Griffith Top NBA Draft Pick of 1989 Louisville’s Living Legend The only player in UofL history to total both In 1980 Darrell Griffith received the 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, Pervis El- prestigious John Wooden Award from the Los lison ended his playing career with the Cardinals Angeles Athletic Club as college basketball’s as the No. 2 all-time scorer. He is on of only Player of the Year. He was also selected by three players at UofL to score 2,000 points in The Sporting News for the same honor. A con- his career. A consensus All-American in 1989, sensus All-American in 1980, he led Louisville “Never Nervous Pervis” was named MVP of the to a 33-3 record and the school’s first NCAA 1989 Metro Conference Tournament, an award national championship. He left UofL as the he also won as a freshman. The all-time shot school’s career scoring leader (2,333 points); blocker at UofL and in the Metro Conference the first player in UofL history to surpass the with 374 career rejections, Ellison blocked at 2,000 point mark; the school single-season least one shot in 130 of his 136 career games. scoring leader with 825 points; and the first He finished his career third among NCAA career leaders in blocked shots. In 1986, player at Louisville to score more than 700 points in one season. He finished his he led the Cardinals to their second NCAA Championship title and was the first collegiate career having scored in double figures in 41 straight games and 111 of freshman since 1944 to be named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. his 126 games with the Cardinals. In his four seasons at UofL, he helped teams The Cardinals won two regular season Metro Conference titles and three Metro produce a combined record of 101-25; two regular season Metro Conference tournament championships during Ellison’s career. Following his playing career titles; two Metro tournament championships; four straight NCAA tournament at UofL, Ellison became one of the select few collegiate players and the first for appearances; and the 1980 NCAA Championship. His jersey number — 35 — the Cardinals when he was chosen as the No. 1 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. was retired at ceremonies following the 1980 basketball season and his road His jersey number - 42 - was retired at ceremonies following the 1989 season. uniform is on display at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Ellison’s Career Statistics Griffith’s Career Statistics Year G FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Reb-Avg Ast-Avg PF-D TP Avg Year G FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Reb-Avg Ast-Avg PF-D TP Avg 1985-86 39 210-379 .554 90-132 .681 318-8.2 78-2.0 117-3 510 13.1 1976-77 28 150-299 .501 59- 93 .634 109-3.8 50-1.8 71- 3 359 12.8 1986-87 31 185-347 .533 100-139 .719 270-8.7 56-1.8 96-6 470 15.2 1977-78 30 240-460 .522 78-110 .709 162-5.4 105-3.5 78- 3 558 18.6 1987-88 35 235-391 .601 146-211 .692 291-8.3 108-3.1 103-2 617 17.6 1978-79 32 232-487 .497 107-151 .709 140-4.4 90-2.8 87- 3 591 18.5 1988-89 31 227-369 .615 92-141 .652 270-8.7 78-2.5 98-5 546 17.6 1979-80 36 349-631 .553 127-178 .713 174-4.8 138-3.8 99- 2 825 22.9 Totals 136 857-1486 .577 428-623 .687 1149-8.4 320-2.4 414-16 2143 15.8 Totals 126 981-1877 .523 371-532 .697 585-4.6 383-3.0 335-11 2333 8.5 31 Wes Unseld 8 Charlie Tyra Top Single Game Scorer Top All-Time Rebounder When Wes Unseld ended his career with A consensus All-American during the 1956 and the University of Louisville following the 1967- 1957 seasons, Charlie Tyra led the University of 68 season, he left as the Cardinals’ all-time Louisville to its first NIT title in 1956 and was named leading scorer for a three-year player. Today, the tournament’s MVP for his performance. Tyra was Unseld ranks 11th on the all-time scoring list, named Helms Athletic Foundation All-American in his but his career point total of 1,686 is still tops for junior and senior years. One of only five Cardinals to a three-year player. A consensus All-American record over 1,000 rebounds in his career, Tyra ranks during his junior and senior years, Unseld is as the all-time rebounder in UofL history with 1,617. one of only five Cardinal players to pull down During the 1955-56 season, Tyra pulled down 645 over 1,000 rebounds in his career. His 1,551 rebounds, a mark that has been bettered by only three career rebounds ranks second behind Charlie players in NCAA history.