A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On March 25, 1961, the Utah Utes played in one of the greatest and most memorable NCAA Final men’s basketball games in history, scoring 120 points.
And lost a heartbreaker.
Now Utah Runnin’ Utes basketball is a storied program, and Utah has enjoyed great success through the years. And even though this story ends in a defeat, it is worth remembering.
The 1961 season was exciting for Utah fans. The Utes had won the NCAA Tournament in 1944 — more on that later this week — and had participated in the tournament numerous times since.
Jack Gardner’s squad was led by Billy McGill and defeated Loyola Marymount 91-75, and Arizona State 88-80 to reach Kansas City.
The build-up was extensive in the national press as well as the Deseret News.
In Kansas City, Gardner had invited fans to watch Utah practice on the day before the game, a practice that is now mandated. In a press conference before the semifinals, Gardner lamented the rumored problems with gamblers trying to fix the scores of games. Ohio State would play St. Joseph in the other semifinals.
After losing to Cincinnati 82-67 in the national semifinals on March 24, Utah faced St. Joseph in the third-place tournament game. In those days, a consolation game was a regular occurrence.
On March 25, in front of as many as 18,000 fans, the two teams played to a standstill after regulation.
And the teams were tied after the first overtime. Ditto the second and third overtimes.
In the fourth OT, coach Gardner’s squad fell behind, and eventually lost 127-120. McGill scored 25 points.
The game tied the record for the longest NCAA Division I tournament game in history. The original record was set in a 1956 first round game when Canisius and North Carolina State went to four overtimes.
And despite the extra attention, it turned out the St. Joseph team had its third-place honors when three letterman players were found to be gambling and point-shaving.
Gardner had Utah back in the Final Four five years later, but Utah lost to Duke by a basket in the semifinals.
In the mid-1990s, as any Crimson Club fan can tell you, Rick Majerus started an exciting three-year run where the Utes lost in the Sweet 16 to Kentucky in 1996, then fell to Kentucky in an Elite Eight game in 1997. In 1998, the two teams met again, this time in the National Championship game. Again Kentucky prevailed, this time 78-69.
But what a ride.
In 2011, the school honored the team on the 50th anniversary of its accomplishments:
Here are some Deseret News articles about that team and that season:
“Today in sports: Utah defeated in quadruple overtime, 3rd-place NCAA Tournament game”
“Utes scored 120 points and lost in 1961 tourney”
“‘62 Ute team wondered ‘what if?’”
“All century college basketball team”
“Jack Gardner passes on at 90″
"Jack Gardner’s back where he belongs — at the Final Four”
“Brad Rock: Utes need a McGill on the Hill”
“About Utah: Billy McGill — basketball king in Utah, but the rest of the story is a downer”
“Former Utah hoops star Billy ‘The Hill’ McGill passes away at age 74″
