The 1971-72 Eastern Kentucky Basketball Colonels were recognized by the University and the present-day basketball Colonels during the Eastern Kentucky University and Radford basketball game Saturday afternoon. Eastern outlasted Radford 67-65 to even their record at 6-6.
For those of you not old enough to remember, the 1971-72 Colonels were coached by Guy Strong and won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship receiving an invitation to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. The Colonels lost in the first round of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen to Florida State 83-81. Florida State was led by Ron King, Otto Petty, and Lawrence McCray. The Seminoles defeated Minnesota, Kentucky, and North Carolina before losing to UCLA and Bill Walton in the finals.
The 1971-72 basketball team was led by George Bryant, Charlie Mitchell, Billy Burton, Daryl Dunagan, Dan Argabright, Wade Upchurch, Charlie Brunker, Robert Brooks, Bobby Newell, Chuck Worthington, and Rick Stansel. This team was the fourth Eastern Kentucky University to make the NCAA tournament.
The Eastern Kentucky University Colonels and Coach A. W. Hamilton held a dinner to honor the 1971-72 Colonels basketball team at the Perkins Building after their game against Radford. The team and several family members were in attendance.
To add some insight into the EKU basketball tradition, Paul McBrayer took the 1952-53 and 1958-59 basketball Colonels to the NCAA tourney and Jim Baechtold’s 1964-65 Colonels made the Sweet Sixteen. Ed Byhre led the 1978-79 basketball Colonels to the NCAA tournament. Travis Ford coached the 2004-05 Colonels to the NCAA, and Jeff Neubauer led the 2006-07 Colonels to the NCAA tourney.
Sadly, seven Eastern Kentucky University teams have advanced to the NCAA, but no team has ever advanced past the first round.
Many thanks to the 1971-72 EKU basketball Colonels and 91-year old Coach Guy Strong for adding a little cheer to our basketball spirits and for the wonderful memories.
