Program History THE 1920s: MIAMI’S FIRST TIME
THE 1930s: A MISSING LINK • Miami records list no official results from 1932 through 1938. During that period of time, representatives from the school played local AAU and church-sponsored teams under Coach Tom McCann. • The Hurricanes returned to intercollegiate competition in the 193839 season, posting a 4-6 record under Head Coach Hart Morris.
THE 1940s:WORLD WAR II STOPS PLAY • Like many other institutions across the nation, Miami dropped intercollegiate basketball during the war years of 1942-1945. • Morris returned as head coach along with the program in 1946 and was the UM mentor until 1952 when Dave Wike took over for a two-year stint as the UM coach.
THE 1950s: UM’S GLORY YEARS • In 1954, the University named Bruce Hale as its head basketball coach. The retired Air Force captain and former professional basketball star held the UM head coaching post for 13 seasons, leading the Hurricane program through its glory years of intercollegiate basketball. Before the end of Hale’s tenure in 1967, the Hurricanes won 220 games and lost 112 for a .663 winning percentage. Hale’s first Miami team turned in a 9-11 record, but there were no other losing campaigns in the next 12 years. The streak of non-losing seasons extended through the 1968-69 season — marking 14 consecutive campaigns of .500 basketball or better for UM. • Hale’s 1959-60 club was the first UM men’s basketball team to advance to the NCAA Tournament and finish the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 10. That 1959-60 edition ran its record to 23-3 before bowing to Western Kentucky, 107-84, in the first round of the tournament. • During that historic ‘59-60 NCAA Tournament year, junior guard Dick Hickox became the first UM basketball player to earn All-America recognition. Hickox averaged 22.1 points per game during that season en route to becoming a second-team AP and UPI All-American.
THE 1960s: RICK BARRY’S ALL-AMERICAN YEARS • The Dick Hickox-led Hurricanes of 1960-61 returned to postseason play — falling in the first round of the NIT to St. Louis, 58-56. The 1960-61 squad compiled a 20-7 record. • In 1962-63, Miami advanced to the second round of the NIT before falling to Providence, 106-96. An opening round NIT victory over St. Francis (N.Y.), 71-70, marked the first Miami victory in postseason play. • From 1962 through 1965, Miami recorded three consecutive 20-win seasons, rolling up a composite record of 65-16. The star of these Hurricane glory teams was a brilliant scorer named Rick Barry.
• In 1964-65, Barry became the Hurricanes’ only consensus All-America selection. The 6-7, 200-pound native of Roselle Park, New Jersey led the nation in scoring with a 37.4 average in his senior season. He went on to become the only player in basketball history to win single-season scoring titles in the NCAA, ABA and NBA. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., in 1986. • The 1964-65 Miami squad, led by Barry’s scoring brilliance, established a new NCAA scoring record by averaging 98.4 points per game. The ‘Canes, however, were not allowed to participate in the NCAA Tournament that year — after posting a 22-4 record — because of recruiting violations. • Bruce Hale resigned after 1966-67 and assistant Ron Godfrey assumed the head coaching responsibilities.
HISTORY
• The Hurricanes fielded a freshman team in 1926-27, finishing 7-1 under Head Coach Art Webb. • In 1927-28, the first official varsity basketball team at the University of Miami posted an 8-4 mark, knocking off Rollins, 51-15, in the opener.
RICK BARRY’S impressive scoring feats still rank supreme in the Miami record book. He was UM’s first Consensus All-American in 1965.
THE 1970s: FIRST ERA ENDS • Don Curnutt closed out his Miami basketball career in 1970 as the Hurricanes’ third player to receive All-America recognition. • February 27, 1971 — The last victory by a University of Miami men’s basketball team for 14 years came in the second-to-last game of the season, a 100-94 triumph against Florida State at home in the Dinner Key Auditorium. The ‘Canes shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the floor and all five Miami starters scored in double figures. • March 1, 1971 — After posting a four-year record of 47-56 at Miami, Ron Godfrey resigned his post as head basketball coach, effective following UM’s final game of the season against nationally-ranked Jacksonville. • March 2, 1971 — The last game played by a University of Miami men’s team until 1985 took place at the Dinner Key Auditorium where one of the largest UM home crowds in years turned out to see the Hurricanes host nationally-ranked Jacksonville. The Dolphins handed Miami a 94-75 loss that remained as UM’s last contest for the next 14 years.
A second-team All-American, DON CURNUTT saw his collegiate career come to an end in 1970, while the first era of Miami basketball came to a close just one year later.
DICK HICKOX was UM’s first All-American in 1960. He led the Hurricanes to a 23-3 record, their first NCAA Tournament and their first final regular-season Associated Press Top 10 ranking.
131
HURRICANESPORTS.COM | UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MEN’S BASKETBALL | 2010-11