All-Time Tourney #1 1960 vs. #8 1987

The 1960 National Champions are a one of a kind team. They are the only team in Ohio State history to win a national title and then played for two more. They possessed three players that would become All-Americans and first round draft picks to the NBA. All five starters played in the NBA and don’t forget that the team also produced one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history in Bob Knight. They face a 1987 squad led by Dennis Hopson who is the all-time leading scorer both in a career and single season. The Hopson led squad enjoyed good success in a season dominated by Coaches Knight and Thompson and just about pulled off the biggest upset ever against Thompson’s Hoyas in the NCAA tourney.  This match-up would be interesting in many ways but the best is the two most prolific scorers in the history of the program getting a chance to go against each other.

What are to follow will be several comparisons of each team’s makeup. We will be including our opinions of each comparison with who has the advantage and at the end will be guest appearances. We hope you enjoy our tournament as we look forward to the outcome!

1960 Starters and Stats

1960 Team Stats

Jerry Lucas in the Record Books
When Jerry Lucas eventually broke Robin Freeman’s career scoring mark, he did it by a long shot. Freeman’s mark at the time was a mere 1,597 points in 57 games and Lucas finished with 1,990 by 1962 and stayed there until Herb Williams came along in 78-81 and is currently 3rd all-time.  His career scoring average of 24.3 is still ranked 2nd right behind Robin Freeman’s 28 ppg. His 1960 season saw him land the 5th best in points (710) average (26.3). As a team he was part of the highest scoring average ever at 90.4 ppg. Lucas is one of only two players to score 500+ in three seasons (Michael Redd). He is the all-time leader in career and single season FG percentage at .624 and .637 respectively. The one category that Lucas is the leader in and may never be touched is rebounding.  He was a special player and had a nose for getting it done. He is the career leader (1,411), is the top three in season and 1960 was third (442), second through sixth in game rebounds and had 25 against W. Kentucky in 1960 for number 6. He finished up with a career rebounding average that may last at 17.2 rpg and set a new single season mark in 1960 with 16.4 which he broke each subsequent year after that.

1987 Starters and Stats

1987 Team Stats

Dennis Hopson in the Record Books
#RETIRE32 #Hop2TheRafters was born of the things Dennis Hopson accomplished. Dennis had one of the best seasons overall in Buckeye history. He holds the single season scoring record of 958 for an average of 29.1, which ranks third overall in Ohio State history for averages. Holds the field goals made in a single season of 338 and is the single season leader in field goals attempted with a staggering 653. He holds the record for most free throws made/attempted at 215/264. In the same year he dished out 120 assists while taking the ball away 71 times and helped his team to one of the best single season steals totals at 281. He is the all time leader in scoring with 2,096 points and a career average of 16.8 and helped his team to the #1 scoring spot with 2,802 points in a season. That record wasn’t broken until the 2007 Oden and Conley team came along. He holds 8 of the top 50 scoring games in Ohio State history and only Gary Bradds has more at 10. He is second to only Jay Burson in career steals at 164. He recorded the first ever triple/double in Ohio State history.

Playmaker

As much as you can argue for both Jerry Lucas and Dennis Hopson as the best play-maker in OSU history, one thing is clear. If it weren’t for Jay Burson or John Havlicek neither top tier athlete would of gotten to the higher echelon of Buckeye history.  If these two teams were to face off against each other on the hardwood, you would think Jerry Lucas and Dennis Hopson would nearly cancel each other out.

But that all depends on tempo.

In an uptempo game, there is no doubt that Dennis Hopson can spread you out with his smooth jumper and turnaround j. In the open court,  Jay Burson made him that much better because he’d find him anywhere, and Hop would by most means find an open lane to drive to the hoop.

Jerry Lucas in his Ohio State prime was THE playmaker. If the definition of a play maker is putting the game into your own hands, then #11 is in the dictionary. Already at 6’8″ as a 15 year old, Lucas lead his high school to the state final and set an Ohio High School record of 97 points combined in the state final and semi-finals that still stands today. There is no doubt that he was way before his time.

Besides being a center that could and was willing to dish off the basketball, the Middletown Ohio product could hit anything within 20′. Did I mention that he also wasn’t selfish like many top players in the game today? One of the unsung characteristics of the play maker is knowing when to give up the basketball. Lucas was great at it. Advantage 1960.

Post Presence

When it comes to the conventional inside game, there aren’t many in Ohio State history that stack up with Jerry Lucas. Maybe down the road (in the championship if both teams get there), we’ll be able to discuss if Greg Oden would have a chance to create a defensive mismatch, but Lucas was so smart on the floor — he would of found a way to exploit 2007’s big man.

And he probably would do the same in this match-up.

If you let Hopson get his points, and keep Francis in check, you have a good chance to win. These are two of the most prolific offensive clubs in school history. But for some reason, I think this would come down to defense. Inside, you have to think that Havs would be athletic enough to stick with. This is the guy that tried out for the Browns, and was known by most in the NBA as the guy you had to try to keep up with cause he had so much stamina.

Man this game would be so much fun to watch in the paint. There is no doubt it would be where the game was won or lost. Advantage 1960

Ball Handler

Maybe where Bob Knight got his ideas about PG’s and the importance of ball handling skills came from his time playing with Mel Nowell. Nowell was a threat to hit the outside jumper and if you defended him there he would immediately take you to the hole and score or get it to Lucas. Either way, his abilities as a guard were pretty special and with the help he got on the perimeter on the defensive end of the court from Havlicek created serious mismatches. The 1960’s version of the Buckeyes could do it all through Nowell but he had help in Siegfried and Havlicek. They would face one of the best PG’s of all time in Jay Burson, who also had help on the perimeter with ball handling from Curtis Wilson. Burson had eyes everywhere and was a pure shooter taking his fair share of shots when he was left open. This full court man to man press would be a lot of fun to watch between these two teams. Very similar in ball-handling skills and very efficient on both ends getting up and down the court. Nowell was a defensive specialist and would give Burson fits in the open court. Advantage 1960

Head Coach

It took THE Ohio State University some time to find a good replacement for Harold Olsen who coached the Buckeyes for 24 years and amassed an all time record of 260 -196 after he retired in 1946 after an amazing run through the NCAA’s. They did it in 1959, his name was Fred Taylor, and he wasted little time turning things around on his way to a great career with the scarlet and gray. He finished with an overall record of 297 and 158, with 7 Big Ten Championships, one National Championship in 1960 and the finals in 1961 and 62, as well as winning the 3rd place game in 1968 with the Bill Hoskett led squad. He produced 2 National POY in Lucas and later Gary Bradds. He faces a coach that a lot of people would have loved to see stick around longer than he did in Gary Williams. When your Alma Mater (Maryland) come’s calling it’s a little difficult to turn them down. Williams took over a program that had been struggling to make appearances on the national stage which kept the media away from Dennis Hopson’s POY like season. He did a great job in this, his first year with the Buckeyes and got them in a position to make some noise. Coach Williams was not one to stick around and see what kind of defenses teams were going to play, he had a tempo he wanted and this group of Buckeyes did well to keep it.  Both coaches are of HOF caliber and both possess national titles. Coach Williams would do a good job of pushing the tempo but would struggle with match ups. Advantage 1960

Final Thoughts: 

Without a doubt, if there was a match-up in our tournament that WVa and I would love to see in real life against each other, it would be these two teams. Their style of play, legends, coaches, and mark on the university are so unique. At the same time though, they encompass what athletics at Ohio State is about.

It’s fun ti imagine Mel Norwell and Jay Burson battling on defense. John Havilcek might of had the best game of his career at OSU against 1987.  Jerry Lucas might of broken a solo game rebound record.

And Dennis Hopson could of hit the dagger heard round the world.

Our road continues with a winner out of this ‘game’, but without a doubt both teams have their spot in history set in stone. Being able to put this together reminds us of just how lucky we are to relive the greatest moments on the hardwood for the greatest University in all that land.

O-H!

Who do you believe would win in this historic match-up? Would it be 1960 continuing on it’s road to another finals appearance? Or would Jay Burson and Dennis Hopson silence the #1 seed in the upset? You can decide by selecting who you think would win in our poll on the top left of the homepage!