1976 Notre Dame Basketball: Another Sweet 16 Heartbreak

Digger Phelps’ Notre Dame program had started to become a national force in 1974, when they ended the 88-game winning streak of John Wooden’s UCLA and subsequently made the Sweet 16. They returned to the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament in 1975. The 1976 Irish basketball season was—for better or for worse—more of the same.

A YOUNG TEAM WITH AN ESTABLISHED STAR

Notre Dame had what was, for this era, a comparatively young team with no seniors in starting roles. But junior forward Adrian Dantley was an established star. The future NBA Hall of Famer had another huge season in ’76, averaging 29 points/10 rebounds per game and making 1^st-team All-American.

Dantley was joined on the front line by 6’9” Toby Wright, who had hit the boards consistently and ultimately made this season’s most dramatic play. Dave Batton provided more rebounding support in the low post, as did freshman forward Bill Flowers. The Phelps era consistently saw the Irish produce “big” teams, and this 1976 edition was no exception. Sophomore guard Duck Williams averaged 12ppg to provide some perimeter support.

THE EARLY GAUNTLET

Notre Dame opened the season ranked #7 in the country. Digger’s propensity to schedule high-profile games in December was an anomaly in 1970s college basketball and made the Irish one of the most consistently interesting teams to watch early in the season. After opening with a tune-up win over Kent State, the Irish hosted NCAA Tournament-bound Texas Tech, who had one of the nation’s most productive centers in Rick Bullock. Notre Dame cruised to an 88-63 win.

Kansas was normally one of those high-profile December games, but the Jayhawks would be mediocre this year. Notre Dame went into Lawrence and got an easy win. That set up a much bigger road battle three days later in Bloomington against top-ranked Indiana.

The Hoosiers on their way to becoming college basketball’s last undefeated national champion. Which, of course, gives away how this game turned out. Notre Dame played Indiana tough, but Dantley was “held” to 19 points. The Irish lost 63-60.

After blowing out St. Francis (PA), Notre Dame went into a 17-day Christmas break. They were ranked #5 in the country. They came back to the court on December 30 with a road-neutral game against Kentucky at Freedom Hall in Louisville.

This wasn’t a vintage Kentucky team, but Notre Dame dropped a tough 79-77 decision. Five days later, they were in Los Angeles to play UCLA. The Bruins were the defending national champions, but this was a new era, with Wooden now in retirement.

Played on the first Saturday of January, this game was ideally situated for television. The college bowls had wrapped up two days earlier, and the NFL playoffs were down to the conference championship games, which would both be on Sunday. Notre Dame and UCLA was the focal point sporting event on January 3.

The Irish were not ready for prime-time, so to speak. The game was close with ten minutes to go, but Dantley disappeared down the stretch and the Bruins pulled away to win 86-70.

Notre Dame went ahead and put together a four-game winning streak. But none of the opponents—Manhattan, Pittsburgh, Ball State and Xavier—were particularly noteworthy. The Irish had missed their early chances to put a signature win on the board. It’s further worth emphasizing that only 32 teams made the NCAA Tournament in 1976. At 8-3, there was no reason for Phelps’ team to even feel comfortable about making the field when UCLA made their return trip to the Midwest on January 24.

A STATEMENT WIN

The basketball games between Notre Dame and UCLA were a signature event on the American sports landscape in this era. It’s surely no coincidence that this was one was also scheduled on an ideal time for max exposure—one week after the Super Bowl, when public attention had decisively shifted to college hoops.

This time, Notre Dame was ready. They led 44-40 at the half, pushed the lead out to as many as eight early in the second half and held a six-point lead with five minutes to play. Phelps went to a slowdown offense in this era before the shot clock was instituted. The Irish finished the job at the free throw line and won 95-85.

On Wednesday night, NCAA Tournament-bound DePaul came into South Bend. The Irish sent the Blue Demons home with an 89-68 thumping. Notre Dame was ranked #11 going into February, back in good position to make the NCAA field, and feeling some positive momentum.

SHOWDOWN WITH MARQUETTE

The schedule was soft after the DePaul game, and the Irish took advantage to win seven straight games. They moved to #7 nationally, back where they had started the season. It set up their February 28 showdown with second-ranked Marquette, coached by Al McGuire.

McGuire put a box-and-one defense in place, with one defender dogging Dantley and the other four in a zone. The Notre Dame forward scored just six points in the first half and the Irish trailed 34-24 at intermission.

In the second half, even with the extra attention assigned to him, Dantley was able to attack and get his shots. He scored 19 after halftime. Williams got all of his 16 points in the second half. Notre Dame cut the lead to 74-73 coming down the stretch.

But in the end, Marquette’s balance was too much to overcome. The Warriors won a mad scramble for a loose ball that swung the momentum in the final minutes, and Notre Dame lost 81-75.

A FAVORABLE DRAW

The Irish had one more regular season game left, and it was a tough test against 14^th-ranked Western Michigan, who eventually made the Sweet 16. Notre Dame won 95-88. They concluded the regular season 20-5 and at #7 in the polls.

There was no seeding done in the NCAA Tournament until 1979, and heavy priority was placed on geographic accuracy. To that end, the Irish got a big break in the draw. They went to the Midwest Regional. But Indiana and Marquette, the top two teams in the polls, both went to the Mideast. There was a viable path to the Final Four.

TOBY KNIGHT’S HEROICS

Notre Dame was sent back to Lawrence for their Round of 32 game with Cincinnati. The Bearcats were 25-5 and ranked #15 in the polls. The game was close all the way through, and statistically even. There were great individual performances. Dantley played all forty minutes and poured in 27 points. Williams knocked down 22. Cincinnati answered with a balanced lineup, and it was the Bearcats who clung to 78-77 lead in the closing seconds. They were inbounding the ball under the Notre Dame basketball and needed only to hit some free throws. The outlook was bleak for the Irish.

Notre Dame’s defense was smothering. Cincinnati was unable to get the ball inbounds and took a timeout. It didn’t help. The Irish defense smothered again and forced a five-second violation. They had new life.

Enter Toby Knight. After a missed shot, the forward got to the boards and tipped it in with two seconds to play. Notre Dame had a thrilling 79-78 win and was going back to the Sweet 16.

A CRUSHING LOSS

The regionals were in Louisville. For the second time in three years, the Irish were paired up with Michigan in this round. While the two schools didn’t resume their football rivalry until 1978, these big basketball games were making up for it.

Notre Dame had early momentum and led by as many as eleven in the first half. The problem was that they were turning the ball over. The lead was cut to 41-40 at halftime.

Dantley was having a vintage night, scoring 31 points on 12-for-19 shooting. Williams chipped in 15, while Batton had 13 rebounds. Michigan, like Cincinnati, answered the top-heavy Irish attack with balance. The Wolverines led 78-76 in the closing minute. Notre Dame had a chance to tie it, but turned it over before getting a shot off. Michigan hit a couple free throws to finish the 80-76 final.

SWEET 16 FATIGUE SETS IN

Notre Dame had lost to an outstanding team—the Wolverines would reach the NCAA final before losing to Indiana. But losing in the Sweet 16 was still getting old. The Irish had to wonder if the Final Four would ever be in their future. 1977 was more of the same—a good season, a NCAA Tournament win, and a Sweet 16 defeat. But in 1978, the breakthrough finally came, and Phelps made the Final Four.