Kentucky Wesleyan College - Porphyrian Yearbook (Owensboro, KY)

Page 23 text:

Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan 1966-1967 SEASON 82 Central State lOhio1 Q0 Chattanooga 101 Louisiana College Q0 Carson-Newman Q4 Georgetown QI Catholic University 68 Evansville 99 Tennessee State 93 Georgetown College 51 Southern Illinois 72 Kentucky State 37 Delta State 93 Steubenville 107 Wheaton 56 Steubenville 74 Evansville 106 Kentucky State 91 Northern Michigan 99 Chattanooga 53 Carson-Newman 46 Southern Illinois 1 10 Transylvania 81 Tennessee State 85 Bellarmine NCAA South Central Regional at Evansville, Ind. Wesleyan 68 Stetson 55 Wesleyan 87 South Carolina State 70 NCAA Finals at Evansville, Ind. Wesleyan 66 Cheyney State 53 Wesleyan 73 Winston-Salem 82 Wesleyan 112 Illinois State University 73 The basketball team was honored at a season-ending banquet ,sponsored by the All-American Club. Dallas Thornton was 'awarded the Most Valuable Player and Sam Smith earned the leading rebounder trophy: Roger Cordell. best defensive player and leading free throw shooter: Jesse Flynn, the best hustler and most improved player: George Tinsley, best defensive honors and the top best field goal shooter. ln front is Rodney Kirtley who won the most promising freshman award.

Page 22 text:

Panthers inish third among 403 colleges The Panthers received third place plaques after the NCCA finals. Members of the team pictured lfrom left to right! includes: Tom Hobgood. Steve Deskins. Sam Smith. Danny Barker. Roger Cordell. Yan Stinnett. David Matthews. manager. Second row: Vliesleyan finished as the nation's No. 3 college di- vision basketball team in the NCAA Finals and com- piled a 25-4 record. After defeating Stetson University 68-55 of Deland, Fla., in the first round action of the South Central Regional, the Panthers advanced to the finals to meet South Carolina State. Having built a 47-33 halftime lead. the Panthers rolled past South Carolina State 87-70 for the championship of the NCAA South Central Regional. Wesleyan entered the NCAA Finals at Evansville to meet the East Regional entry, Cheyney State, in the first round action. The Panthers grabbed a I3-point halftime margin and coasted to a 66-53 victory over the Cheyney State team. In semi-final play the Pan- thers faced Winston-Salem. The Panthers fell behind late in the first half and could never regain the lead as the Rams. the eventual tournament champs, rolled to an 82-73 victory to end the Panthers' hopes of re- peating as national champions. Wlesleyan rolled over Illinois State University II2-73 to win third place with a record point total for one team in consolation play. During the season. the Panthers won both meetings from arch-rival Evansville College. but lost both games Billy Anderson. manager: Jesse Flynn. Ernie Simpson. Joel Bolden. Guy Strong. coach. Dallas Thornton. Dick O'Neill. Bob Daniels. assistant coach. Dick Romer. manager. to Southern Illinois University. the team the Panthers beat for the national championship in I966. Southern went on to win the National Invitational Tournament this year. Wcsleyan's three regular season defeats were by a combined total of eight points. The largest crowds ever to watch the Panthers turned out at the Sportscenter where the team attracted three straight capacity crowds during one stretch of the season. The Panthers. set three new all-time records during the season. The season-ending statistics show the new marks established by the Panthers includes the most wins in one season, 25: the best won-lost percentage, .862 125-4Iq and the best field goal percentage, 47.3 1972 of 2.055l. Sam Smith, the Panthers' 6-7, 24-0-pound center, was the team's leading scorer and rebounder for the second straight year. Smith averaged I7.-I points and I2.3 rebounds. The muscular Smith was named to the All-America teams announced by the Associated Press. the United Press International and the Wheaties Sports Federa- tion. Smith and teammate Roger Cordell played in the Kentucky-Indiana all-star game and Smith performed in the Kentucky-Tennessee all-star clash.

Page 24 text:

Smith K: Thornton named to CAA All-Tournament Team ,ww Sam Smith and Dallas Thornton were named to the All Tourna- from Winston-Salem and Lou Shephard and Danny Bolden ment team for the NCAA Finals along with Earl Nlonroe lleftl lat right! from Southwest Missolxri State. Roger Cordell. George Tinsley and Sam Smith from Wesleyan Bobby Lewis lleftl and Guy Hughes. both of South Carolina were named to the South Central All Regional Team along with State College. 20