University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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CONTINUED But at the Final Four, the Razorbacks had to do it without the thousands of loyal fans who cheered them on the victory in Dallas. Tickets to the Final Four sold out months before, and only the University’s scholarship donors could get tickets through the University. A fter reality set in, fans realized they had to start working on ways to get tickets once again, this time to the Final Four. One fan said he had discovered the perfect solution — “Visa, of course.” Fans who were able to get tickets to the game in Denver saw the first Razorbacks to play in the Final Four since 1978 when the famed “triplets” — Sidney Moncrief, Ron Brewer and Marvin Delph — led the Razorbacks to a third place finish. The Hogs also reached the Final Four in 1941 and 1940, when the NCAA field was only eight teams. This year, 64 teams competed in the tournament. Although Duke was in the Final Four in 1978, Arkansas and Duke had never faced each other on the basketball court prior to the Final Four. “I’ve never ever played Duke,” Nolan Richardson said. “I’ve never played against Coach K. (Ken Krzyzewski) I’m looking forward to playing another team from the ACC.” Richardson got his chance, but the outcome isn’t what he wanted. Trailing by 10-points with a minute and a half to play in the game, Duke won, 97-83, and Arkansas surrendered. The dream was over. Although Arkansas fans were disap¬ pointed, most realized the Razorbacks advanced further than 60 of the other teams in the NCAA Tournament. And even before University of Nevada-Las Vegas knocked Duke off to win the title, Hog fans were already talking about the possibilities of making the Final Four the next year. • DENWR-BOUND. Members of the basketball team celebrate their NCAA Midwest Regional final win, 88-85, over the Texas Longhorns in Dallas. For awhile, Hog fans had reason to doubt Arkansas would be Denver- bound AP PHOTO Courtesy of the Morning News Student Life

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AMn THIS LITTLE PIG HAD ROAST BEEF, N D THEN WENT WEE WEE WEE ALL THE WAY TO THE NCAA FINAL FOUR IN azorback BY DOUGLAS SCOTT For the first time in 1 2 years, the Arkansas Razorbacks were fens were on their way to the Final Four. . An 88-85 win over Texas in the Midwest Regional final in detorm ' A a as was Arkansas’ ticket to a Final Four berth in Denver. ' ••••••• tHed When the final buzzer marked the Razorback’s victory over to cheer rh .. t ie longhorns, Graham Streett knew where he would be . team on to spending the last part of spring break — Denver. Ironically, .... Streett’s vacation also started in Denver. Vl CtOry, as deSDerar Three days before Streett was skiing in Colorado when he .. an d 34 fraternity brothers watched Arkansas beat North Caro- fans Daid t . bna in the NCAA tournament. These Razorback fans then •••••••.. to $125 for drove 18 hours straight from Denver to Dallas and dished out $125 apiece for tickets that had a face value of $48. tickets With a face val But we got seats on the floor,” Streett said. . . e On the other hand, some fans used the ticket situation to of $48 . their advantage. Arkansas fan Phillip Callaway, of Fort Worth, — dressed in a plastic hog hat, a gold Hog ring and red cowboy boots — decided to be entrepreneurial about the situation. He bought four of the $48 tickets for $300, then sold three of them for $100 apiece. “So I actually got in free,” Callaway said proudly. But fans found that having a ticket didn’t guarantee a good view of the game. As fans peered down at the basketball court they realized they could have seen the game better on their television sets at home. With details like tickets and seats out of the way, all that basketball fans had to worry about was the game. For awhile, Hog fans had reason to doubt Arkansas would be c Denver-bound. Texas closed a 16-point second-half Razorback ..I.viALLY HOMF lead to three points and attempted a long, 3-point shot to tie the After an 88 8 5 •••••.. game before Ron Huery hit two free throws with 16 seconds left « e Midwest Reeior, 0 !- f xas “ to win the game. pjj {j Were on their to “° ne about these kids - y 0U knOW are g° in g to years. c a Ur ° r tlle 8t time in 12 00016 up with the big play to win,” Coach Nolan Richardson returned ho° n and the team sa ‘d after the game. tr°phy, afte a 83 their NCAA “It’s been a banner year for the University of Arkansas. And u ke Blue Devils ’ ss to tL® now we’ve got an excellent chance to win a national champion- R Minor photo sfep» Be said. 1 ° PLEASE TURN THE PAGE LCOMEHOME.. As the Razorbacks exited die plane from the Final Four in Denver, they were welcomed home by a cheering crowd of about 125 Hog fans. Due to delay of the flight, the fans had to wait three hours to congratulate the team. R. MINOR PHOTO don ' t think anyon e really appreciated the acomplishment of getting to the Final Four. I ' m glad we got the opportunity to go. The Razorbacks may not be back for another 12 years. DAVID MUNIZ Final Four

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HOG INVASION Although Todd Day made 27 points, the Hogs lost, 83-97, to the Duke Blue Devils. Day autographs a young fan’s cap at the welcome home rally for the team at Drake Field. R. MINOR PHOTO FOUL TROUBLE Center Oliver Miller (25) sits on the bench following a time out after getting into foul trouble early in the first half of the NCAA Final Four semifinal game against the Duke Blue Devils. Miller made three points and blocked three shots in the losing effort. AP PHOTO Courtesy of the Morning News Final Four