1973 West Coast Conference Champions
Overall Record: 22-5 | WCC Record: 12-2
Head Coach: Bob Gaillard
Overall Record: 22-5 WCC Record: 12-2
All-WCC Team: Kevin Restani, Phil Smith
Top Scorer: Phil Smith (18.7) Top Rebounder: Kevin Restani (12.7)
USF Hall-of-Famers: Eric Fernsten, Mike Quick, Kevin Restani, Phil Smith, Bob Gaillard
The 1972-73 USF Dons distinguished themselves as the highest scoring quintet in Hilltop history to that point pouring in 2,363 points at an 84.4 per game clip. In West Coast Athletic Conference play the Dons averaged almost 93 points per contest. The Dons finished a perfect 12-0 on the home court and dominated WCAC play with a 12-2 record.
Balance was the hallmark of Coach Bob Gaillard’s charges. No fewer than four starters averaged double figures for the season. Leading the way was junior guard Phil Smith (18.7) followed by junior forward Kevin Restani (17.9), senior guard Mike Quick (17.4) and senior forward Snake Jones (11.7). In addition, sophomore center Eric Fernsten scored over eight points, gabbed over eight rebounds and blocked an average of 6 shots per contest.
In the 1973 West Regional USF drew Long Beach State for the second year in a row. The results were quite the opposite from 1972 though as the Dons upset the third ranked team in the nation 77-67. With the win, the Dons got a shot at #1 UCLA. With the entire country watching on national television, the Cinderella Dons trailed by just a single point at halftime. Time and the strength of the Bruins proved to be against USF who eventually fell 54-39. The loss left the Dons at 23-5, which earned them the number nine ranking in the final poll of the season.
Did You Know? Mike Quick was an assistant men’s basketball on the Hilltop during the 2007-08 season. He still resides in the Bay Area and is currently a season ticket holder. He was elected to the USF Hall of Fame in 1990.
They Said It: “It’s a shame USF was not in another regional. I think they would have had a great chance of going to the NCAA finals if they had not been in this particular regional.” – Jerry Tarkanian, Long Beach State head coach. It just so happened that two of the nations top three ranked teams were pitted against USF on successive nights in the NCAA tournament.
