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A college basketball and NBA legend died Monday.
Bill Walton, a former UCLA three-time All-American center and three-time national college player of the year who turned into a two-time NBA champion and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member, died at age 71 after a battle with cancer.
Walton is also a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Walton, as a player, was someone Ohio State men’s basketball crossed paths with only once.
The Buckeyes were one of 22 teams to lose to UCLA in the 1971-72 season where the Bruins finished with a perfect 30-0 record and beat No. 10 Florida State 81-76 for a national championship.
How did Bill Walton do against Ohio State?
UCLA Bruins center Bill Walton on the sideline during the 1971-72 season.
No. 1 UCLA recorded its eighth win of the 1971-72 season against No. 6 Ohio State at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The Buckeyes were the Bruins’ first ranked win of the season, beating Ohio State 79-53.
According to The San Bernardino Sun, Walton made an impact against the Buckeyes in limited playing time. Walton, a sophomore, recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds in 17 minutes. He had four fouls early in the second half, which limited his usage.
In 1971-72, Walton averaged 21.1 points and 15.5 rebounds per game.
Ohio State 7-foot center Luke Witte had 19 points and 13 rebounds against the Bruins.
Ohio State’s 26-point loss to UCLA was its second loss of the season after losing a road meeting with Ohio Dec. 11. The Buckeyes finished 1971-72 with a second-place finish in the Big Ten and a No. 19 finish in the final AP poll.
Walton, who averaged 20. 3 points and 15.7 rebounds in 87 career games, played in four losses during his three seasons with the Bruins, each of which came in 1973-74: Notre Dame, Oregon State, Oregon and NC State.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bill Walton stats vs. Ohio State men’s basketball
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bill-walton-ucla-faced-ohio-152819705.html
Author : The Columbus Dispatch
Publish date : 2024-05-28 15:28:19
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