ORLANDO – To celebrate 50 years of UCF men's basketball, the first team in program history will be honored at Saturday's home game against South Florida. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at Addition Financial Arena.
UCF basketball started with the 1969-70 season, a team that played at the club level before joining the NCAA Division II ranks for the 1970-71 campaign. Led by UCF Hall of Fame coach Torchy Clark, the Knights went 11-3 that first season and 17-9 the following year.
Under Clark's direction, UCF was ranked in the top 10 nationally at the Division II level for seven consecutive years and he guided the Knights to six NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. He led UCF to five Sunshine State Conference championships, and, in 1978, he guided UCF to the Division II Final Four. Clark was voted Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year four times and was named the conference's coach of the decade.
Coach Clark's son Mike was the leading scorer on that first-year squad, averaging 26.5 points per game. Clark improved that to 27.6 points per game the following season, which still ranks as the fourth-best scoring season in UCF history, trailing only his brother Bo's three best seasons in the late 70s.
Those planning to attend Saturday's game from the 1969-70 team are:
- Mike Clark
- Jim Flanagan
- Bob Jenkins
- Rudi Jessee
- Don Mathis
- Ivan Repas
- Frank Rohter (AD)
- Russ Salerno
- Earl Stokes
1969-70 Schedule/Results
Nov. 21, at Massey Tech – W, 99-38
Nov. 22, Palm Beach – W, 93-71
Dec. 3, Palm Beach Atlantic – W, 78-58
Dec. 5, at McCoy AFB – W, 104-66
Dec. 9, Jones – W, 111-47
Dec. 12, Patrick AFB – W, 71-60
Unknown, McCoy AFB – W, 99-65
Jan. 13, New College – W, 98-35
Jan. 17, Patrick AFB – L, 75-68
Unknown, Daytona All-Stars – W, 91-72
Jan. 31, at Palm Beach Atlantic – L, 74-73
Feb. 14, Orlando Gators – W, 94-79
Feb. 21, New College – W, 117-64
Feb. 25, at Fort Lauderdale – L, 89-85
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