1956–57 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1956–57 Kansas Jayhawks Big Seven Conference Big Seven 2 2 24–3 11–1 Dick Harp 1st Jack Eskridge 3rd Jerry Waugh 1st Gene Elstun John Parker Allen Fieldhouse Big Seven ChampionsNCAA tournament, runner-up National Championship Game L Lost 53–54 3OT Triple overtime vs. North Carolina The 1956–57 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team was a Division I college basketball team that represented the University of Kansas. Coached by Dick Harp, the Jayhawks posted a 24–3 win–loss record, winning the then-Big Seven Conference and qualifying for the 1957 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.1956–57 Kansas Jayhawks Roster and Stats Sports Reference LLC https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas/1957.html December 31, 2019Chandler John Kansas Clinches Big 7 Title, Looks To Tourney Times Daily Associated Press March 7, 1957 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nZ0tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V58FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2104,3277942 September 6, 2010 Kansas won three games in the NCAA tournament to reach the championship game, where the Jayhawks lost to North Carolina in triple overtime.Lopresti Mike Tar Heels' 1957 victory may be best NCAA title game ever USA Today March 27, 2007 https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/2007-03-26-lopresti-1957-unc_N.htm September 6, 2010 Season summary Dick Harp was named the head coach of the Jayhawks before the 1956–57 season. The previous coach, Phog Allen, had been forced to leave the program due to an enforced retirement age in place at the school.Fulks Matt CBS Sports Presents Stories From the Final Four Taylor Trade Publishing 2000 19 9781461703037 The 1956–57 Jayhawks featured future National Basketball Association center Wilt Chamberlain, in his first season with the varsity program. Expectations for the team were high entering the season; Allen said of the Jayhawks' new player that "Anybody could win the national championship with Wilt Chamberlain and four cheerleaders."Fulks, p. 20. Chamberlain averaged 29.6 points and 18.8 rebounds per game over the course of the season. In Kansas' opening game against Northwestern, he scored 52 points and compiled 31 rebounds in an 87–69 win.Wilt Scores 52 In Cage Opener Kentucky New Era Associated Press December 4, 1956 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9KY0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-WYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4219,4468297 September 6, 2010 The Jayhawks won their next five games by at least 10 points each, and began the season with 12 consecutive victories.Johnson Scott Morrow Phog: The Most Influential Man in Basketball University of Nebraska Press 2016 251 https://books.google.com/books?id=RySyDwAAQBAJ&dq=1956-57+kansas+jayhawks&pg=PA251 9780803285712 Following that streak, Iowa State defeated Kansas 39–37.1956–57 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas/1957-schedule.html October 26, 2014Top Rating Kiss of Death To Kansas? The Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press January 15, 1957 Kansas lost one other game in the regular season, on February 20, 1957, against Oklahoma by a score of 56–54.Stilt & Co. Fall To Aggies, 56–54 Sarasota Journal Associated Press February 21, 1957 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xQUdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=14oEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4904,5830514 September 6, 2010 The Jayhawks wrapped up the Big Seven title, and an NCAA Tournament berth, with a 64–57 win over Kansas State on March 7. They ended the regular season with a record of 20–2, and a Big Seven record of 11–1. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Kansas faced SMU and was forced into an overtime period. Behind 36 points by Chamberlain, the Jayhawks won 73–65 to advance to the regional finals. There, the Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma City 81–61 to reach the Final Four. Chamberlain scored 30 points in the game, adding 15 rebounds. The two-time defending NCAA Tournament champions, San Francisco, faced Kansas in the Final Four's host site, Kansas City.Jayhawkers' Status Up As Tourney Nears The Times-News Associated Press March 19, 1957 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PEEaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OSMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7101,3388235 September 6, 2010 With a field goal percentage of almost 60 percent, the Jayhawks posted an 80–56 win to advance to the championship game against undefeated North Carolina, the number one-ranked team in the country.Morey Earl 3/23/57 – K.U. in Dream Clash With Tar Heel Quint Lawrence Journal-World March 23, 1957 http://www2.kusports.com/news/1957/mar/23/ku_dream_clash_32357/ September 6, 2010 The Tar Heels defeated the Jayhawks 54–53 in triple overtime; North Carolina's Joe Quigg made the tying and go-ahead free throws in the final seconds. Roster 22em Bob Billings Wilt Chamberlain John Cleland Eddie Dater Gene Elstun Joe Ensley Lee Green Blaine Hollinger Harry Jett Lew Johnson Monte Johnson Ron Johnston Larry Kelley Lyn Kindred Maurice King Ron Loneski John Parker Gary Thompson Roster and schedule source:Theisen Chris Bauer Alissa Year-by-Year Results Rock Chalk 2014 200 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/kuathletics.com/documents/2014/10/9/201415_KU_mbb_media_guide.pdf University of Kansas April 19, 2020 Schedule and results December 3 yes Northwestern Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 87–69 1–0 December 8 yes Marquette Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 78–61 2–0 December 14 yes yes 1 Washington Bank of America Arena Seattle, WA 77–63 3–0 December 15 yes yes 1 Washington Bank of America Arena Seattle, WA 92–78 4–0 December 18 yes yes 1 California Harmon Gym Berkeley, CA 66–56 5–0 December 22 yes 1 Wisconsin Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 83–62 6–0 December 26 yes 1 Iowa State 14 Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO 58–57 7–0 December 28 yes 1 Oklahoma Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO 74–56 8–0 December 29 yes 1 Colorado Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO 80–54 9–0 January 5 1 Missouri Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS Border War 92–79 10–0 1–0 January 7 yes yes 1 Oklahoma Field House Norman, OK 59–51 11–0 2–0 January 12 1 Kansas State Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS Sunflower Showdown 51–45 12–0 3–0 January 14 yes 1 Iowa State 7 The Armory Ames, IA 37–39 12–1 3–1 February 2 2 Iowa State 8 Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 75–64 13–1 4–1 February 9 2 Nebraska Nebraska Coliseum Lincoln, NE 69–54 14–1 5–1 February 12 2 Oklahoma A&M Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 62–52 15–1 February 16 yes 2 Missouri Brewer Fieldhouse Columbia, MO Border War 91–58 16–1 6–1 February 18 2 Oklahoma Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 76–56 17–1 7–1 February 21 yes 2 Oklahoma A&M Gallagher Hall Stillwater, OK 54–56 17–2 February 23 2 Nebraska Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 87–60 18–2 8–1 March 2 yes 2 Colorado Balch Fieldhouse Boulder, CO 68–57 19–2 9–1 March 6 yes 2 Kansas State Ahearn Field House Manhattan, KS Sunflower Showdown 64–57 20–2 10–1 March 9 2 Colorado Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, KS 78–63 21–2 11–1 March 15 yes yes 2 SMU 4 Moody Coliseum University Park, TX NCAA regional semifinals 73–65 OT 22–2 March 16 yes yes 2 Oklahoma City 9 Moody Coliseum University Park, TX NCAA Regional Finals 81–61 23–2 March 22 yes yes 2 San Francisco Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO NCAA National semifinals 80–56 24–2 March 23 yes yes 2 North Carolina 1 Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO National Championship game 53–54 3OT 24–3 Rankings 1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings From the beginning of the season, the Jayhawks topped the Associated Press Poll, holding their position until mid-January. After the Jayhawks' loss to Iowa State, the team fell to number two in the poll. Kansas stayed in that position for the rest of the season. In the United Press Poll, the Jayhawks held the top overall ranking at the start of the season and remained there until the January 22 rankings, when they fell to second behind North Carolina. They stayed in that position in each subsequent poll during the season.ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 652–653 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 In popular culture The team, specifically starting center Wilt Chamberlain and coach Phog Allen, where the focus of the 2014 film Jayhawkers, which was directed by University of Kansas film professor Kevin Willmott.Melin Eric 'Jayhawkers' brings a legend back to life Lawrence Journal-World February 9, 2014 https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2014/feb/09/bringing-back-classic-jayhawkers/ August 31, 2021 The film featured former Jayhawk basketball player Scot Pollard and Justin Wesley, who was on the roster at the time of the release.Ex-KU Star Pollard Says of 'Jayhawkers': 'I'm a History Guy. And it Made Me Think.' Fox Sports February 13, 2014 https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/ex-ku-star-pollard-says-of-jayhawkers-im-a-history-guy-and-it-made-me-think August 31, 2021 Additionally, Kansas alumni Jay Karnes portrays Chancellor Franklin Murphy.KU Grad Jay Karnes to Portray Former KU Chancellor Murphy in Feature Film Kansas University July 26, 2012 https://kuathletics.com/072612aab-100/ July 9, 2026 February 19, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200219085956/https://kuathletics.com/072612aab-100/ dead References Kansas Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball Kansas Category:Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball seasons Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four seasons