1972–73 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1972–73 Illinois Fighting Illini 1972–1973_Illinois_Fighting_Illini_men's_basketball_team.jpg 300px Big Ten Conference Big Ten 14–10 8–6 Harv Schmidt Dick Campbell Marshall Stoner 6th 6th 1st Nick Weatherspoon Nick Weatherspoon Assembly Hall thumb|"1972-73 Fighting Illini men's basketball team" The 1972–73 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team represented the University of Illinois. Regular season Head coach Harv Schmidt entered his sixth season with the Fighting Illini with high expectations. The 1971–72 team returned one of the top senior athletes in the country, Nick Weatherspoon. As a sophomore, Weatherspoon scored 381 points, averaging 16.5 points per game, while collecting 246 rebounds. His junior year was even better, scoring 500 total points, averaging 20.8 points and pulling down 262 rebounds. Nothing, however, would be better than Weatherspoon's senior year. During this season he would score 600 points, averaging 25.0 points per game, while amassing 295 total rebounds. Weatherspoon remains as number 11 on the all-time leading scores list at the University of Illinois, only surpassed by players that completed four years of varsity basketball. His three-year average of 20.9 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game still remain number one for the Fighting Illini. The 1972–73 team's starting lineup included Weatherspoon and Rick Schmidt at the forward spots, Jeff Dawson and Otho Tucker as guards and Nick Conner at center. The roster included the teams first 7 foot tall player, Bill Rucks a freshman from Waukegan High School. Roster 1972 Illinois Fighting Illini y yes Garvin Roberson 10 G 6 4 190 JR Elkhart, Indiana Elkhart Central High School n Dave Roberts 11 G 6 2 175 SO Maywood, Illinois Proviso East High School n Nick Weatherspoon 12 F 6 6 185 JR Canton, Ohio McKinley High School y C C.J. Schroeder 14 G 6 4 195 JR Davenport, Iowa Davenport West High School n Dennis Graff 20 G 6 1 170 FR Gibson City, Illinois Gibson City High School n Larry Cohen 21 G 6 2 180 SR Wilmette, Illinois New Trier East High School n Rich Connell 22 G 6 1 175 FR St. Joseph, Illinois St. Joseph-Ogden High School n Jeff Dawson 24 G 6 1 175 JR Oak Park, Illinois Downers Grove North High School n Donn Deputy 25 G 6 4 185 JR Pekin, Illinois Pekin High School n Mike Wente 30 F 6 5 200 JR Effingham, Illinois St. Anthony High School n Mark Bondeson 31 F 6 6 180 FR Des Plaines, Illinois Maine East High School n Rick Schmidt 32 F 6 6 205 SO Royal, Illinois St. Joseph-Ogden High School n Otho Tucker 33 G 6 6 185 SO Paris, Illinois Paris High School n John McBride 40 F 6 5 195 SR Orland Park, Illinois Carl Sandburg High School n Dave Smith 41 F/C 6 7 200 FR Clarendon Hills, Illinois Hinsdale Central High School n Jim Rucks 42 F 6 3 215 SR Waukegan, Illinois Waukegan High School n Jed Foster 44 F 6 6 205 SR Fairfield, Illinois Fairfield High School n Nick Conner 45 F/C 6 6 195 SR Columbus, Ohio East High School n Bill Rucks 53 C 7 0 250 FR Waukegan, Illinois Waukegan High School n Jim DeDecker 54 C 6 10 210 SR Moline, Illinois Alleman High School n Harv Schmidt (University of Illinois) (6th year) Dick Campbell (6th year) Marshall Stoner (Western Illinois University) (1st year) https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1972-73 Schedule SourceUniversity of Illinois Fighting Illini Statistics Summary for 1972-73 https://web.archive.org/web/20131216233620/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1972.html 2013-12-16 , FightingIllini.com yes |- !colspan=12 style="background:#DF4E38; color:white;"| Non-Conference regular season 12/2/1972 yes 1972 DePauw Tigers DePauw Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 100–68 8,755 1 - 0 12/4/1972 yes 1972 Valparaiso Crusaders Valparaiso Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 80–62 8,326 2 - 0 12/9/1973 yes yes 1972 Detroit Titans Detroit Calihan Hall Detroit, MI 77–79 ot 2,651 2 - 1 12/13/1972 yes Iowa State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 74–60 8,501 3 - 1 12/19/1972 yes 1972 Furman Paladins Furman Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 86–81 9,418 4 - 1 12/22/1972 yes yes 1972 USC Trojans Southern California Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Los Angeles, CA 72–75 3,472 4 - 2 12/29/1972 yes yes 1972 Temple Owls Temple Municipal Auditorium New Orleans, LA Sugar Bowl Classic 82–77 6,975 5 - 2 12/30/1972 yes 1 yes UCLA Municipal Auditorium New Orleans, LA Sugar Bowl Classic 64–71 7,123 5 - 3 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#DF4E38; color:#FFFFFF;"|Big Ten regular season 1/6/1973 yes 1972 Purdue Boilermakers Purdue Mackey Arena West Lafayette, IN 80–91 11,684 5 - 4 0 - 1 1/8/1973 Wisconsin Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 76–74 8,607 6 - 4 1 - 1 1/13/1973 1972 Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa Assembly Hall Champaign, IL Rivalry 80–78 9,916 7 - 4 2 - 1 1/25/1973 yes 1972 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame Chicago Stadium Chicago, IL 87–84 15,817 8 - 4 1/27/1973 yes South Carolina Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 76–86 6,000 8 - 5 2/3/1973 Michigan Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 76–75 11,117 9 - 5 3 - 1 2/5/1973 yes 1972 Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern McGaw Memorial Hall Evanston, IL Rivalry 84–77 4,726 10 - 5 4 - 1 2/10/1973 yes Wisconsin Wisconsin Field House Madison, WI 88–99 8,231 10 - 6 4 - 2 2/12/1973 4 yes Indiana Assembly Hall Bloomington, IN Rivalry 67–87 14,156 10 - 7 4 - 3 2/17/1973 1972 Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 79–68 11,892 11 - 7 5 - 3 2/19/1973 4 1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 52–72 11,367 11 - 8 5 - 4 2/24/1973 Michigan State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 82–90 10,677 12 - 8 6 - 4 2/26/1973 yes Michigan Crisler Center Ann Arbor, MI 96–89 8,235 13 - 8 7 - 4 3/3/1973 yes Ohio State St. John Arena Columbus, OH 64–65 13,489 13 - 9 7 - 5 3/5/1973 Northwestern Assembly Hall Champaign, IL Rivalry 77–76 10,857 14 - 9 7 - 5 3/10/1973 yes Iowa Iowa Field House Iowa City, IA Rivalry 76–93 12,353 14 - 10 8 - 6 |- Central Time Player stats Player Games played Minutes played Field goals Free throws Rebounds PointsNick Weatherspoonhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 24880247106295600Jeff Dawsonhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 249301828368447Nick Connerhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 2484513643221315Otho Tuckerhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 24822925379237Jed Fosterhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 24487383799113Rick Schmidthttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 2347139109088C.J. Schroederhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 201639142832Dave Robertshttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 118 2013-12-13 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 158949725Don Deputy 72744312Bill Rucks 531511011Larry Cohen 3123016Garvin Roberts 8381244Jim Rucks 3311214 Awards and honors Nick Weatherspoon 1st Team All-American (Helms), Honorable Mention (Converse) Team Most Valuable Player http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf List of MVPs 2013-12-13 2014-10-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20141030004049/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf dead Team players drafted into the NBA Player NBA club Round PickNick WeatherspoonCapitol Bullets113Jeff DawsonGolden State Warriors811Nick ConnerBuffalo Braves1021973 NBA Draft Rankings 1972–73 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings References Illinois Fighting Illini Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball seasons Category:1972 in sports in Illinois Category:1973 in sports in Illinois