1976–77 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1976–77 Idaho State Bengals Basketball Idaho State wordmark.png 80 Big Sky Conference Big Sky 25–5 13–1 Jim Killingsworth 6th Steve Hayes ISU Minidome Big Sky tournament championsBig Sky Season Champions NCAA tournament Elite Eight The 1976–77 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team represented Idaho State University during the 1976–77 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.https://idahostatejournal.com/members/sweet-isu-s-lucky-number-for-season-beating-ucla-turned/article_7717214c-9f5d-11e2-8aee-0019bb2963f4.html Idaho State Journal Pocatello Rushdi Farid Sweet 16 ISU's lucky number for ’77 season: Beating UCLA turned Bengals into Cinderella April 7, 2013 March 8, 2018 The Bengals were led by sixth-year head coach Jim Killingsworth and played their home games on campus at the ISU Minidome in Pocatello. Led by 7 ft 2 on in senior center Steve Hayes, they finished the regular season at 21–4 overall, with a 13–1 record in the Big Sky Conference.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g_BLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=se0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6092%2C5058026 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Zags draw Weber State February 28, 1977 17 As regular season champions, Idaho State hosted and won the second edition of the four-team conference tournament; the 32-team NCAA tournament started on their home floor with a victory over Long Beach State.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1ztOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=su0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6226%2C5130438 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Bruins rip, Rebs soar March 13, 1977 D1 At Provo, Utah, the Bengals drew national attention with their one-point upset of longtime power UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BdFSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IX8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6533%2C4610884 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Benson Lee Utes fall short, Idaho State stuns UCLA March 18, 1977 6Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aPAjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7vgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4290%2C999413 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press ISU has greatest win March 18, 1977 21https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hdZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6510%2C4260707 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services UCLA becomes the obscure one March 18, 1977 1B After UCLA scored to draw within one, freshman reserve guard Ernie Wheeler was quickly fouled in the backcourt with eight seconds remaining; he made both to go up by three. UCLA scored again with a second left, but time ran out after ISU successfully got the ball inbounds. Wheeler had earlier hit both free throws with 37 seconds remaining; the Bengals made nine of ten free throws in the final two minutes. This was the first time since 1963 that UCLA made the tournament but failed to get to the Final Four, which included the previous ten. In the Elite Eight game (regional final) against UNLV,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=100pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JH8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6662%2C4791467 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Benson Lee Vegas-ISU victor to join NCAA Final 4 March 19, 1977 6Ahttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=htZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6748%2C4472689 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services Vegas-Idaho State: 'My turn,' says Tark March 19, 1977 2B ISU led by a point at halftime, but lost by seventeen and ended the season at 25–5.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h9ZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6797%2C4667291 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services Tark's ploy sends Rebels past Bengals March 20, 1977 1B For the third consecutive year, Hayes was named to the all-conference team, joined by senior guard Ed Thompson; junior forward Jeff Cook and senior forward Greg Griffin were on the second team.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6PlLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7fgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3437%2C3537080 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Grady wins All-Big Sky cage honors March 15, 1977 22https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AtFSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IX8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2902%2C3575024 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Associated Press Mayhew, Hayes head all-Big Sky cage team March 15, 1977 B6 The Bengals were the fourth (of five) Big Sky teams to advance to the Sweet Sixteen; they remain the only Elite Eight team in conference history, and the only one to post consecutive wins in a given NCAA tournament. After the season in late March, Killingsworth departed for Oklahoma State University of the Big Eight Conference.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k_BLAAAAIBAJ&pg=1903%2C6426200 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Cowboys hire Jim Killingsworth March 31, 1977 41https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ENFSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IX8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7119%2C8123997 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah UPI ISU loses Killingsworth to OSU March 31, 1977 F6https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G7crAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uuUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5972%2C4742927 Lawrence Journal-World Kansas Associated Press OSU names Killingsworth March 31, 1977 21 Roster 1976 Idaho State Bengals m y yes Scott Goold 21 G 6 5 175 SO Pocatello, ID Highland HS Ed Thompson 14 G 6 3 180 SR Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara CC Greg Griffin y 30 F 6 7 185 SR Cleveland, OH Pasadena CC Jeff Cook y basketball 32 F 6 10 215 JR West Covina, CA Edgewood HS Steve Hayes y basketball 33 C 7 0 235 SR Aberdeen, ID Aberdeen HS Brand Robinson 22 F 6 5 185 SO Manhattan, MT Manhattan HS Ernie Wheeler 12 G 6 2 160 FR San Luis Obispo HS San Luis Obispo, CA Brian Bemis 15 F 6 5 175 JR Coeur d'Alene, ID Coeur d'Alene HS Paul Wilson 20 F 6 5 220 FR Fontana, CA Fontana HS Stan Klos 35 C 6 7 200 SR Old Bridge, NJ St. Peters (NJ) Gene Bowen 31 F 6 7 200 JR Lafayette, IN Southern Idaho Kelly Gardner 10 G 6 0 160 FR Provo, UT Provo HS Mark McQuaid 34 F 6 5 190 FR Ontario, CA Chaffey HS Jim Killingsworth(Northeastern St. (OK)) Charlie Fenske(Wisconsin-Stout) https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zTtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=su0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6865%2C1379411 Postseason results yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=Idaho State Bengals| Big Sky tournament Fri, March 4 9:00 pm 1 Montana State 4 ISU Minidome Pocatello, Idaho Semifinal 93–77 22–4 4,427 Sat, March 5 8:00 pm 1 Weber State 2 ISU Minidome Pocatello, Idaho Final 61–55 23–4 9,300 |- !colspan=9 style=Idaho State Bengals| NCAA tournament Sat, March 12 4:37 pm yes yes Long Beach State ISU Minidome Pocatello, Idaho First round 83–72 24–4 10,897 Thu, March 17 9:15 pm yes yes UCLA 2 Marriott Center Provo, Utah Sweet Sixteen NBC 76–75 25–4 21,639 Sat, March 19 2:15 pm yes yes UNLV 4 Marriott Center Provo, Utah Elite Eight NBC 90–107 25–5 19,298 no AP poll Mountain time References External links Sports Reference – Idaho State Bengals – 1976–77 basketball season Idaho State University Athletics – 40th anniversary of 1977 Elite Eight team Idaho State Journal – Yesteryear – Cinderella story: When ISU basketball beat UCLA YouTube – Idaho State upsets UCLA, from Big Sky 50 Greatest Moments Category:Idaho State Bengals men's basketball seasons Idaho State Idaho State Idaho State