1962–63 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1962–63 Idaho Vandals Idaho Vandals logo.svg 80 Independent 20 6 y Joe Cipriano 3rd Wayne Anderson Lyle Parks (G) Gus Johnson (F/C) Memorial Gymnasium The 1962–63 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1962–63 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The independent Vandals were led by third-year head coach Joe Cipriano,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WqVfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4444%2C4237649 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Vandal cagers set schedule May 30, 1962 2 and played their home games on campus at the Memorial Gymnasium, in Moscow, Idaho. In his only season with the Vandals, forward/center Gus Johnson was a Northwest sensation, and led the team to a 20 6 y record. Under the NCAA rules of the era, junior college transfers that had previously attended a four-year college were not allowed to play in tournaments during their first season at the new (third) school.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q7BfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-zIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5764%2C3319568 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho New hope Johnson could play in Far West Classic squelched December 20, 1962 12https://www.si.com/vault/1963/02/18/605156/big-days-in-the-pea-capital Sports Illustrated Brody Tom C. Big days in the pea capital February 18, 1963 50–52 February 14, 2018 February 16, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180216084657/https://www.si.com/vault/1963/02/18/605156/big-days-in-the-pea-capital dead At the Far West Classic in Portland in late December, Idaho lost two of three games without him. With Johnson on the floor, the team was 19 2 y entering the final weekend, but dropped two in Seattle. Led by leading scorer Chuck White and Johnson,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6sFeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qTEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5746%2C1670798 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Led by White, Vandals break 24 records, tie one March 12, 1963 8 the Vandals were at their best in their main rivalries from the old Pacific Coast Conference: 4–0 versus Oregon, 4–1 versus Palouse neighbor Washington State, and 1–1 against Washington. The primary nemesis was Seattle University, led by guard Eddie Miles, who swept all three games, half of UI's losses. Idaho dropped its only game with Oregon State at the Far West without Johnson, but won all three with Gonzaga, for a 9–3 record against its four former PCC foes and a collective 12–6 against the six Northwest rivals. In the last season before the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were undefeated in ten games against those teams;https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WDlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yegDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7154%2C3935829 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Cage standings March 12, 1963 12 this included a sweep of Idaho State for the King Spud Trophy and unofficial state title.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=96pWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sOgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7145%2C65666 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington The Associated Press Gus paces Vandal win over State February 16, 1963 8 Attendance at the Memorial Gym was consistently over-capacity, with an estimated 3,800 for home games in the cramped facility.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VbpQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OOMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3434%2C1496671 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon The Associated Press Idaho five drops Oregon by 88-78 February 10, 1963 1B A 94–57 rout of WSU on December 20 caused the region to take notice.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rLBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-zIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5539%2C3567934 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Carter Jack Hot-shooting Vandals whip Cougars 94–57 December 21, 1962 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8r1YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8egDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7124%2C1858874 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Missildine Harry Idaho delights home crowd with 94-57 rout of Cougars December 21, 1962 12https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fqdYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5159%2C5050578 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Rousing win by Idaho five starts record speculation December 21, 1962 10 The teams met nine days later in Portland without Johnson, and Idaho had to rally from behind to win by a point.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tbBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-zIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5427%2C5072692 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Idaho nips WSU in consolation play December 30, 1962 8 Johnson and center Paul Silas of Creighton waged a season-long battle to lead the NCAA in rebounding. Silas claimed this by averaging 20.6 per game, 0.3 more than Johnson.http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/04/gus_johnson_stories_are_no_tal.html Cleveland Plain Dealer Pluto Terry Stories of former NBA star Gus Johnson are no tall tales April 9, 2010 February 20, 2018http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/original-old-school-sweet-honey-with-the-rock/ Slam Original Old School: Sweet Honey With the Rock April 6, 2010 February 20, 2018 In February, a low-profile article in Sports Illustrated introduced the team to the nation. Despite their record, the Vandals were not invited to the post-season. The NCAA tournament included only 25 teams and Oregon State and Seattle U. were selected from the Northwest. The NIT invited just twelve teams, with none from the Mountain or Pacific time zones. If Idaho had been invited, Johnson was ineligible to participate. Aftermath That spring, 24-year-old Johnson was the tenth overall selection in the 1963 NBA draft and went on to a hall of fame career with the Baltimore Bullets. Cipriano also moved on to coach at Nebraska for seventeen seasons,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t8BeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2968%2C2290258 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Emerson Paul Fighting back: Joe Cipriano January 7, 1980 1C until his death.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bWVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3264%2C6316120 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Cipriano loses battle with cancer UPI November 25, 1980 19 Without Johnson (and White), the Vandals fell to 7–19 in 1963–64 and were 4–6 in the new Big Sky Conference, fifth place in the six-team league. They had a dismal 3–14 record through January,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VCJmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7i8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2293%2C3619963 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Carter Jack Weber rolls past Vandals 86-77 on big second half January 26, 1964 8 and lost every game against their Northwest rivals, a collective 0–10 vs UW, WSU, UO, OSU, Seattle U., and Gonzaga.Go Vandals.com – men's basketball – 2011–12 media guide – p.72,74,75,90,98 High scorer White became a hall of fame high school head coach in Anchorage, Alaska;http://alaskasportshall.org/inductee/chuck-white/ Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Chuck White February 15, 2018http://alaskahalloffame.org/inductees/class-of-2013/chuck-white/ Alaska High School Hall of Fame Chuck White February 15, 2018 but both Cipriano and Johnson died before age fifty, due to cancer.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O1pWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3371%2C7512641 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Knight Ridder Ex-Idaho star Gus Johnson dies at 48 April 30, 1987 C1 Team captain Lyle Parks earned a degree in chemical engineering,https://www.uidaho.edu/engr/events/academy-of-engineers/2013/lyle-parks University of Idaho Academy of Engineers Lyle Parks 2013 February 20, 2018 and sophomore Chuck Kozak graduated from the UI's law school in 1968.http://kozaklawfirm.com/about/ Kozak & Associates Reno, Nevada About us February 20, 2018 Roster 1962 Idaho Vandals m y yes Don Sowar 10 G 6 0 SO Coldwater, OH Coldwater HS Lyle Parks 11 G 6 1 SR Kendrick, ID Kendrick HS C Jim Schell 13 F 6 5 JR Wendell, ID Wendell HS Wayne Meyer 14 C 6 7 JR Sutter, CA   Terry Henson 15 G 6 1 SO Kent, WA Kent-Meridian HS Bill Mattis 25 G 6 1 JR Coeur d'Alene, ID Coeur d'Alene HS Chuck White 33 F 6 4 SR Kirkland, WA Skagit JC, LW HS Fred Crowell 35 G 6 2 JR Anacortes, WA Anacortes HS Rich Porter 42 G 6 3 SR Kellogg, ID Kellogg HS Gus Johnson basketball y 43 C 6 6 220 JR yes Akron, OH Boise JC, Akron Tom Whitfield 44 F 6 5 JR Seattle, WA Garfield HS Tom Moreland 45 C 6 7 SO Coeur d'Alene, ID Coeur d'Alene HS Nelson Levias 51 F 6 2 SO Seattle, WA Garfield HS Chuck Kozak 55 F 6 4 SO Seattle, WA   Joe Cipriano (Washington) Wayne Anderson (Idaho) https://issuu.com/uidahodigital/docs/gem1963/252 Schedule and results yes no no Mon, Dec 3 8:00 pm no Long Beach State Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 85–68 1–0 3,800 Fri, Dec 7 8:15 pm yes no Gonzaga Spokane Coliseum Spokane, Washington Rivalry 63–52 2–0 6,644 Fri, Dec 14 7:00 pm yes no Montana State Brick Breeden Fieldhouse Bozeman, Montana 68–61 3–0 2,000 Sat, Dec 15 7:00 pm yes no Montana State Brick Breeden Fieldhouse Bozeman, Montana 64–63 OT 4–0 3,500 Thu, Dec 20 8:00 pm no Washington State Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho Battle of the Palouse 94–57 5–0 3,800 Thu, Dec 27 9:30 pm yes no Oregon State Memorial Coliseum Portland, Oregon Far West Classic 53–80 5–1 12,129 Fri, Dec 28 4:00 pm yes no Seattle Memorial Coliseum Portland, Oregon Far West Classic 71–85 5–2 2,140 Sat, Dec 29 2:00 pm yes no Washington State Memorial Coliseum Portland, Oregon Far West ClassicBattle of the Palouse 64–63 6–2 1,500 Sat, Jan 5 7:00 pm yes no Montana Adams Fieldhouse Missoula, Montana 75–60 7–2 4,000 Tue, Jan 8 8:00 pm yes no Washington State Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, Washington Battle of the Palouse 75–67 8–2 4,000 Fri, Jan 11 8:00 pm yes no Oregon McArthur Court Eugene, Oregon 62–61 OT 9–2 3,388 Sat, Jan 12 8:00 pm yes no Oregon McArthur Court Eugene, Oregon 81–58 10–2 3,549 Tue, Jan 15 8:00 pm no Washington State Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho Battle of the Palouse 72–65 11–2 3,750 Tue, Jan 22 8:00 pm no Montana Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 78–69 12–2 3,700 Fri, Feb 1 8:00 pm yes no Washington State Bohler Gymnasium Pullman, Washington Battle of the Palouse 57–66 12–3 3,500 Sat, Feb 2 8:00 pm no Idaho State Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho King Spud Trophy 90–61 13–3 3,800 Fri, Feb 8 8:00 pm no Oregon Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 79–61 14–3 3,800 Sat, Feb 9 8:00 pm no Oregon Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 88–78 15–3 3,800 Fri, Feb 15 7:30 pm yes no Idaho State Reed Gymnasium Pocatello, Idaho King Spud Trophy 83–76 16–3 4,900 Sat, Feb 16 8:00 pm yes no Gonzaga Twin Falls, Idaho Rivalry 83–76 17–3 3,600 Fri, Feb 22 8:00 pm no Seattle Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 72–77 17–4 3,800 Sat, Feb 23 8:00 pm no Washington Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 63–56 18–4 3,800 Fri, Mar 1 8:00 pm no Gonzaga Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho Rivalry 87–81 19–4 3,800 Sat, Mar 2 8:00 pm no Montana State Memorial Gymnasium Moscow, Idaho 106–79 20–4 3,800 Fri, Mar 8 8:00 pm yes no Washington Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, Washington 50–58 20–5 7,000 Sat, Mar 9 8:00 pm yes no Seattle Seattle Center Coliseum Seattle, Washington 88–95 20–6 6,126 Pacific Time Source: References 2 External links Sports Reference – Idaho Vandals: 1962–63 basketball season Gem of the Mountains: 1963 University of Idaho yearbook – 1962–63 basketball season Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1963 editions Category:Idaho Vandals men's basketball seasons Idaho Idaho Idaho