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From the archives: March Madness (Mar. 17 – Mar. 23)

This week: Celebrating the ups and the downs of the University’s basketball teams’ history

1950s
March 4, 1958
“Cavaliers End Season With Victory Over SC”
By Henry Drake
Photos by Behlen

The men’s basketball team closed off the 1957-58 season with a 77-70 win against South Carolina on Friday, March 28. Though South Carolina never got ahead in the game, it was closely fought until the last minute. This game left the Cavaliers fifth in the ACC standings in preparation for their game with Maryland the following Thursday.

1960s

March 4, 1965
“Cagers To Oppose Wolfpack”
By Dick Dyas
Photos by Llewellyn

The University’s men's basketball was slated to compete against the NC State Wolfpack Thursday in the first contest of the ACC tournament. A win would ensure one of the teams a spot in the semi-final rounds Friday. Cavaliers would be entering the game with a two-game winning streak, and if they were to advance, they would likely compete against Maryland or UNC next.

1970s

March 16, 1976
“‘Hoos complete tourney sweep”
By Kip Coons

“DePaul writes finish to Virginia’s NCAA hopes”
By Tom Haudricourt
Photos by Dan Grogan

Virginia’s drive for the national NCAA championship came to an end in 1976 when the DePaul Blue Demons beat the ACC champions 69-60. This was the first round of NCAA basketball playoffs. It was an unusually weak performance by the Cavaliers. 

1980s

March 18, 1986
“DePaul defeats Virginia to end men’s season, 72-68”
By Steve Wills

“Top-seeded Cavs stomped by JMU to end title hopes”
By Chris Payne and Steve Wills
Photos by Scott Manning

The DePaul Blue Demons upended the fifth-seed Cavaliers and ended Virginia’s season in a 72-68 game. This was a missed opportunity for the University’s team to avenge its 1976 loss to the Blue Demons. Cavalier forward Drew Kennedy accredited the win to the size and speed of DePaul’s offense.

1990s

March 21, 1995
“Gators, Big Green go down fighting in University Hall”
By Alan Morris
Photos by Steve Finnie

The women’s basketball team secured their spot in the Sweet 16 after a 72-67 win against the Florida Gators and a 71-68 win against the Dartmouth Big Green. Though they did have the home advantage, the Cavaliers had to fight to stay ahead, particularly with Dartmouth getting very close throughout the second half. The next tournament game for the team would be against Louisiana Tech.


2000s

March 21, 2004
“It’s tournament time!”
By Ernie Washington
Photos by Jason O. Watson

The University finally returned to the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence. Coach Debbie Ryan’s strategic plays landed the team fourth place in the ACC. Re-entry into the NCAA marked a fresh and exhilarating resurgence for the women’s team, garnering a sense of hope that had been lost throughout the last ten years. The team’s first game in the tournament would be against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

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Editor's Note: This episode was recorded on Feb. 17, so some celebratory events mentioned in the podcast have already passed.

Hashim O. Davis, the assistant dean of the OAAA and director of the Luther Porter Jackson Black Cultural Center, discusses the relevance and importance of  “Celebrating Resilience,” OAAA’s theme for this year’s Black History Month celebration.