Idaho State's Unforgettable Upset: When the Bengals Dethroned a Basketball God
In the annals of college basketball history, certain moments stand out as monumental upsets, defying expectations and etching themselves into the collective memory of fans. Among these, the 1977 Sweet Sixteen matchup between the Idaho State Bengals and the UCLA Bruins stands as a shining example of David slaying Goliath. This is the story of how a small school from Idaho achieved the unthinkable, forever altering the perception of UCLA's invincibility.
The Context: UCLA's Reign and Idaho State's Ascent
Back in 1977, the landscape of college basketball was vastly different. The NCAA tournament consisted of only 32 teams, and the distribution of talent was not as widespread as it is today. UCLA was not just a basketball program; it was an institution, a dynasty that had dominated the sport for over a decade under the legendary coach John Wooden. They were coming off an unprecedented run of 10 consecutive Final Four appearances and boasted the college basketball player of the year in Marques Johnson.
Idaho State, on the other hand, was a relative unknown. As Jeff Cook, a former ISU power forward, put it, "We were the smallest school on the planet." To put the disparity in perspective, former Bengals player Goold likened the potential upset to "Mexico defeating the United States in nuclear war today."
Despite their underdog status, the Bengals were not without merit. Coached by Jim Killingsworth, who had a knack for turning programs around, Idaho State had a solid season, finishing 24-5 and winning the Big Sky Conference title. They had quality wins against teams like Indiana State, Fresno State, Montana, and Weber State. Killingsworth instilled in his team a belief that they could compete with anyone.
The Buildup: Confidence and Strategy
Leading up to the game, the Bengals approached the matchup with a mix of excitement and determination. Steve Hayes, Idaho State’s 7-foot center, recalled, "We were nervous. We were Idaho State and they were UCLA. We were excited to play against them. After the first few minutes of getting out on the court, we realized we could compete with them and we started settling down quite a bit. I remember Killingsworth emphasizing that we could beat them."
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Interestingly, Killingsworth employed a unique strategy in preparing for the game. According to Goold, "He didn't talk about UCLA once that I remember. We talked about how we played Boise and spent the whole week talking about how we were going to beat Boise. It was smart." This approach likely helped to keep the team focused and prevent them from being intimidated by the Bruins' reputation.
Another key element of Killingsworth's strategy was his tactical flexibility. All season, Idaho State played a strict man-to-man defense. But in the Big Sky tournament championship game, the Bengals came out in a 1-2-2 zone, completely surprising Weber State in a 61-55 win. In the days leading up to the UCLA game, the Bengals continued to practice that zone and fully planned on using it a third-straight time.
Adding to the intrigue, Thompson, a senior guard, sensed a degree of overconfidence from the UCLA side. ''For a lack of a better word, they were real cocky,'' said Thompson. ''They looked at us all funny. Here we are, the Idaho State Bengals. I'm not sure what seed we were, (there weren't seeds back then) but we were quite a ways down there. They were like, how are these guys gonna play with us."
The Game: A Back-and-Forth Battle
The game itself was a tense and closely contested affair. The atmosphere at BYU's Marriott Center was electric, with a large contingent of Idaho State fans making the trip to support their team. Wilson recalled, "It felt like a home game."
From the opening tip, Idaho State showed they were not going to be intimidated. Thompson remembered taking a charge early in the game, saying, ''One of the very first plays of the game, I took a charge on this guy, and I can't tell you what cloud I was on, but it was higher than Cloud 9,'' he said. ''It was probably cloud 900. You couldn't be more pumped up in your life."
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The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with UCLA taking a narrow 38-32 lead into the break. However, the Bengals gained confidence as the half progressed. Goold said, ''At halftime, we started to believe we could actually win this game. We realized we were for real, and we were a great team. There was no more thought of us playing a giant."
The Turning Point: Adjustments and Perseverance
Coming out of halftime, Idaho State made a crucial adjustment to their defense. The zone defense Killingsworth went to so much trouble to hide wasn't working, and it needed a slight adjustment to shut down the Bruins. ''It wasn't quite a box-and-one we were using, but we shut their guard down,'' Hayes said. Idaho State went on a quick run to take the lead, signaling their readiness to compete.
The Bengals found success attacking the basket. Realizing Hayes was destroying them, the Bruins ganged up on him but then Thompson started scoring on his way to 14 points and Griffin, a senior guard, took off on his way to 12. Cook noted, ''There wasn't really one person you could key on on that team. If you played zone someone would kill you. It was pick your poison."
With each basket, Idaho State's confidence grew. However, UCLA, with its rich history and pedigree, was not about to go down without a fight.
The Climax: Overcoming the Press and Sealing the Victory
With just over two minutes remaining, Idaho State held a lead, but UCLA unleashed its full-court press, a tactic that Thompson described as "ugly real fast." The Bruins' speed and skill caused chaos, and the Bengals struggled to maintain possession.
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In a surprising move, Killingsworth turned to a freshman named Ernie Wheeler, who had seen limited playing time during the regular season. Cook explained, ''They were fouling the wrong guy. They were fouling him because he was a freshman, but he was killing them." Wheeler stepped up to the challenge, making crucial free throws and helping to secure the victory.
In the end, Idaho State stunned UCLA 76-75. The final buzzer sent a shockwave through the sporting world, as the Bengals celebrated an improbable triumph.
The Aftermath: A Moment of Immortality
The victory was met with jubilation and disbelief. Cook remembers being hammered in the chest by a friend's telephoto lens camera. Goold remembers being mobbed by people he'd never met. ''I was just mobbed,'' Goold said. ''We were all jumping on each other, and fans were coming out of the stands to jump on us. Someone could have taken all your clothes and you never would have known. It was like a dream. Everything was moving slow. You were just so overwhelmed."
The upset had far-reaching consequences. It halted UCLA's unprecedented run of 10 consecutive Final Four appearances and shattered the aura of invincibility that had surrounded the program. As Johnson later admitted, "And after the Idaho State game I realized something: Idaho State just had a really good team."
For the players and coaches of Idaho State, the victory was a moment of immortality. Hayes said, “I have great memories of Idaho State. Of course the fondest memory is the fact we beat UCLA in the NCAA Tournament. They were the epitome of college basketball at that point in time. It was an exciting time."
While the Bengals' dream of a Final Four appearance ended two days later with a loss to UNLV, their upset of UCLA remains a cherished memory and a testament to the power of belief, preparation, and teamwork.
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