Please don’t laugh - that 1977-1978 team was special. I should know, I was an UG then and followed them in that old gym. Earl Keith was dominant, Wayne Wright got a tryout with the Knicks (wound up playing in Europe), and Larry Tillery was the best point guard ever to don a Stony Brook uniform. That team could have played and competed in the AE today. It was one of those freak things; all those talented kids playing in a DIII program. Ron Bash, their coach, wasn’t a player’s Coach. I remember him taking the air out of the ball and going 4-corners (anyone remember that term?) for almost the entire 2nd half, in their NCAA quarterfinal game; yes, this was pre-shot-clock era. Wish I could be at tonight’s game, but have some family obligations going on.
Ah I was an undergrad then too. Earl Keith was a 6’5” center but had a dominant inside game like Warney did and I think led D3 in FG%. Tilley has a sweet jumper.
I believe you’re correct about Keith. Tillery died a number of years ago-he could definitely score and dish; exceptional quickness. Only 5’10” if I recall correctly. Joe Castiglie was a great 6th man off the bench too.
The next season they were undefeated and #1 in the country until their last game of the season, and then lost in the 1st round of NCAA’s at home to Potsdam, I recall.
Ok, enough nastalgia; let’s hope we can turn things around tonight against a hot Hartford team.
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