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1951–52 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

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Conference
  
AP
  
No. 2

Head coach
  
Coaches
  
No. 2

1951–52 record
  
22–4 (12-2 Big Ten)

Assistant coach
  

The 1951–52 Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team represented the University of Illinois.

Contents

Regular season

The 1951-52 Fighting Illini men's basketball team had reached a level of national prominence that was only bettered by the 1914-15 national championship team. Head coach Harry Combes had guided his team to a Big Ten championship, a third place finish in the 1952 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and a final AP ranking of No. 2 in the nation. Combes was beginning to build a dynasty in Champaign with 3 Big Ten Championships and 3 third place finishes in the NCAA tournament in his first 5 years at the helm. The 1951-52 season not only brought Illinois another Big Ten title, it also introduced John Kerr, a center from Tilden Tech in Chicago. He began his three-year reign as Illinois’ top scorer with a sophomore-record 357 points. The Illini recorded a 22-4 overall mark and went 12-2 in the conference. Once again, Illinois advanced to the national semifinals and ran into underdog St. John’s. The Redmen fought their way to a 61-59 victory in the NCAA’s first Final Four, in Seattle. Illinois took another third-place award home after beating Santa Clara, 67-64, behind 26 points by Kerr. At the conclusion of the tournament, Kerr and James Bredar were named to the Final Four All-Tournament team. Subsequently, at the conclusion of the season, Rodney Fletcher was named a Consensus 1st team All-American.

The starting lineup for the season included captain Rodney Fletcher, James Bredar and Irving Bemoras at guard, Clive Follmer at the forward slot with Robert Peterson and, future hall of famer Johnny "Red" Kerr at the center position. The team also included former University of Minnesota head coach Jim Dutcher.

Roster

  • Head Coach: Harry Combes (5th year at Illinois)
  • Schedule

    Bold Italic connotes conference game

    NCAA basketball tournament

  • East
  • Illinois 80, Dayton 61
  • Illinois 74, Duquesne 68
  • Final Four
  • St. Johns, New York 61, Illinois 59
  • Third Place Game
  • Illinois 67, Santa Clara 64
  • Awards and honors

  • Rod Fletcher
  • Consensus 1st team All-American (1952)
  • Look Magazine 1st team All-American (1952)
  • Converse 1st team All-American (1952)
  • Helms 1st team All-American (1952)
  • Associated Press 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • United Press International 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • International News Service 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • Collier's Weekly 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • National Association of Basketball Coaches 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • Athletic Publications 2nd team All-American (1952)
  • Team Most Valuable Player
  • Irv Bemoras
  • Converse Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • United Press International Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • Johnny Kerr
  • NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (1952)
  • Converse Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • United Press International Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • Jim Bredar
  • NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (1952)
  • United Press International Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • Converse Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • Bob Peterson
  • United Press International Honorable Mention All-American (1952)
  • References

    1951–52 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team Wikipedia


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