1962–63 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

The 1962-63 season saw the Fighting Illini finish with 20-6 overall, 11-3 in the conference. Senior Dave Downey led the team in scoring, as he had the previous two seasons, and he moved into first on the all-time scoring list. Downey also set the school record for points in a game, which still stands, with 53 in a road loss to Indiana on February 16, 1963. Illinois was a game back of first place in the league standings with only two games remaining when the Assembly Hall opened its doors on March 4, 1963. Illinois’ first game at the Hall was an exciting 79-73 victory over Northwestern before 16,137 fans to stay within a game of first-place Ohio State. After Illinois edged Iowa, 73-69, in the last game of the season, the Fighting Illini would need an overtime loss two hours later by the Buckeyes at Indiana to share the title. During the season the Illini would win the Eastern College Athletic Conference Holiday Festival and make the Elite Eight of the 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, losing to eventual champion Loyola (Chicago).

{{CBB roster/Header|year=1962|team=Illinois Fighting Illini|teamcolors=y|high_school=yes}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Larry|last=Bauer|num=10|pos=F|ft=6|in=7|lbs=207|class=SO|rs=|home=Springfield, Illinois|high_school=Springfield High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bob|last=Meadows|num=11|pos=G|ft=5|in=7|lbs=157|class=SO|rs=|home=Collinsville, Illinois|high_school=Collinsville High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Tal|last=Brody|num=12|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=165|class=SO|rs=|home=Trenton, New Jersey|high_school=Central High School|link=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=John|last=Love|num=14|pos=F|ft=6|in=3|lbs=199|class=JR|rs=|home=Ottawa, Illinois|high_school=Ottawa Township High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jay|last=Lovelace|num=22|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=164|class=SR|rs=|home=Carbondale, Illinois|high_school=Carbondale Community High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bill|last=Burwell|num=25|pos=C|ft=6|in=8|lbs=227|class=SR|rs=|home=Brooklyn, New York|high_school=Boys High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jeff|last=Ferguson|num=30|pos=F|ft=6|in=3|lbs=195|class=JR|rs=|home=Benton, Illinois|high_school=Benton Consolidated High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Tony|last=Latham|num=31|pos=G|ft=5|in=11|lbs=163|class=SO|rs=|home=Waukegan, Illinois|high_school=Waukegan High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bill|last=Edwards|num=32|pos=G|ft=6|in=3|lbs=208|class=JR|rs=|home=Windsor, Illinois|high_school=Windsor High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bogie|last=Redmon|num=33|pos=F|ft=6|in=5|lbs=218|class=SO|rs=|home=Collinsville, Illinois|high_school=Collinsville High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bill|last=McKeown|num=34|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=185|class=SO|rs=|home=Clinton, Illinois|high_school=Clinton High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Skip|last=Thoren|num=35|pos=C|ft=6|in=8|lbs=201|class=SO|rs=|home=Rockford, Illinois|high_school=Rockford East High School|link=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Dave|last=Downey|num=40|pos=F|ft=6|in=4|lbs=204|class=SR|rs=|home=Canton, Illinois|high_school=Canton High School|link=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bob|last=Starnes|num=44|pos=F|ft=6|in=5|lbs=187|class=SR|rs=|home=Chicago, Illinois|high_school=Gage Park High School|link=n|note=C}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bill|last=Small|num=53|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=185|class=SR|rs=|home=Aurora, Illinois|high_school=West Aurora High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Footer

|head_coach=

• Harry Combes (University of Illinois) (16th year)

|asst_coach=

• Howie Braun (University of Illinois) (26th year)
• Jim Wright (University of Illinois) (5th year)

|roster_url=https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1962-63

|accessdate=

}}

{{CBB schedule start|attend=yes|rank=yes|tv=no|gamehighs=no|time=no}}[https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1962-63 Schedule]

|-

!colspan=12 style="background:#DF4E38; color:white;"| Non-Conference regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor=""

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 11/30/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Butler Bulldogs|title=Butler}}

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 66-49

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 1-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/6/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank =

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Washington University Bears|title=Washington (St. Louis)}}

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 99-55

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 2-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/16/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 10

|nonconf = yes

|away=yes

| opponent = Iowa State

| site_stadium = Iowa State Armory

| site_cityst = Ames, IA

| gamename =

| score = 76-73

| overtime =

| attend = 7,000

| record = 3-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/17/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 10

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=San Jose State Spartans|title=San Jose State}}

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 90-64

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 4-0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/22/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = Oklahoma

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 93-90

| overtime =

| attend = 6,000

| record = 5-0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/26/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = yes |neutral=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Penn Quakers|title=Penn}}

| site_stadium = Madison Square Garden

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = ECAC Holiday Festival

| score = 98-66

| overtime =

| attend = 14,238

| record = 6-0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/28/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = yes |away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=NYU Violets|title=NYU}}

| site_stadium = Madison Square Garden

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = ECAC Holiday Festival

| score = 91-84

| overtime =

| attend = 15,036

| record = 7-0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/29/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = yes |neutral=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=West Virginia Mountaineers|title=West Virginia}}

| site_stadium = Madison Square Garden

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = ECAC Holiday Festival

| score = 92-74

| overtime =

| attend = 12,125

| record = 8-0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/31/1962

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 3

|nonconf = yes |neutral=yes

| opponent = Notre Dame

| site_stadium = Chicago Stadium

| site_cityst = Chicago, IL

| gamename =

| score = 88-90

| overtime =

| attend = 10,346

| record = 8-1}}

|-

!colspan=9 style="background:#DF4E38; color:#FFFFFF;"|Big Ten regular season

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/5/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 3

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Iowa Hawkeyes|title=Iowa}}

| site_stadium = Iowa Field House

| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 85-76

| overtime =

| attend = 12,600

| record = 9-1 |conference=1-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/7/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 5

|nonconf = no

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Ohio State Buckeyes|title=Ohio State}}

|opprank=5

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 90-78

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 10-1 |conference=2-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/12/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 5

|nonconf = no

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Purdue Boilermakers|title=Purdue}}

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 106-82

| overtime =

| attend = 6,756

| record = 11-1 |conference=3-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/14/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 3

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Northwestern Wildcats|title=Northwestern}}

| site_stadium = McGaw Memorial Hall

| site_cityst = Evanston, IL

| gamename =Rivalry

| score = 78–76

| overtime =

| attend = 7,200

| record = 12-1 |conference=4-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/26/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = yes |neutral=yes

| opponent = Cincinnati

|opprank=1

| site_stadium = Chicago Stadium

| site_cityst = Chicago, IL

| gamename =

| score = 53-62

| overtime =

| attend = 23,000

| record = 12-2 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/4/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Indiana

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 104-101

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 13-2 |conference=5-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/9/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = no

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Michigan State Spartans|title=Michigan State}}

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 91-86

| overtime =

| attend = 6,797

| record = 14-2 |conference=6-0}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/11/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 4

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Wisconsin Field House

| site_cityst = Madison, WI

| gamename =

| score = 77-84

| overtime =

| attend = 12,088

| record = 14-3 |conference=6-1}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/16/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 6

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = Indiana

| site_stadium = Gladstein Fieldhouse

| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 100-103

| overtime =

| attend = 10,300

| record = 14-4 |conference=6-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/19/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 6

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = Purdue

| site_stadium = Lambert Fieldhouse

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN

| gamename =

| score = 87-79

| overtime =

| attend = 9,637

| record = 15-4 |conference=7-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/23/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 6

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Huff Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 89-77

| overtime =

| attend = 6,912

| record = 16-4 |conference=8-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/25/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 6

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1962|team=Minnesota Golden Gophers|title=Minnesota}}

| site_stadium = Williams Arena

| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN

| gamename =

| score = 81-70

| overtime =

| attend = 11,226

| record = 17-4 |conference=9-2}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/2/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 6

|nonconf = no

|away=yes

| opponent = Michigan

| site_stadium = Yost Ice Arena

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI

| gamename =

| score = 81-84

| overtime =

| attend = 9,450

| record = 17-5 |conference=9-3}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/4/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 79-73

| overtime =

| attend = 16,137

| record = 18-5 |conference=10-3}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/9/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Iowa

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 73-69

| overtime =

| attend = 16,007

| record = 19-5 |conference=11-3}}

|-

!colspan=9 style="text-align: center; background:#DF4E38"|NCAA Tournament

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/15/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = yes

|neutral=yes

| opponent = Bowling Green

| site_stadium = Jenison Fieldhouse

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| gamename = NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional Semi-Final{{Cite web|url=http://www.databasesports.com/ncaab/tourney.htm?yr=1963|title = RotoWire Fantasy Football, Baseball, Basketball and More}}

| score = 90-67

| overtime =

| attend = 12,143

| record = 20-5 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/16/1963

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = 8

|nonconf = yes

|neutral=yes

| opponent = Loyola (Chicago)

| site_stadium = Jenison Fieldhouse

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| gamename = NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional Final

| score = 64–79

| overtime =

| attend = 9,459

| record = 20-6 }}

|-

{{CBB schedule end||timezone=Central Time}}

{{main|1962–63 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings}}

{{Cite web |url=http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1962.html |title=Season Stats |access-date=2014-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310201433/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1962.html |archive-date=2014-03-10 |url-status=dead }}

• Dave Downey
• Helms 1st team All-American
• Converse 2nd team All-American
• Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American
• Team Most Valuable Player{{Cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf |title=List of MVPs |access-date=2013-01-15 |archive-date=2014-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030004049/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf |url-status=dead }}
• Fighting Illini All-Century team (2005)
• Bill Small
• Converse Honorable Mention All-American
• Skip Thoren
• Fighting Illini All-Century team (2005)

{{reflist}}

{{Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1962-63 Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Team}}

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Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball seasons

Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball

Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball

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