1972–73 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

Head coach Harv Schmidt entered his sixth season with the Fighting Illini with high expectations. The 1971-72 team returned one of the top senior athletes in the country, Nick Weatherspoon. As a sophomore, Weatherspoon scored 381 points, averaging 16.5 points per game, while collecting 246 rebounds. His junior year was even better, scoring 500 total points, averaging 20.8 points and pulling down 262 rebounds. Nothing, however, would be better than Weatherspoon's senior year. During this season he would score 600 points, averaging 25.0 points per game, while amassing 295 total rebounds. Weatherspoon remains as number 11 on the all-time leading scores list at the University of Illinois, only surpassed by players that completed four years of varsity basketball. His three year average of 20.9 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game still remain number one for the Fighting Illini.

The 1972-73 team's starting lineup included Weatherspoon and Rick Schmidt at the forward spots, Jeff Dawson and Otho Tucker as guards and Nick Conner at center. The roster included the teams first 7 foot tall player, Bill Rucks a freshman from Waukegan High School.

{{CBB roster/Header|year=1972|team=Illinois Fighting Illini|teamcolors=y|high_school=yes}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Garvin|last=Roberson|num=10|pos=G|ft=6|in=4|lbs=190|class=JR|rs=|home=Elkhart, Indiana|high_school=Elkhart Central High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Dave|last=Roberts|num=11|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=175|class=SO|rs=|home=Maywood, Illinois|high_school=Proviso East High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Nick|last=Weatherspoon|num=12|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=185|class=JR|rs=|home=Canton, Ohio|high_school=McKinley High School|link=y|note=C}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=C.J.|last=Schroeder|num=14|pos=G|ft=6|in=4|lbs=195|class=JR|rs=|home=Davenport, Iowa|high_school=Davenport West High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Dennis|last=Graff|num=20|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=170|class=FR|rs=|home=Gibson City, Illinois|high_school=Gibson City High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Larry|last=Cohen|num=21|pos=G|ft=6|in=2|lbs=180|class=SR|rs=|home=Wilmette, Illinois|high_school=New Trier East High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Rich|last=Connell|num=22|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=175|class=FR|rs=|home=St. Joseph, Illinois|high_school=St. Joseph-Ogden High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jeff|last=Dawson|num=24|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=175|class=JR|rs=|home=Oak Park, Illinois|high_school=Downers Grove North High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Donn|last=Deputy|num=25|pos=G|ft=6|in=4|lbs=185|class=JR|rs=|home=Pekin, Illinois|high_school=Pekin High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Mike|last=Wente|num=30|pos=F|ft=6|in=5|lbs=200|class=JR|rs=|home=Effingham, Illinois|high_school=St. Anthony High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Mark|last=Bondeson|num=31|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=180|class=FR|rs=|home=Des Plaines, Illinois|high_school=Maine East High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Rick|last=Schmidt|num=32|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=205|class=SO|rs=|home=Royal, Illinois|high_school=St. Joseph-Ogden High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Otho|last=Tucker|num=33|pos=G|ft=6|in=6|lbs=185|class=SO|rs=|home=Paris, Illinois|high_school=Paris High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=John|last=McBride|num=40|pos=F|ft=6|in=5|lbs=195|class=SR|rs=|home=Orland Park, Illinois|high_school=Carl Sandburg High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Dave|last=Smith|num=41|pos=F/C|ft=6|in=7|lbs=200|class=FR|rs=|home=Clarendon Hills, Illinois|high_school=Hinsdale Central High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jim|last=Rucks|num=42|pos=F|ft=6|in=3|lbs=215|class=SR|rs=|home=Waukegan, Illinois|high_school=Waukegan High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jed|last=Foster|num=44|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs=205|class=SR|rs=|home=Fairfield, Illinois|high_school=Fairfield High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Nick|last=Conner|num=45|pos=F/C|ft=6|in=6|lbs=195|class=SR|rs=|home=Columbus, Ohio|high_school=East High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bill|last=Rucks|num=53|pos=C|ft=7|in=0|lbs=250|class=FR|rs=|home=Waukegan, Illinois|high_school=Waukegan High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jim|last=DeDecker|num=54|pos=C|ft=6|in=10|lbs=210|class=SR|rs=|home=Moline, Illinois|high_school=Alleman High School|link=n}}

{{CBB roster/Footer

|head_coach=

• Harv Schmidt (University of Illinois) (6th year)

|asst_coach=

• Dick Campbell (6th year)
• Marshall Stoner (Western Illinois University) (1st year)

|roster_url=https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1972-73

|accessdate=

}}

{{CBB schedule start|attend=yes|rank=no|tv=no|gamehighs=no|time=no}}

|-

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

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/2/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=DePauw Tigers|title=DePauw}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 100-68

| overtime =

| attend = 8,755

| record = 1 - 0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/4/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Valparaiso Crusaders|title=Valparaiso}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 80-62

| overtime =

| attend = 8,326

| record = 2 - 0 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/9/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes |away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Detroit Titans|title=Detroit}}

| site_stadium = Calihan Hall

| site_cityst = Detroit, MI

| gamename =

| score = 77-79

| overtime = ot

| attend = 2,651

| record = 2 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/13/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = Iowa State

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 74-60

| overtime =

| attend = 8,501

| record = 3 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/19/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Furman Paladins|title=Furman}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 86-81

| overtime =

| attend = 9,418

| record = 4 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/22/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes |away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=USC Trojans|title=Southern California}}

| site_stadium = Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

| site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA

| gamename =

| score = 72-75

| overtime =

| attend = 3,472

| record = 4 - 2 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/29/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

|neutral=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Temple Owls|title=Temple}}

| site_stadium = Municipal Auditorium

| site_cityst = New Orleans, LA

| gamename = Sugar Bowl Classic

| score = 82-77

| overtime =

| attend = 6,975

| record = 5 - 2 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 12/30/1972

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

|opprank=1

|neutral=yes

| opponent = UCLA

| site_stadium = Municipal Auditorium

| site_cityst = New Orleans, LA

| gamename = Sugar Bowl Classic

| score = 64-71

| overtime =

| attend = 7,123

| record = 5 - 3 }}

|-

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

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/6/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no |away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Purdue Boilermakers|title=Purdue}}

| site_stadium = Mackey Arena

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN

| gamename =

| score = 80-91

| overtime =

| attend = 11,684

| record = 5 - 4 |conference= 0 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/8/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 76-74

| overtime =

| attend = 8,607

| record = 6 - 4 |conference= 1 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/13/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Iowa Hawkeyes|title=Iowa}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 80-78

| overtime =

| attend = 9,916

| record = 7 - 4 |conference= 2 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/25/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Notre Dame Fighting Irish|title=Notre Dame}}

| site_stadium = Chicago Stadium

| site_cityst = Chicago, IL

| gamename =

| score = 87-84

| overtime =

| attend = 15,817

| record = 8 - 4 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 1/27/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = yes

| opponent = South Carolina

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 76-86

| overtime =

| attend = 6,000

| record = 8 - 5 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/3/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Michigan

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 76-75

| overtime =

| attend = 11,117

| record = 9 - 5 |conference= 3 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/5/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no |away=yes

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Northwestern Wildcats|title=Northwestern}}

| site_stadium = McGaw Memorial Hall

| site_cityst = Evanston, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 84-77

| overtime =

| attend = 4,726

| record = 10 - 5 |conference= 4 - 1 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/10/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no |away=yes

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Wisconsin Field House

| site_cityst = Madison, WI

| gamename =

| score = 88-99

| overtime =

| attend = 8,231

| record = 10 - 6 |conference= 4 - 2 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/12/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

|opprank=4|away=yes

| opponent = Indiana

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 67-87

| overtime =

| attend = 14,156

| record = 10 - 7 |conference= 4 - 3 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/17/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Ohio State Buckeyes|title=Ohio State}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 79-68

| overtime =

| attend = 11,892

| record = 11 - 7 |conference= 5 - 3 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/19/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

|opprank=4

| opponent = {{cbb link|1972|team=Minnesota Golden Gophers|title=Minnesota}}

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 52-72

| overtime =

| attend = 11,367

| record = 11 - 8 |conference= 5 - 4 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/24/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Michigan State

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename =

| score = 82-90

| overtime =

| attend = 10,677

| record = 12 - 8 |conference= 6 - 4 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 2/26/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no |away=yes

| opponent = Michigan

| site_stadium = Crisler Center

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI

| gamename =

| score = 96-89

| overtime =

| attend = 8,235

| record = 13 - 8 |conference= 7 - 4 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/3/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no |away=yes

| opponent = Ohio State

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, OH

| gamename =

| score = 64-65

| overtime =

| attend = 13,489

| record = 13 - 9 |conference= 7 - 5 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/5/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no

| opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 77-76

| overtime =

| attend = 10,857

| record = 14 - 9 |conference= 7 - 5 }}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = 3/10/1973

|time = no

|tv = no

|rank = no

|nonconf = no |away=yes

| opponent = Iowa

| site_stadium = Iowa Field House

| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA

| gamename = Rivalry

| score = 76-93

| overtime =

| attend = 12,353

| record = 14 - 10 |conference= 8 - 6 }}

|-

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

• Nick Weatherspoon
• 1st Team All-American (Helms), Honorable Mention (Converse)
• 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=2013-12-13 |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 }}

{{main|1972–73 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings}}

{{Reflist}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:1972-73 Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Team}}

Illinois Fighting Illini

Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball seasons

Category:1972 in sports in Illinois

Category:1973 in sports in Illinois