1970–71 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1970–71 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
team represented the University of Michigan
in intercollegiate college basketball
during the 1970–71 season. The team played its home games at Crisler Arena
on the school's campus in .
Under the direction of head coach
Johnny Orr
, the team finished second in the Big Ten Conference
. Dan Fife served as team captain
and shared team co-MVP honors with Henry Wilmore
.
Over the course of the season, Ken Brady led the conference in field goal
percentage with a 61.7% average in conference games. The team earned the Big Ten scoring
offense statistical championship with an 88.4 average in conference games. The team was in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll
for four of the sixteen weeks of the season, rising as high as number twelve. However, the team ended the season unranked in both the final UPI Coaches' Poll and the final AP Poll.
The team defeated two of the four ranked opponents that it faced during the season. The team participated in the sixteen team 1971 National Invitation Tournament
where it advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating the by an 86–76 margin before falling to the 78–70. The team was led by All-American Henry Wilmore
. Dan Fife established the school career field goal percentage
record at 57.44% that would last until Loy Vaught
ended his career with a 61.7% mark in 1990. He also set the school single season assist
average of 5.35 per game that would last until Dave Baxter surpassed it in 1978. The team set the school single-game record for free throw
s made of 33 on January 23, 1971 against , which would be unsurpassed until 1998.
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
team represented the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in intercollegiate college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
during the 1970–71 season. The team played its home games at Crisler Arena
Crisler Arena
Crisler Arena, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, is the home arena for the University of Michigan men's and women's basketball teams. Constructed in 1967, the arena seats 13,751 spectators. It is named for Herbert O...
on the school's campus in .
Under the direction of head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Johnny Orr
Johnny Orr
John M. "Johnny" Orr is a retired American basketball player and coach, best known as the head coach of men's basketball at the University of Michigan and at Iowa State University.-Life as a player:...
, the team finished second in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Dan Fife served as team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
and shared team co-MVP honors with Henry Wilmore
Henry Wilmore
Henry Wilmore is an American former basketball player who is most known for being an National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American in 1972 while playing for the Michigan Wolverines. He played at the University of Michigan from 1970–71 through 1972–73, scored 1,654 points and grabbed...
.
Over the course of the season, Ken Brady led the conference in field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
percentage with a 61.7% average in conference games. The team earned the Big Ten scoring
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
offense statistical championship with an 88.4 average in conference games. The team was in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
for four of the sixteen weeks of the season, rising as high as number twelve. However, the team ended the season unranked in both the final UPI Coaches' Poll and the final AP Poll.
The team defeated two of the four ranked opponents that it faced during the season. The team participated in the sixteen team 1971 National Invitation Tournament
1971 National Invitation Tournament
The 1971 National Invitation Tournament was the 1971 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition. 1971 was unique because it is the only time that major rivals Duke and North Carolina have played each other after the ACC Tournament. Eventual ACC member Georgia Tech also made the...
where it advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating the by an 86–76 margin before falling to the 78–70. The team was led by All-American Henry Wilmore
Henry Wilmore
Henry Wilmore is an American former basketball player who is most known for being an National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American in 1972 while playing for the Michigan Wolverines. He played at the University of Michigan from 1970–71 through 1972–73, scored 1,654 points and grabbed...
. Dan Fife established the school career field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
record at 57.44% that would last until Loy Vaught
Loy Vaught
Loy Stephen Vaught is a retired American professional basketball player who spent ten seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Los Angeles Clippers....
ended his career with a 61.7% mark in 1990. He also set the school single season assist
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
average of 5.35 per game that would last until Dave Baxter surpassed it in 1978. The team set the school single-game record for free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s made of 33 on January 23, 1971 against , which would be unsurpassed until 1998.