Crum Is Merely a Visitor at His Final Game

L.A. Times Archives

March 8, 2001 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Denny Crum’s 30-season coaching career at Louisville officially came to a end Wednesday night as the Cardinals lost, 74-61, to Alabama Birmingham in the first round of the Conference USA tournament at Louisville, Ky.

Crum, a Hall of Fame coach who ranks 15th among Division I coaches with 675 victories and led Louisville to six Final Fours and two national championships, announced his retirement last Friday.

The game included an embarrassing moment for Crum. He was the visiting coach and walked to the wrong bench before the game.

The Cardinals, seeded ninth in the tournament, wore their red road uniforms and were relegated to the visitors’ bench against the eighth-seeded Blazers.

“I wish I could’ve finished it at the other end,” Crum said. “It was such a weird feeling.”

Alabama Birmingham led by four at halftime and pulled away in the second half. But few fans left before the final buzzer.

Crum tensely clutched his trademark rolled-up program with both hands as fans started chanting “Denny! Denny!” in the game’s final minute. After a brief television interview, Crum left the floor for the last time, stopping to wave to the four corners of the arena. He exhaled deeply and fought off tears as he walked into a tunnel toward the Louisville locker room.

Louisville finished 12-19. Alabama Birmingham (17-13) plays top-seed Cincinnati (21-8) today.

In other Conference USA first-round games, Cordell Henry scored 16 points as Marquette (15-13) ended a three-game losing streak with a 72-67 win over Tulane (9-21). . . . B.B. Waldon scored 22 points and Altron Jackson added 20 as South Florida (18-12) overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half to defeat DePaul (12-18), 63-59. . . . Maurice Jeffers scored 20 points as Saint Louis (17-13) scored an easy 78-65 win over Houston (9-20).

OTHER TOURNAMENTS

Big East--Preston Shumpert scored 31 points and No. 17 Syracuse (23-7) beat Connecticut, 86-75, to advance to the quarterfinals at New York. Connecticut (19-11) will have to wait until Sunday to find out if it will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Syracuse plays Providence (21-8) today. . . Freshman forward Eddie Griffin scored 15 points and also had 12 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead Seton Hall (15-13) to a 78-66 victory over St. John’s (14-15). Seton Hall advances against Georgetown (23-6) . . . Pittsburgh (16-12) ended Miami’s Big East season the same way it started--with a decisive victory over the Hurricanes, 78-69. Pittsburgh (16-12) had a 40-27 rebounding edge against Miami (16-12). Notre Dame (19-8) is Pittsburgh’s next opponent . . . Villanova (18-11) blew most of an 18-point first-half lead, then rebuilt it on two big runs led by Michael Bradley to beat West Virginia (17-11), 82-71. Bradley finished with 19 points, making eight of 10 shots. Villanova plays Boston College (23-4) today.

WOMEN

Big 12--In first-round games, Rosalind Ross had 17 points to lead No. 7 Oklahoma (25-4) to a 80-61 win over Kansas (12-17) at Kansas City, Mo. . . . Mandy Nightingale scored 18 points as No. 20 Colorado (21-7) beat Missouri (21-8), 83-72. . . . Jia Perkins scored 17 points as No. 11 Texas Tech (23-5) beat Texas (20-12), 71-58. . . . Tracy Gahan scored 20 points as No. 13 Iowa State (23-5) beat No. 24 Baylor (21-8), 73-48.

Mountain West--Lindsay Hebert and Lauren Beckman combined for all but 12 of the points for No. 14 Utah (26-2) in a 53-50 victory over Air Force (3-25) at Las Vegas. Utah advances against Brigham Young (17-11)--a 62-54 winner over Nevada Las Vegas (18-9).

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NCAA Tournament Qualifiers

Schools that have gained NCAA men’s tournament automatic bids by virtue of conference tournament championships, with exception of the Ivy League and Pacific 10--the only conferences that don’t conduct tournaments.

MEN

School: Conference

Butler: Midwestern Collegiate

Eastern Illinois: Ohio Valley

George Mason: Colonial Athletic Assn.

Georgia State: Trans America Athletic

Gonzaga: West Coast

Indiana State: Missouri Valley

Iona: Metro Atlantic Athletic

Monmouth, N.J.: Northeast

N.C. Greensboro: Southern

Princeton: Ivy