Loras College Athletics

One of the most successful senior classes in a program built on sustained excellence, the 1979-80 Loras College men's basketball team finished its season by winning 10 of its final 11 regular season games to close out the year with an overall record of 23-11 against a schedule littered with many NCAA Division I and II teams on it. The finish was the third-straight year the program went over the 23 win mark, which was a feat never achieved before at Loras.

Under the direction of head coach Bob Mullen, the team punched its ticket to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., for the first time since 1947. There, the team won its first round match up against Hawaii-Hilo, 72-70 - the program's first NAIA tourney win in 33 years. The next evening, the team faced Clarion State (PA) and fought back from a 17-point deficit at the half, but ultimately came up short in a 79-73 loss in the Sweet 16.  

The team's high-powered offense featured five individuals who reached double-digit point averages. Curtis Evans led the way by scoring 17 points per game, followed by Kurt Denner at 15.5, Jeff Carter with 14.3, John Curtis at 13.1, and rounded out with Bill May at 11.2. Three Duhawks recorded 200-plus rebounds as Carter (288), Denner (272), and Curtis (219) each paced the team.

Team members:
Jim Hayes, Paul Kacynski, Tom Connolly, Terry Callahan, Bill Finn, Roy Humphrey, George Lynch, Curtis Evans, Kevin Fuller, Jeff Carter, Bill Hogan, Neal Trainor, Kurt Denner, John Curtis, Bill May, Dick Mertens, Tom Meany and Mike Mills

Head Coach: Bob Mullen
Assistant Coach: Doug Smith