1968 Game of the Century

[eljimb0]

I was a freshman at UH in 1967-68. I was there screaming for the Coogs, my Coogs.

Ruin the Bruins! I still hate UCLA. :)

UH BS -71.

[tellthetruthg]

great to get an inside look at the game which I watched as a young kid from Oakland CA.

[OfDaHeeZy84]

Go Coogs. Class of 2010 BChemicalEngineering. I will always support UH no matter what. Go Coogs and eat 'em up

[805Bruin]

Kareem - 3 championships, Hayes - 0 championships.

Hang a banner commemorating your regular season win, Cougs.

[lushlife110212]

Yep. That was a tough loss for us UCLA fans. TAKE HEART though UCLA fans, what this nicely done video doesn't mention is that Lew Alcindor's eye cornea was scratched the week before which caused him to have a not-so-great game. Later that year, in the semi-finals, UCLA got SWEET REVENGE and beat Houston 101 - 69, and went on to win the championship. The next season they played and UCLA beat Houston in the regular season 100 - 64. So alls well that ends well.

GO BRUINS!

[animegamer77]

I got to the University of Houston. I love the campus.

Must have been amazing watching this game. Makes me wish I was born to witness this, Hakeem and Clyde, and Andre winning the 1989 Heisman.

Go Coogs!

[Tubewings]

Tonight`s Attendance

52 693

Largest paid crowd to see

a basketball game anywhere

in the world...EVER !!!

[r13cervantes]

go to chron.com sports section a article about it today.

[thenintendogamer]

WHOA 2:36 he looks a hell of a lot different than he did in the movie Airplane.

[MLoo32]

Guy should be in

[HighIQ135]

Alcindor spent the week prior to the game in the medical center with an eye injury. He had double vision during the game.

The rematch in the Final Four

UCLA 101, Houston 69 and it wasn't that close!

Wooden took out his last starter with over 5 minutes left in the game and a 44 point lead!

UCLA could have won by 60.

[MegaObserver1]

I believe this was the first regular-season college basketball game televised nationally. The national championship game had been televised previously

[GBeret83]

The night the "Big E", Elvin Hayes went off and scored at will against Lou Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Later in the year though, in the NCAA tournament, UCLA avenged the loss.

[Jiltedin2007]

How long was Guy Lewis coaching Houston?

[SeanM1925]

@Jiltedin2007 Guy Lewis coaches Houston for 30 years, from 1956-1986.

[Jiltedin2007]

Thank you for telling me SeanM1925.

[Jiltedin2007]

Was Guy Lewis coaching Houston back then?

[BoomJr1]

yes back in the day

[Jiltedin2007]

Wow!  I remembered Guy Lewis coaching Phi Slamma Jamma back in the Mid 80's when Houston were going to Final Fours. And everyone remembers 1983.

[oneputtsteven]

If memory serves this game was not nationally broadcast it was only available on closed circuit TV.

Surreal to say the least to play basketball in the middle of a football field.

[byrd56]

No, I think the UCLA-Houston game in 1968 was, instead of closed-circuit, syndicated live to more than 100 US TV stations by TVS [TV Sports, Inc.], which was founded and owned by a guy named Eddie Einhorn. He sold the company in 1980 and eventually helped buy the Chicago White Sox.

[ExplosiveThinMan]

Big Lew got his revenge though. Elvin Hayes shouldnt have mouthed off afterwards. They barley beat UCLA even with Alcindor having that eye injury.

[DGarcia879]

If I'm not mistaken, my dad attended that game with a relative of mine, i have pics to prove it

[louishenna]

I remember my uncle said him and my aunt just moved to Houston and they lived right on Fannin St near the dome and were at the top of it watching it along with the other 60000 fans

[kentucy9999]

Thanks for posting this. I watched all of it. One of the biggest games in basketball history............I was a huge Elvin Hayes fan. Elvin scored 29 pts in the first half. Lew Alcindor had a scratched cornea.

[chazeMugz10]

is that a football arena?

[omfgyo12]

the Astrodome was the home of the Houston Astros (baseball team)

[dennydog10]

And the Houston Oilers (football team), now the Tennessee Titans

[hairyscotman]

I'm 55 today...I was a 15 year old sitting at the very top of the Astrodome...we were on the TOP row of the yellow section.

Watching this video brought back alot of great memories of UH and Guy Lewis. I went on to UT Austin, but watching this brings back so much PRIDE I had for my HOMETOWN team UH. This was just a HUGE EVENT in my life. Elvin Hayes was my HERO. I thank my Dad for making sure we got to see it. He was the BEST at being a good DAD. Miss him...

[raiders1967]

One of the great aspects of YouTube is that it permits those who were at important event to post about their experiences. I was a little shy of 3 1/2 years old when this game occurred so I don't remember it. I would, however, enjoying reading more about it from the comments of those in attendance. I am glad you posted your comments.

[Beattieauthor]

@hairyscotman Well said. I was almost age 13, played football, baseball, and ran track, but this was the first basketball game I ever watched. Basketball was NOT as popular then as it is now. This was like Super Bowl III, when the Jets beat the Colts, and helped pro football grow. This helped basketball grow. My whole family watched, but we wouldn't have watched if Dad hadn't been interested. Great Dad. Miss him.

[selfexplanitory]

Classic!!!!

[107224]

Guy V. Lewis should be in the basketball hall of fame. He was the architect of this game. In addition to this, he took 5 teams to the final four. Either put him in the hall of fame or close it up.

[Ariamaluum]

Guy was Lewis was the guy responsible for the NCAA banning the dunk for 10 years. Name me another coach who was viewed threatening that they had to change the rules to prevent him from winning.

[SFFOOL76]

I think there was some prejudicial bias with that rule and Wooden complaining about the dunk.

[raiders1967]

Guy should definitely be in the hall of fame.

[805Bruin]

@107224 LOL at "put him in the hall of fame or close it up." Lewis didn't win any titles. Sure, he might deserve to be in, but it's not like he's Red Auerbach or John Wooden. If he was really that much of a shoo-in, he'd already be there.