15th Annual Wooden Classic

Where: Honda Center (Home of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks)

When: Today– San Diego St. vs. St. Marys at 1.30… then UCLA vs. Depaul at 4.00

Established in 1994, the Wooden Classic is an annual tribute to the legendary former coach and the excellence he personifies.

John Wooden’s many accomplishments: From woodenclassic.com

Born:
Oct. 14, 1910 in Martinsville, IN

Home:
Encino, CA

Family:
Wife Nell (passed away 1985), son James, daughter Nancy, seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren.

Education:
Purdue Univ., English, 1932

Player Highlights:
Led Martinsville High School to 1927 Indiana State title… Won All-State honors in basketball for three years (1926-28)… Lettered in basketball and baseball as a freshman at Purdue, then earned All-America honors as a point guard from 1930-32… Led Purdue to the National Collegiate Basketball Championship and was named College Basketball Player of the Year in 1932.

Coaching Highlights:
Finished 11-year prep coaching career with a record of 218 wins and 42 losses… Coached Indiana State to a 47-14 record in two years while also serving as the school’s athletic director… Led UCLA to an unprecedented 10 NCAA Basketball Championships in 12 years, including seven in-a-row… Owns the NCAA’s all-time consecutive win streak record of 88 straight games, compiled over four seasons from 1970-74… Is the only coach to compile four undefeated seasons of 30-0… Led UCLA to 16 conference championships… Finished 27-year UCLA coaching career with a 620-147 record.

Patriot:
Served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

San Diego St. (7-2) vs. St. Marys (6-1)

This year will mark the second appearance in the Wooden Classic for both Saint Mary’s and San Diego State. Last year Saint Mary’s defeated San Diego State 69-64, in a thrilling finish that featured a series of remarkable plays in the final minutes by both teams.

After a third straight appearance in the postseason and its third 20-win season in as many years, San Diego State heads into the 2008-09 campaign with all five starters and its top seven scorers returning. Finishing last year with a record of 20-13, Head Coach Steve Fisher and the Aztecs have won at least 20 games in three consecutive seasons for the first time in their Division I history and for the first time since 1939-41. This year, SDSU will look to run its streak to four with all-conference performers Lorrenzo Wade (1st team), Ryan Amoroso (3rd team) and Billy White (3rd team, freshman of the year) manning the frontline.

West Coast Conference Co-Coach of the Year, Randy Bennett, will attempt to lead the Gaels to their first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. Saint Mary’s will be led on the court by sophomore guard Patrick Mills.

UCLA (5-2) vs. Depaul (4-3)

The appearance will mark the 12th overall and sixth in a row for UCLA. Their record now stands at 8-3 in the Wooden Classic, with their last win coming in 2007 when they defeated Davidson 75-63.

Depaul making its first Wooden Classic appearance, welcomes back five letter winners and two redshirts from last season including four of the top seven scorers and its top two rebounders. The Blue Demons are led on the court by sophomore Mac Kashwal who is the team’s top scorer and rebounder. Dar Tucker is coming off a solid freshman campaign as well. He was a member of the Big East Conference All-Rookie team and was named to the national All-Freshman team by The Sporting News.