Terrier Volume 77, Number 1 - Spring 2013 | Page 18

Terrier Sports

Athletics
A half-century ago, before the NCAA Tournament exploded into the colossal event
known today as “March Madness,” the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) was
the premier event in college basketball.

O

n March 16, 1963, the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers, coached

with 3:38 to play. Then Raftery, who also garnered 10 rebounds,

by Daniel Lynch ’38, were a major player in the sport and

fouled out, and Miami went on to win 71-70 on a layup by McCoy.

delivered their own piece of madness. In fact, SFC nearly pulled

“We gave Miami a great game in front of 10,000 fans on St. Patrick’s

off a tremendous upset when they took the nation’s leading scoring

Day in Madison Square Garden,” Raftery recalled. “Even though we

team, the Miami Hurricanes, down to the wire in the opening round

lost, it was a special day for our team and for the college.”

of the NIT in Madison Square Garden.
Confronted with the daunting task of facing one of the most dominant

The Terriers, who were selected among 12 teams to compete in
the NIT, finished the season with a record of 16-7. Four of their losses

players in the country, 7-foot-1 center Mike McCoy and sophomore

were by just one point. Kurowski (15.8 points per game) and Raftery

sharpshooter Rick Barry, the future NBA legend, the Terriers led the

(15.2 ppg, 7 rebounds per game) were the stars of the squad, and

Hurricanes 24-21 at halftime and had Miami on the run for most of

were supported by talented players such as Nash, Ted Kotch ’66,

the second half.

and Richie Alexander ’64.

“Miami thought they could just walk on the court and roll us over

“It’s like time has stood still whenever we get together,” Raftery

with ease,” said James Raftery ’63. “But we never backed down from

said. “Although we don’t see each other as often as we used to, we are

them and believed that we could win the game.”

like brothers and there will always be that connection. I love St. Francis

Indeed, the Hurricanes were in for a fight the entire game against

College and consider those times to be some of the best of my life.

the gritty Terriers. Except for McCoy, a lithe big man who scored often

The school gave all of us our head starts and that’s something I will

from the outside for most of his 29 points, the Hurricanes shot poorly

never forget.”

and handled the ball badly against the Terriers’ aggressive defense that

Other team members included: Charlie Novak ’63, Frank

was steered that night by Raftery and backcourt ace Ray Nash ’63

Pascuzzi ’65, Jack O’Boyle ’64, Jim Rishe ’64, Paul Buckley ’64,

(14 points). With Raftery driving off a high post for 23 points and

Lou Boggiano, Rich Marquardt ’66, Ed Lein ’65, and

Tom Kurowski ’67 pouring in 17 more, St. Francis was ahead 66-65

George Steinman ’66. ●

16  |  ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER  |  SPRING 2013