I realize that some great LaSalle teams played at Iona, and I'm wondering if there was a 'greatest' opponent to play AT Iona?
Some that would be in the discussion that played at Iona:
1955-56 St. Francis (NY)- Finished 21-4. Were ranked as high as
13th in the country.
1955-56 Dayton - went 25-4. Had 3 NBA players Jim Paxson (2 years in NBA - Father of Jim and Jon), Arlen Bockhorn(7 year NBA career) and Jim Palmer (3 year NBA) as well as 7' Bill Uhl who turned down the NBA after being a 2nd Team All American. They were ranked 3rd in the AP final poll. They had wins over ranked teams such as Cincinnati, Utah, Kentucky, & Memphis 1958-59 St. Bonaventure - Went 20-3. Had future NBA players Tom Stith (1 year NBA then cut short due to tuberculosis), Sam Stith(1 year NBA) and Whitey Martin (1 year NBA). They were ranked as high as
13th that season and had wins over NOVA, and BC.
1959-60 Detroit Mercy - Went 20-7. Their star was Dave DeBusschere. Had wins over Purdue, Xavier, BC, ND,
1961-62 NYU- Went 20-5 with victories over VT, Syracuse, ND, Temple, WV, UMASS and St Joes. They had Happy Hairston (Played 10 years in the NBA) Barry Kramer (Parade All-American, Haggerty Winner, All American, played to NBA Seasons).
1968-69 Duquesne- Went 21-5. Were ranked
10th in the AP Poll when we played them. Had Jarrett Durham (1 year NBA Career), Moe Barr( 1 year NBA Career), Bill Zopf (1 year NBA Career), Twin brothers Barry (! Year NBA) & Garry Nelson who went to law school instead of playing ball.
1969-70 UMass - Went 18-7. Had Dr. J and a very good shooter named Ray Ellerbrook.
1973-74 UMass -Went 21-5. Had Al Skinner (6 year NBA career) leading the team.
1975-76 Detroit Mercy - Went 19-8. Had four NBA players on the squad, John Long, Terry Tyler, Dennis Boyd and Terry Duerod. They had wins over Michigan State, DePaul, a good Bonnies team, and lost by two to a loaded Marquette team that was ranked 2nd.
1975-76 Seton Hall - went 18-9. Led by NBA player Glenn Mosley (2 years in the NBA), they had wins against a good Providence team, beat Detroit Mercy, walked all over a good Georgetown team.
1976-77 Holy Cross - Went 23-6. Had wins against UMASS, a Providence team that was ranked as high as 8th, beat Michigan State,
1976-77 St. John's - Went 22-9.
Were ranked as high as 20th in the AP Poll. Had George Johnson who played in the NBA for 8 seasons, Glen Williams who was drafted 2nd round by the Bucks but never played in the NBA.
1977-78 Detroit Mercy - Went 25-4 and were
ranked as high as 15th in the country. Had three NBA players on the squad, John Long, Terry Tyler and Terry Duerod. Had wins over a very good Toledo, St Bonaventure, and VCU squads.
1979-80 Wichita State - Went 17-12. Had future NBA players Antoine Carr (16 NBA Seasons), Ozell Jone s(NBA 2 years) and Cliff Levingston (11 year NBA)
1981-82 Marquette - Went 23-9. Had Michael Wilson (5 year NBA) and Doc Rivers (12 year NBA career- Parade & McDonalds All-American, NBA All Star). Had wins over Stanford, Arizona State, ND, VT, a good Dayton team.
1986-87 La Salle - Went 20-13. Had Lionel Simmons (7 year NBA career, first-team All-American, NCAA POY, NBA All Rookie Team) and Tim Legler (9 year career in the NBA).
1987-88 La Salle - Went 24-10.
1988-89 Seton Hall - Went 31-7.
Were as high as 9th in the Polls. Lost to Michigan in the NCAA Finals. The had NBA players John Morton (3 NBA Seasons), Andrew Gaze (2 years in NBA), and Anthony Avent (7 years in NBA). They also had Ramón Ramos who was signed by the Trail Blazers but was injured in a car accident that ended his career.
1988-89 La Salle - Went 26-6. Had Simmons and Doug Overton (11 NBA seasons).
1992-93 Seton Hall - Went 28-7.
Finished up ranked 6th in the country. Wins over Tennessee, UCLA, UCONN, Providence, CUSE, PITT, Georgetown. NBA Players Terry Dehere (7 year NBA, 2nd team All-American), Luther Wright (1 year NBA- McDonald's High School All-American) and Adrian Griffin (9 years in the NBA - Haggerty Award winner)
1995-96 Rhode Island - 20-14 record. Had future NBA players (Tyson Wheeler and Cutting Mobley. Beat a good VCU squad, beat USC, VT, & Temple.
1998-99 Hofstra - Went 22-10. Had Speedy Paxton (9 seasons) and Norm Richardson (1 season). Signature win was against Bobby Cremins and GT.
Louisville came to Iona for a game on December 12th, 1957... they won 89 to 65. The were very average and were very below average.
My picks for the best teams to come to Iona are in red.
