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SN 140 Moments: No. 115 - Notre Dame ends UCLA's 88-game winning streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Junior guard Dwight Clay wasn’t Notre Dame’s best player. All-American John Shumate, future Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley and 17-point scorer Gary Brokaw had him there.
Clay, though, was the “Iceman.”
UCLA owned a record 88-game winning streak when it visited Notre Dame in January, 1974. The Bruins built an 11-point lead with a little more than 3 minutes left, but Irish coach Digger Phelps’ change to a pressing defense cut all but a point from that.
With 21 seconds left, Clay fired a high-floating jumpshot from the right corner. Clay’s reputation for hitting big shots – he’d hit late baskets in tough games against Marquette, Ohio State and Pitt – made it not at all unusual for him to attempt that shot. When it landed, Notre Dame led, 71-70.
When UCLA was not able to answer, Clay’s basket became the most important shot in college basketball history.
UCLA had won seven consecutive NCAA championships and not lost in 1,092 days. UCLA’s dynasty became so oppressive it had the effect of muting the sport’s growth. That defeat ignited belief that others could win big, and NC State wound up that season’s champion.
No one repeated as champ again for two decades.
And March became Madness.
MORE: Back to The Sporting News' 140 Greatest Sports Moments of All Time
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