We came up with our own list of the top moments in Allen Fieldhouse history, but we know we’re not smart enough to have remembered everything — no matter how much we kid ourselves.
So, we gave our readers the opportunity to share their favorite memories from the first 50 years of the hallowed venue. Below are all the responses we received. Read through and savor in the greatness that is Allen Fieldhouse, and be sure to check back in another 50 years for the top moments of the first 100 years of Allen Fieldhouse.
Reese: The 2003 KU-Texas game was an incredible one. I was sitting in Section 18, row 1, seat 2. When Nick Collison hit the three with around 2 or 3 minutes left in the second half, the place was absolutely the loudest I’ve heard it. Later, when I watched the video tape, Dickie V was giving Collison a standing ovation when he fouled out.
Chris: Febuary 22, 1999, Kansas vs Oklahoma State, KU wins 67-66 OT. My sophomore year at KU, a few friends and I are sitting in the south student section about three rows from the court. Approximately 15-17 minutes before tip-off, I notice that Doug Gottlieb appears to have the Nike Swoosh on the back of his shorts. I turn to my friend Andy and ask him if I am seeing that right. After the national anthem, we begin to yell at Gottlieb (“Did your mom not help you dress today?!”). Other students begin to ask what we are yelling at. We point out the fact that Gottlieb has his shorts on backwards. We begin the “Shorts On Backwards!” right before tipoff, but it disappears as the game is ready to begin. After a minute or two into the game, we start the cheer back up. The north student section catches wind of our chant and joins in. Eddie Sutton ends up calling a timeout, huddles his players around Gottlieb, and has him turn his shorts around. Gottlieb heard about it the rest of the game.
Chris: January 24, 1999, Kansas vs Missouri, KU loses 63-71. I was a sophomore at KU when Norm Stewart came to town for his final game at Allen Fieldhouse. No one knew at the time that we would retire at the end of the year. Our group camped out and got the closest seats to the Missouri bench in the south student section. The UDK handout was a poster that said “Sit Down Norm!” Being we were the closest students to Norm and the Missouri bench, we did not stop yelling at them until the Missouri left the court at the end of the game. We kept showing our poster and yelling at Norm that he was old and to sit down. Although KU lost that game, it ranks as the only time I had that much fun with a KU loss. When Norm retired, he asked when he decided it was time. He stated that when he was at the KU game in AFH, the student kept telling him to sit down, so he did it for good.
K.C.: 1994/95 season when Greg Ostertag and Co. held “Big Country” Bryant Reeves to 0 points. If I remember correctly it was Reeves’ senior season and final conference game of the year for Oklahoma State. The previous meeting between these two teams, Bryant scored 31.
Troy: KU coming from behind to beat UCLA and Vaughn hitting a last-second shot as a freshman to beat Indiana.
Randy: Senior Night 1997 was really touching. The UCLA game in 1996 was amazing though. It was a snowy day in early February. Kentucky was ranked No. 1 and we were ranked No. 2. Kentucky had just lost that day and we had a chance to go to No. 1. We started out real slowly against UCLA in the first half and were down 19 or 20 points in the first half. The fieldhouse crowd was really quiet by halftime. That’s part of what made it so incredible in the second half. The second half was the most amazing half I’d ever been to. We ended up beating UCLA by 15 points. We outrebounded them by 16 in the second half. The team was loaded with Pierce, Vaughn, LaFrentz, Pollard, Haase and others. It was the most exciting performance I’d seen them play. It was also a nationally televised day game on CBS, so we got a lot of national respect after that game. I was pumped up for days after that!!
Danny: January 28, 2003 was the day I witnessed one of the most amazing performances by any player in KU history. KU plays against Texas, ranked in the top five at the time, just two days after being stunned by Arizona at home. The Jayhawks were in desperate need of a win to keep up in the conference race. KU was behind nearly the entire game but Nick Collison willed a win for KU. He scored 23 points and collected 24 rebounds against a Texas frontcourt many considered one of the best in the country. This performance prompted a standing ovation from ESPN analyst Dick Vitale. This performance was legendary and it will be one of my most endearing memories of the Fieldhouse after I leave KU.
Bob: Archie Marshall coming on the court with his knee brace to take his last shot as a Jayhawk.
Dennis: Early 1980’s — Missouri’s Steve Stipanovich claims he was shot in the leg by some crazy person who came running into his house. Later, he admits he shot himself by accident while cleaning his gun.
At the next KU-MU game, when Stipanovich goes to shoot a free throw, students unfurl a “Who Shot SS” banner. (this was around the same time as “Who shot JR” from the Dallas tv show). Seemed like everyone in the student section also had a cap gun that they shot off everytime Stipanovich shot a free through.
Eric: My best fieldhouse moment was definitely in 1993 when Bobby Knight and Indiana Hoosiers came to town. It was a close game all the way through and came down to a last second 3 by Jacque Vaughn at the buzzer. Of Course, he hit it. I have been to many KU games in the Fieldhouse and that is the loudest I’ve ever heard the crowd.
J.L.: The MU game when Johnson missed a dunk and fell on his rear end.
John: Waymon Tidsdale, Billy Tubbs and the OU Sooners cutting down the nets in Allen Fieldhouse after clinching the Big 8 Championship, igniting one of the best rivalries in the country during the 80’s.
Joe: Jacque Vaughn hitting the three-pointer to defeat Indiana, and something that is never talked about — the 1991 Kansas thumping of Missouri, the first win in two years against them.
Jeff: One of my fondest memories at Allen Fieldhouse was watching Archie Marshall on Senior Night get into the game to take a shot off of one leg. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. To this day, it still chokes me up to think about it.
Keith: This may be more lore that fact but I was at this game and remember hearing about it. It was during Larry Brown’s first years hear and Oklahoma came to town. Billy Tubbs and Tim McAllister, their long range shooter. I remember this being the loudest I’ve ever heard the fieldhouse. We had Ron Kellogg. Well, the game was going back and fourth, and McAllister would hit what is now a three pointer, then Kellogg, then McAllister, then Kellogg, and back and fourth. The place was going bonkers. And Larry was like “slow it down” so he called a timeout. In the huddle, he is outlining the last play and in the middle of it, Kellogg goes “Coach, we gotta get the whirlpool fixed”. Gotta get the whirlpool fixed? What are you talking about? Ron Kellogg is in such a zone that he’s playing the game on another level. Well, we win and the game is forever known as the “whirlpool game” where we beat the mighty Oklahoma Sooners thanks to Ron Kellogg. I’ve only seen one other Jayhawk, outside of the great Danny Manning, have a game like that and that was Paul Pierce against Oklahoma.
Alan: Archie Marshall, fresh off his second knee surgery,, is inserted into the game against Oklahama State in 1988 with little time left on the clock. OSU coach Leonard Hamilton tells his players to backoff, thus allowing Marshall one final shot to cap off his college career. Unfortunately, he missed.
Brad: Paul Pierce’s last game when he went off on Oklahoma for, if I remember correctly, 19 straight points. Kelvin Sampson just through his arms in the air, shook his head and called a timeout because they could not stop him. He then got Pierce’s attention and did the same thing. This was Senior Day as well and he took the time to go and congratulate every member of the senior class as they went out of the game. It was very classy on his part and is by far my favorite memory of when I was in school there. We all knew it was Paul’s last game as well after that performance.
Scott: How about the chilling chant of “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” after every victory in the fieldhouse that bring chills to the spine when you are there.
Craig: With three seconds left Fred Boslivac steals an in bound pass at half court from a Kansas State player and lays it in as the buzzer goes off giving KU a one-point victory . This game happend in the late ’60s or early ’70s.
Nic: Paul Pierce scoring 16 straight points against OU in 1998.
Matt: There is absolutely no way that anyone could pinpoint a favorite memory of Allen Fieldhouse. But there is one that sticks out to me that is so special was just recently in the game against Texas. My wife and I live in Minnesota and she went to college at a smaller school where hockey dominated, yet she loves basketball and really wanted to see a game at Allen Fieldhouse. So, we packed up and came down to my beloved Lawrence for the game. It was magical to see her face as we entered inside and then watching her soak up the entire pregame experience was so special. She couldn’t believe what she saw. To me sharing my love and passion for KU with her for the first time is my favorite memory of Allen Fieldhouse. Rock Chalk Jayhawk, KU!
Dane: Archie Marshall’s last game in Allen Fieldhouse. Archie couldn’t even walk, but Larry Brown had Archie in the game to take a shot
Chris: I saw my first game at Allen Fieldhouse during my freshman year at KU, and it spoiled me. It was 1995 and we were playing UCLA. Going into halftime, we were down by 17 points, but the building never surrendered its enthusiasm. Then, in the second half, the Jayhawks put together a run that culminated in a spinning runner by Jaque Vaughn. With that amzing shot, KU took the lead, and never looked back. In fact, we ended up winning by the same margin we were trailiing by at the half — 17 points. What’s more, the win catapulted us into first place in the polls. I remember chanting “We’re No. 1” and knowing that I would never attend a finer game in the Fieldhouse.
Stuart: It was Senior Day at the fieldhouse for Raef LaFrentz and company against Oklahoma. I happened to get floor seats by the Oklahoma bench. It’s in the second half and Paul Pierce just goes off scoring like 14 straight points. It is so loud, and Kelvin Sampson takes a time out after Pierce hit a three-pointer. As Pierce is going to the bench Sampson stops him pats him on the back and I says “I can’t stop you”. It was a great memory for me as all you could here was the students saying, “One more year” It sent chills down your spine. It was awesome.
Matt: December 22, 1993 vs Indiana. My father and I watched the OT thriller from the NE rafters. We had to watch our heads the entire game because there was a support beam directly above our seats. We ended up allowing the beam to have the “middle seat” and jumping off to one side to cheer. Jacque Vaughn hit a three with 0.2 seconds left in OT to seal the 86-83 victory and the roof nearly shot off Allen. It seemed nobody wished to leave after the game. The band continued to play fight songs for at least 10 minutes after the game as everyone soaked in the atmosphere. I also remember a guy named Damon Bailey for Indiana — he was pretty good — going for 36 against us. Richard Scott also had a big game. This and the Jan. ’03 Texas game when Nick Collison — the single greatest performance I have personally witnessed at Allen — and Kirk Hinrich took over late and dunked the Longhorns. Rock Chalk.
Chris: Two nationally televised home games during the 84-85 season — KU v. Memphis State and Keith Lee and the KU vs. OU game. What I recall most abouth those games is their intensity as well as the crowd and Ron Kellog dropping long-range bombs in both games.
Chuck: How about the triple overtime game when we beat K-State? Aubrey Nash (poor free throw shooter) was “hurt” and couldn’t shoot his free throws. Seldom-used Mark Mathews (90 percent free throw shooter) made both and Nash made a miracle recovery and was reinserted into the game. I believe it was the 1972 or 1973 season.
Bryan: Wilt’s tip-in shot with five seconds to go gave the Warriors a 104-103 victory over the Hawks in a professional exhibition basketball game in Allen Fieldhouse. With 20 seconds left in the game, Clyde Lovellette had given the Hawks a 103-102 lead with a long set shot.
Mike: Holding Bryant Reeves scoreless but Randy Rutherford scored 43 as KU won the conference championship
Eddie: As Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison came off James Naismith court for the last time, longtime Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton ran down to KU’s bench just to shake their hands. Nick and Kirk were two of the very best players Allen Fieldhouse has ever seen and even the opposing coach had to acknowledge that.
Steve: Poor free throw shooter, Aubrey Nash’s apparent injury in the final moments of a KU-KSU game allows a good shooter, Mathews, to come off bench and shoot in Nash’s free throw to secure the win.
Sarah: I have two moments to add. First, every time the team runs onto the floor, the sound of the trumpets hitting the fanfare to start “I’m a Jayhawk” gives me goosebumps.
Second, when Missouri’s Norm Stewart was presented with a rocking chair in honor of his retirement from coaching. The Fieldhouse rang with the familiar “Sit Down, Norm!” and he did so with a huge smile. That was a great gesture which added class to the great rivalry between the two universities.
Alley: January 27th, 2003 when Kirk Hinrich nailed a three-pointer far behind the three-point line and Dick Vitale going ga-ga saying “He shot that from Kansas City! He shot that from Kansas City!”
Kevin: I started school in ’91 and didn’t leave for a “working life” until the spring of ’98. For five of those seven years I had the student season tickets.
I will say that even though it wasn’t the “biggest deal” of a game, the a slight 9-0 spurt we had against OU at home in my freshman year was the loudest I had ever pesonally experienced there.
The most impressive performances that I saw from opponents were from Anthony Peeler from Mizzou getting 43 in my freshman year (we still won the game!) or Randy Rutherford for OSU a year or two later going off for 45 (it was the same game that Ostertag held “Big Country” Bryant Reeves scoreless).
I was at the game when Manning’s number was retired. That was the biggest non-game memory.
The most excited I ever was in going to a game was the last time I went to a Mizzou/KU game there. I want to say it was when Jason Sutherland was a senior for Missouri. Somehow, “Sit down, Quin” nowadays just doesn’t have the same ring as “Sit down, Norm!”
The biggest nonconference memories I’ll have were two good ones and two bad ones.
The two good ones were the Jacque Vaughn made three-pointer with less than 2 seconds left to beat Indiana in OT and the comeback from 15 down at the half to UCLA to end up winning by 19.
The two less than stellar memories were the losses to Temple and Long Beach State respectively. At least one of Long Beach State’s players went on to make a name for himself as a reserve in the NBA — Lucious Harris as well as Aaron McKie for Temple. I laugh when other fans think they could come ANYWHERE close to the noise KU fans are capable of making in Allen. Rupp? Carrier Dome? Too big! Cameron? Gallagher-Iba? Too small!
Allen? Just right!
Drew: Wayne Simien’s first game. It was against Wake Forest who had embarrased the Jayhawks the year before in North Carolina. In his first game Wayne had a double double while still not being 100 percent healthy after surgery on his shoulder. It was just a hint at what was to come from at that time the third-best power forward on the team, behind Collison and that Drew Gooden guy. Now look at him; he’s an Elton Brand clone.
Michael: I was a freshman at KU in the 1996-97 season and KU had a senior class of Jerod Haase, Scot Pollard, Jacque Vaughn and BJ Williams.
I was at the KU-Mizzou game and my favorite memory was when Vaughn threw up a shot that bounced off the rim, but Raef LaFrentz was right there to catch the ball in his left had and slammed the ball through the rim harder than I have ever seen a big man dunk the ball. The crowd was just in awe of his athleticism.
The second memory that I had was on Senior Night in the 1997-98 season. KU’s seniors were Raef Lafrentz, C.B. McGrath and Billy Thomas. KU was playing Oklahoma that night. But the star of the night was Paul Pierce. He was only a junior, but it was his last time playing at Allen Fieldhouse. The crowd kept chanting, “One more year. One more year”. That night he scored 35 points, but reeled off 15 straight in about a minute and a half including three three-pointers. Kelvin Sampson was probably the most appreciative of his play, because he called a timeout to try to stop his momentum. As Pierce walked by, Sampson slapped his butt a little extra hard with a smile on his face thinking, “There is nothing I can do about you.”
Mark: One of the most anicipated games I can recall is the OU game in 1985 a year after Tubbs and thugs cut down the nets to clinch the Big 8 title. Everyone was pumped and Biller Buster T-shirts were being worn by most of the students. The thunderous booing that greeted the OU team the first time they took the court long before the tip off was unbelievable. USSR game, too.
Lon: Jeff Boschee hits a last second three-point shot to hold of the Colorado Buffaloes in 1998.
Brad:
¢ January 1, 2005. Miles passes the all time assist record, Valentine is retired and KU beats Georgia Tech in an all out OT barnburner.
¢ Nick Collison scores 20 points and grabs 23 rebounds against Texas on ESPN Big Monday. The game featured three lottery picks — Hinrich, Collison and T.J. Ford. Dick Vitale gives Collison a standing ovation.
¢ KU/Arizona matchup. The preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams meet up and play two seperate games. KU was up by 20 at the half and then lost the game by 20. Very odd but energetic game.
¢ KU/Colorado 1999. Jeff Boesche sinks a three-pointer to win the game.
I also think that late night in the Phog when Bill Self was introduced was quite insane.
Ray: The UCLA game in November 1995. UCLA was the defending national champion and took a 15-point lead on KU. KU outscored UCLA by 30 points in the second half and in my four years at KU that was the loudest Iever heard Allen Fieldhouse get. It was an absolute amazing half of basketball and the first time I ever thought that the crowd REALLY impacted the game. It was great.
Chuck: I was there when KU beat Kentucky 150 to 95. It was Downtown Terry Brown and the whole Merry Jayhawk Band popping, popping, and popping the ball through the hoop — a whole lot of blistering basketball. Run, swish, run, swish, run, swish — it was dizzying. I remember Rick Pitino pacing up and down and barking orders to his guys, being worked into a major snit. The Jayhawks absolutely tore his press to shreds. A surreal and magical experience.
Of all the games at Allen, that day was definitely the loudest I’d ever experienced — the atmosphere became a sonic frenzy. Everyone knew that history was happening a few feet from us. It was like a 20-minute rally was taking place. I was sitting up high on the east side and toward the southeast corner. My ears were ringing for a couple of days. An gmazing game…A “Wow!” day.
Rob:
Sharon: Jacque Vaughn’s jersey being retired, and also the last game of Manning, Piper, and Marshall that Marshall was not mobile because of a brace on his leg but was inserted by Larry Brown and a special play run for him.
Also, mention the return of the Regional Champs after beating Arkansas with Adonis Jordan giving his “40 minutes of Hell” speech.
Rick: February 22, 1975. KU, led by Rick Suttle’s 26 points on 12-of-15 shooting, mauls a good K-State team, 91-53.
Steve: In the fall of ’78 during the indoor track season, I remember seeing Deon Hogan break the world record in the 400m on the AFH track. Timmon’s squad was loaded with quarter-milers that season.
Zach: In 1995 when UCLA came to the Fieldhouse as defending champions and had a 14-point lead at halftime and KU came back to win by 15 in regulation. That is my only fieldhouse memory that could rival the noise of the KU-Georgia Tech game.
David: I’m not of sure the date, but in the 1975-76 season a very highly ranked and eventually undefeated Indiana team defeated KU in double overtime. The team was lead by many stars and, of course, Bobby Knight as head coach.
Chad: March 5th, 1995, Kansas defeats Oklahoma State to secure the Big 8 Title. Even though Randy Rutherford scores 45 points (second most ever against KU in the Fieldhouse) the game is never in doubt. KU wins 78-62 due in large part to an amazing defensive effort on the Big 8 player of the year. Bryant Reeves is held scoreless for the only time in his career.
Marc: My family attended the KU-KSU game in March 1974. The game was good but after the game was the best. I was able to go into the locker room and get my game program autographed by the whole team and the coaching staff. I still have this keepsake program and get it out from time to time to look through it.
Gary: Bud’s 50.
Bret: J. Vaughn’s shot vs. Indiana to win the game.
Tom: KU beating UT on Jan 27 2003 P.S. Nick Collison is the man!
Bob: Wilt’s debut at Allen Fieldhouse.
Pat: Senior Nights. All of them!!
Don: Bud Stallworth scoring 50 against Missou.
Kent: Allen Fieldhouse and I are the same age and I remember going there growing up. While everyone is busy trying to build newer and better, good old Allen has always been a comforting constant for me. Its a magical place.
Curtis: Danny Manning’s last home game against OSU when Larry Brown inserted injured forward Archie Marshall for a jumper late in the game. The coach for OSU instructed his defense to back off so Marshall could attempt a long three-pointer.
Ken: I know that this isn’t a sports memory, but my most vivid memory of Allen Fieldhouse is Bobby Kennedy’s 1968 campaign visit. He gave a speech to a crowd that filled every inch of available space including the basketball floor. It took 20 minutes for him to get out of the building and reach his car. When he finally got there, he had to get on top of his car and ask the crowd to move back so the door could be opened. Three months later, he was dead.
Brock: In random order:
Barb: The Indiana game where Jacque hit the winning shot; the Kentucky blowout; any Missouri win,; Senior Days; that great Texas game where Collison took over.
Nick: When Nick Collison scored 24 points and had 23 rebounds in a win over Texas which he hits a three to put us ahead for the first time
Pat: Nick Collison’ game against Texas on Big Monday when he had 20-odd points and 20-odd rebounds and Vitale gave him a standing ovation.
Dixie: I graduated from Lawrence High School at Allen Fieldhouse in 1965. I saw Robert Kennedy give a speech there while I was attending Kansas University.
Chris: Nick Collison hit a three-pointer against Texas to put KU ahead to stay in the best game I have ever seen. Dickie V. gave Nick a standing O when he fouled out with 24 points and 23 boards. The hair still stands up on my arms when I think about this game.
John: Archie Marshall on Senior Night.
Kevin: Robert Kennedy’s March 18, 1968, speech to an overflow crowd in Allen Fieldhouse, two days after announcing his candidacy for the presidency.
Briand: Senior Night against OSU highlighted by OSU guard Doug Gottlieb playing the first part of the game with his shorts on backwards prompting the KU Students to let him know with an informative chant.
Andrew: KU beat Oklahoma State to win the conference title. It was “Big Country’s” senior year and Ostertag held him to 0 points.
Jason: In 1999 vs. Oklahoma State when Doug Gottleib for Oklahoma State came out with his shorts on backwards, and the student section started chanting “Shorts on Backwards!” until Eddie Sutton had to call a timeout, so Gottleib could stand in the middle of the huddle and switch them around. A priceless moment in the storied history.
Jason: Another great thing about the ’99 OSU game was that Ryan Robertson hit a free throw with no time left on the clock in overtime, giving KU a one-point win.
Janice: Our family was at the Fieldhouse the night Jacque Vaughn returned to the floor after being injured and missing several games. The standing ovation he received was thunderous, heartfelt and overwhelming. He was so loved, admired and appreciated by everyone — a class act.
Scott: Don’t remember the date, but during the ’79-’80 season Allen is filled with 10,000 cap guns to fluster Steve Stepanovich after his “accident” with a shot gun earlier that week. I was a freshman in the band. I don’t recall who even won the game but it sticks as one of the great moments.
Vernon: My suggestion would be the National Championship team in Allen Field House in 2002 to celebrate their 50-year reunion, and also that Clyde Lovellete is the only player in NCAA history to be voted first-team all-American, lead the NCAA in scoring and play on the National Championship team.
John: The moment which to this day sticks in my mind as the most memorable would be Archie Marshall’s last shot. He could hardly move with the huge brace on his leg, but the OSU players gave him space and let one of my favorite KU players ever put up one last shot. Because of that moment I have a respect for Coach Brown and the Oklahoma State coach that will never go away.
Lydia: I loved going to the men’s basketball practices and seeing how they practice — that’s back when you could actually go in, if you were just the public.
Two great memories. First one is when I met Clark Kellogg. He and other sports announcers were there. When we were leaving, he saw me, smiled and said hi. I replied, “It’s nice to see you.” “It’s nice to be seen,” he said, and shook my hand. Wow!
Second memory was another men’s basketball practice. We were leaving the stands at the end of practice, and only Hinrich and Miles were on the floor below. Hinrich quickly left never looking at us. Aaron, however, looked up, saw me, and smiled real big and waved. I waved back. Thump, thump went my heart! Allen Fieldhouse is a beautiful, totally awesome place, and so special to be in. I haven’t been to a basketball game because of finances and the fact we can’t ever get tickets. But we love KU and the Jayhawks on TV! Go Hawks!
Gary: Seeing Elvin Hayes from the thrid row under the bucket during the NCAA quarterfinals.
Bryan: My pick has to be the game against Texas in which Dickie V gave Nick Collison a standing ovation because of his unrelentless rebounding and heart.
John: Since the title is Top Moments I want to add any Senior day celebration and subsequent senior speeches. Jacque Vaughn was the most memorable although the senior couldn’t say anything.
Another moment was when KU returned from making it to the FInal Four in Roy’s third season, I think. The infamous “40 minutes of heck” speech was a classic.
Rodney: Buying KU basketball tickets while in grade school and taking in our Cokes and popcorn and sitting in the third deck at the South end — almost where my mom has tickets now! Cheering on the blue broom vs. the red broom. Later in high school, working a concession stand on that third floor at the south end. After college (1973-74), working with the KU maintenance crew and moving the bleachers with Norm Stewart (not that Norm Stewart) on the forklift, after the game carrying buckets to pour leftover Cokes into them, and hoping to find a dollar bill! That year I also got to take care of the referees, walking them back and forth from their room to the floor and getting them food, etc. That year Notre Dame (and Adrian Dantley) came to town as the No. 1 team and they practiced at night.
Bryan: The Geogia Tech game on New Year’s Day. Langford hit two big shots and really showed he is a leader on this team.
Paul: Monday, February 18, 2002, ISU at KU. No. 1 Ranked Kansas — who replaced Duke atop the polls earlier that afternoon – takes a 49-25 lead into halftime and finishes with a 102-66 stomping of the Cyclones. Allen Field House absolutely errupts as Chris Zerbe hits a free throw with 49 seconds left to give the Jayhawks 100 points. The win takes No. 1 Kansas to 24-2 overall and 13-0 in the Big 12, and guarantees the Jayhawks at least a share of the Big 12 Title. In a classy gesture just minutes later, the team leaves three strands of the net uncut during the postgame ceremony in honor of the three teams still left on its conference schedule. Finally, as Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich and coach Roy Williams take their final step on the ladder beneath the rim, the Kansas student section can barely contain itself and continues to blast the sacred walls of the Fieldhouse with noise and cheers. Kansas would go on to achieve the only perfect 16-0 mark in conference history, and would eventually advance to the Final Four in Atlanta. With a long list of magical moments living in my memories, this moment sticks out as one of my favorites.
Jeff: When I was in grade school, my best friend’s father, Don Pierce, was the sports information director. The title didn’t mean a lot to me, but what did was that when he had to go in and work on Sunday afternoons, his son Wayne and I would get to come along and we had the whole of Allen Fieldhouse to use as our playground.
This would have been in the very early 1960s. I have vivid memories of jumping off of the first balcony into the foam pole vault pits, swinging on ropes and other gymnastics equipment up in the very corners behind the bleachers, and eyeing those catwalks along the ceiling, but we were never brave enough to tackle those.
I still feel sometimes like pulling out my cap gun and chasing off down the halls when I enter the place.
Jimmy: When KU played Oklahoma State and Doug Gottleib had his shorts on backwards, and the KU students let him know about it. He changed them during a timeout in the middle of a team huddle.
Jim: My favorite AFH memory is my sophomore year (2002). KU is undefeated in conference, just got the No. 1 ranking in the polls, playing to clinch the league title outright, and playing an Iowa State team that we hadn’t beaten at home in a while. That was the loudest I ever heard the Fieldhouse and we absolutely hammered the Cyclones. After the game the team cut down the nets and I don’t think a single person left until the nets were down and the players had left.
Bill: First game I attended in the Fieldhouse was KU-MU, when Bud lit it up for 50. I was 11 years old and have been a Jayhawk fan ever since.
Stan: Wilt Chamberlin scoring mega points when the freshmen played and defeated the varsity during Wilt’s first year at KU.
Jeffrey: In 1975/76 when the University of Indiana went undefeated and won the national championship, they came to Allen Fieldhouse and narrowly beat KU in double overtime.
Kristi: It was my very first game in the Fieldhouse. It was my senior year of high school and I was planning on going to KU in the fall. I had grown up watching the ‘Hawks and couldn’t wait to actually watch a game in Allen Fieldhouse. Although that was 10 years ago, I still remember the excitement of that game. KU played Iowa State and Greg Ostertag broke the shot block record. I was able to get a shirt commemorating that and got Greg to sign it. Although I’ve seen over 100 games in the Fieldhouse since then, that is one of my all-time favorites!
Byron: I’ve been blessed with numerous memories in Allen. I’ve been attending games since the late ’70s with my parents and as a student from ’86-91. The most amazing experience I had in the Fieldhouse was actually a loss. I didn’t look up the date, but it was the last time Duke came to town. I was a student, in the standing student section and it was insanely loud and crazy the entire game. Even though we lost that game, the experience has been imprinted in my memories.
J.: The ‘Hawks played Missouri on Feb. 24 my junior year at KU. It happened to be my 21st birthday, so I did six shots in the stands at Allen with my buddies. I still have my shot card, and I did the remaining 15 shots at the bars later, but how many people can say that they did birthday shots at Allen Fieldhouse?! Probably none, besides me. It was awesome! I’ll never forget it!
Mike: I became a true blue KU Jayhawk fan when I got my first job in high school (I’m a Lawrence High graduate, May 1978) selling soft drinks in the “nosebleed sections” in Allen Fieldhouse. Wow, what a great job, it being my first. It didn’t pay well, but I got to watch coaching legends such as Bob Knight, Digger Phelps and others after my work was done, typically after the first half was over. Allen Fieldhouse was and still is the best place to watch a college basketball game. Better bring your earplugs!
Lindell: My first KU-Mizzou game. It was a day game and I was at Allen Fieldhouse early. The light was filtering in through the windows and it seemed as if time had stopped and I couldn’t tell whether I was in 1958 or 1998. The light slowly streaming in says it all for me.
