ROYALS MEETS WALTON

C/F Reggie Royals went up against one of the greatest challenges in college basketball history: the powerhouse UCLA program of the early 1970s. In the 1972 national title game, Royals — who scored 15 points and collected 10 rebounds — and the Seminoles fought hard inside but faced a dominant effort from sophomore center Bill Walton, who led his team with 24 points and 20 rebounds. The Seminoles ultimately fell 81-76, but the game remains a testament to their grit against a college basketball dynasty that captured seven straight NCAA championships and set a still-standing record of 88 consecutive wins.