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Guy Lewis




Houston lost in both NCAA Final games, despite his " Phi Slama Jama " teams featuring superstars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon . In 1983, Houston lost in a dramatic, memorable title game to North Carolina State on a last-second dunk by Lorenzo Charles . In 1984, the Cougars fell to Georgetown , led by Patrick Ewing . Lewis retired in 1986 at number 20 on the all-time NCAA Division I victory list, his 592-279 record giving him a .680 lifetime winning percentage.

A World War II veteran, Lewis himself had played basketball for the University of Houston until his graduation in 1947 . He became an assistant coach there in 1953 , and head coach in 1956 . As a coach, he was known for championing the Dunk , which he characterized as a "high percentage shot", and for keeping brightly colored red and white polka dot towels on the bench during games. Lewis was a major force in the racial integration of college athletics in the South during the 1960s, being one of the first major college coaches in the region to actively recruit African-American athletes.

Accomplishments:
  • 32 years as a head coach

  • 592 career wins

  • Five NCAA Final Four appearances

  • Two NCAA Final appearances

  • Three 30-plus-win seasons

  • 4 conference championships

  • Produced 10 first round NBA Draft selections, and 29 NBA players in total

  • Only coach to have produced 3 of the NBA's Top 50 Players

  • Winning Coach of the Game Of The Century vs. UCLA in the Astrodome

  • Named National Coach of the Year in 1968, and again in 1983

  • Coach of four Southwest Conference Tournament champions--1978, 1981, 1983 and 1984




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