University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis Legend Larry Finch Passes Away Saturday
Apr 02, 2011 | Men's Basketball
April 2, 2011
LARRY FINCH BIOGRAPHY
Larry Finch, a man whose name has been synonymous with University of Memphis Tiger basketball since the late 1960s, died of natural causes at Saint Francis Hospital in Memphis on Saturday afternoon, Apr. 2. Finch, who had suffered with a number of medical issues over the past years, was 60 years old.
The winningest coach in Tiger basketball history, Finch was one of just a handful of college coaches in NCAA history to lead his alma mater to the Final Four, have his university retire his jersey and become that school's all-time winningest coach, averaging over 20 victories per season.
In his 11 years at the helm. Finch had seven 20-win seasons, made six NCAA appearances and amassed an impressive 220-130 record. In all, Finch took Memphis to postseason play eight times in his 11 years and produced ten 1,000 point scorers and seven NBA Draft picks.
Finch kept his Tigers ranked in the top-20 of both national polls throughout the 1995-96 season, led the squad to a co-championship in Conference USA and picked up his 200th career coaching victory in a win over Southern Miss. The Tigers finished the season with a 22-8 record and were ranked 16th in the final national polls.
After suffering through his first and only losing season in 1993-94, Finch vowed that he would bring the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament. True to his word, Finch guided the 1994-95 Tigers to a 24-10 record, a Great Midwest Conference championship, an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen and a No. 14 national ranking in the final USA Today coaches poll. It marked the second time in four years that Memphis had appeared in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, putting the Tigers in some very elite company.
In 1992-93, the legendary coach guided the Tigers to a 20-12 mark, a season that began with all-America candidate David Vaughn being lost for the season with a knee injury in the season opener and ending with Anfernee Hardaway's announcement that he was going to forgo his senior year to enter the NBA Draft. But, what happened in between is what made Larry Finch one of the best in the business. Not only did he motivate his team enough to earn a second-straight NCAA Tournament bid, but also to wins over No. 4 Cincinnati, No. 18 Vanderbilt and No. 20 Marquette.
Finch took over the reins as head coach of the Memphis program in the 1986-87 season and guided the Tigers to a 26-8 overall record and the Metro Conference Tournament title. Memphis defeated host Louisville 75-52 for the league tourney crown. For his efforts that season, Finch was named Basketball Times National Rookie Coach of the Year.
Prior to taking over a head coach, Finch served as a Tiger assistant coach on Dana Kirk's staff for seven seasons from 1979-86. During that time, Memphis posted a 158-58 record, won three Metro Conference regular season titles and three Metro Conference Tournament crowns and made five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1982-86. The 1984-85 Tiger squad advanced to the school's second NCAA Final Four and posted a then school single-season record 31 victories (31-4 record).
Before his coaching days at Memphis, Finch wore the Blue and Gray from 1970-73 and finished his collegiate playing career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,869 points (he is now No. 4 on the Tigers' career scoring list). Finch was the catalyst in Memphis reaching the NCAA Final Four for the first time ever in 1973 when the Tigers lost to UCLA and Bill Walton in the national championship game. During the 1973 NCAA Tournament, Finch averaged 26.8 points a game, including a 29-point performance against the Bruins in the finals.
In Finch's three collegiate playing years, the Tigers put together a record of 63-21 and either won or tied for two Missouri Valley Conference Championships. He earned honorable mention All-American honors from both the Associated Press and United Press International, and was named to four other All-American teams his senior season after breaking nine individual the U of M records at the time. Finch was also the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1972 and the conference's Newcomer of the Year in 1971. He was inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2001.
Finch, who holds the record for most points scored in a game, is still ranked in the top five in over 20 different statistical categories.
QUOTES FROM MEMPHIS PRESIDENT DR. SHIRLEY C. RAINES
"On behalf of the entire University of Memphis community, students, faculty, staff, alumni and fans, I want to extend my sincere condolences to the family of Larry Finch. He was not only the University's most successful basketball coach ever, he was an enthusiastic and untiring ambassador for the University, a unifying force for all of Memphis and a man admired and loved personally by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed."
QUOTES FROM MEMPHIS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR R.C. JOHNSON
"Memphis has lost a legend. Larry Finch was so much bigger than just a basketball player or a basketball coach. He did so much for the City of Memphis, his community and his University, that it would be hard to mention all of his achievements.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Finch family in their time of grief. Larry Finch will live on in the memories of all Tiger fans. He will never be forgotten."
QUOTES FROM MEMPHIS HEAD COACH Josh Pastner
"Larry Finch is one of the two most important figures in the City of Memphis' history, along with Elvis Presley. Larry surely will be missed, but his spirit will continue to be with us. Our prayers and thoughts go out to Larry's family and friends."
