Despite Tigers' Recent Success, Many Consider Finch The Face of U of M Program

By ANDRE JOHNSON

Bleacher Report Contributor

Race relations in Memphis were downright disastrous at the time, primarily because of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Still, the young black hoops prodigy from Orange Mound chose to enroll at Memphis State during an era when African-American athletes wearing Tiger blue and gray weren't a popular trend.

In spite of his controversial decision to stay home, few could debate that Larry Finch elected to play for Memphis State and legendary coach Gene Bartow solely because of his unfathomable admiration for and loyalty to the town in which he grew up.

Sure, there was colossal buzz among Mid-Southerners when the University of Memphis produced one of the most remarkable runs in college basketball history with four consecutive 30-plus win seasons from 2005-2009, a stretch that included the Tigers coming within minutes of capturing that elusive NCAA title.

Granted, there was an array of pandemonium throughout the Bluff City when former coach John Calipari flirted with the University of Kentucky job and ultimately ended up bolting Memphis for Lexington in March 2008.

And, in spite of all the uncertainty that surrounded this year’s Tiger squad that failed to reach the NCAA tournament, few could argue that Memphis hoops could be discussed without mentioning Finch.

He is, after all, among those credited for helping cast the program into the national spotlight.

"He gave his life for the university," says former U of M point guard Elliot Perry, the Tigers' second all-time leading scorer who played for Finch from 1987-91. "It is a legacy that will always be remembered."

A legacy that basically started when Finch was a senior at Memphis State during the 1972-73 season.

One of only eight black players on that 20-man roster, he will forever be remembered for leading the Tigers to their first ever Final Four berth—a run that was eventually overshadowed by the heroics of former UCLA All-American Bill Walton, who went 21-of-22 from the field in leading the Bruins to a lopsided win in the championship game.

Nevertheless, Finch graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer.

He is currently the Tigers' fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,869 points, and is ranked in the top five in over 20 statistical categories.

Still obsessed with his hometown, Finch surprisingly turned down an offer to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, who drafted him months after his senior season.

He instead chose to sign with the Memphis Tams of the defunct American Basketball Association. His professional career, however, was short-lived. He played just two seasons for four different franchises.

Consequently, he turned to coaching and was hired as an assistant at his college alma mater under late coach Dana Kirk in the early 1980s. His stint included the Tigers advancing to the 1985 Final Four in Lexington, where they lost in the national semifinals to eventual national champion Villanova.

A year later, news spread quickly that Kirk had violated NCAA regulations and was the subject of a criminal investigation—transgressions that ultimately led to his forced resignation after the 1995-96 campaign.

Finch, as a result, was named Kirk's successor (the school's first black and 13th head coach), taking over a program that was characterized as a national embarrassment, one mired in controversy and slapped with a postseason ban—not to mention one that was seemingly on the brink of destruction.   

But Finch, much to the delight of Memphians and university officials, emerged as the savior of Tiger basketball once again, revitalizing a program that produced 10 winning seasons during an 11-year head coaching career that included the Tigers making six NCAA tournament and three NIT appearances. Additionally, Finch became the school's all-time winningest coach.

Though his coaching career was highlighted with an Elite Eight appearance in 1992, his inability to land several local blue chip recruits led to fan dissatisfaction for a program that was accustomed to achieving national prominence at the disposal of Memphis-area talent.

He was fired after the Tigers had limped to 16-15 mark following the 1996-97 season. Such news, indeed, materialized as a public relations fiasco for the university, in large part because Finch was informed of his firing in one of the Pyramid Arena concession areas after the Tigers' opening-round loss to Marquette in the Conference USA tournament.

Several of Finch's detractors, in fact, expressed their displeasure regarding the way school officials went about dismissing him. The Tigers' 66-62 loss at UNLV in the first round of the NIT was his last as a college coach.

Attempts to resurface as a college head coach were unsuccessful, particularly at mid-majors such as South Alabama, Georgia State, and Tennessee State. Subsequently, he ran for a Shelby County office and nearly won, despite having no government experience.

Years later, Finch began experiencing an array of health problems.

In August 2001, he suffered a minor stroke and underwent bladder surgery. A year later, he suffered a massive heart attack and had two strokes that ultimately disrupted his speech and left him partially paralyzed.

Given his health issues and financial hardship, friends close to Finch established the Friends of Larry Finch Foundation to help offset his medical expenses. In December 2006, the Foundation released a Larry Finch tribute CD called Eye of the Tiger.

That, of course, was fitting, considering Finch, who became infatuated with Memphis despite its much-publicized racial strain of the 1960s, is considered the face of Tiger basketball.

This article, written by sportswriter Andre Johnson, is featured in the September/October 2009 issue of Memphis Sport Magazine. To reach Johnson, call 901-690-6587 or send email to: [e-mail].