With no game scheduled for Wednesday, Notre Dame is taking time to look back at arguably the program’s finest moment. When UCLA entered South Bend on Jan. 19, 1974, it had won a record 88 straight games as well as the past seven national championships. With the John Wooden-coached Bruins being led on the court by future Hall of Famers Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes, there was little reason to think this game would be any different from the recent past. Instead, the second-ranked Irish decided enough was enough:
#OnThisDay in 1974…
… @NDmbb snapped No. 1 UCLA’s record 88-game win streak!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/8WQqPAlvZY
— The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) January 19, 2022
The victory catapulted the Irish into the top ranking for the first and only time that season, but nobody thinks about that. What they do think about is the Irish took down a powerhouse, and those who were alive for it have fond memories to this day. Also, who wouldn’t storm the Joyce Center court after that? Hopefully one day, there will be a moment that will surpass that, like a national title.