For Roberts, 50-year old basketball game leads to a new NCAA record

For Roberts, 50-year old basketball game leads to a new NCAA record

(Story taken from the Sewanee website)

SEWANEE, Tenn. - "The 1958 Sewanee Invitational Tournament: #30 Jim Roberts, C'59, logs 53 rebounds to catapult the Tigers to a 57-49 win over Lambuth for the first place tournament trophy. "

"When (Lon) Varnell's troops, largely on the strength of Jim Roberts' amazing (53) rebounds, pulled a 57-49 victory out of the fire, pandemonium broke loose. Coach Lon himself, weeping uncontrollably and atop the shoulders of a jubilant crowd, was the symbol of a happy ending for a team that had shown streaks of brilliance throughout the season." - The 1958 Cap and Gown (The Sewanee campus yearbook).

The Tigers finished the '57-'58 season with a 10-8 record and a three-game win streak. In an Associated Press article about the game, Varnell said: "I've been coaching basketball for 25 years and I've seen most of the great teams and players, but I never saw a performance to equal Roberts'."

Recently, during some routine cleaning out of files, the AP article describing the game turned up at Sewanee's Fowler Center. Upon further research, the NCAA listed Bill Chambers' William and Mary performance of 51 rebounds against Virginia in 1953 as the top single game rebounding record in NCAA history. The high mark for any school that is currently in Division III, like Sewanee, was 36. Sean Straziscar of the NCAA, after verifying Roberts' 53-rebound record, said Thursday morning: "We (The NCAA) are comfortable recognizing this as an NCAA record."

What an amazing accomplishment, especially during a time when the shot clock wasn't instituted yet!" added Sewanee men's coach Bubba Smith. "I would put this on the same scale as Frank Selvy's (Furman) record performance in February of 1954, when he scored 100 points and still holds the NCAA single game scoring record. I am glad we can finally recognize such a great accomplishment, both for Jim and the University of the South."

2009 All-SCAC Men's Golf
April 26, 2009 2009 All-SCAC Men's Golf
2008 Volleyball Prospectus
August 28, 2008 2008 Volleyball Prospectus
2008 Football Prospectus
August 20, 2008 2008 Football Prospectus