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March 17, 2008

Fourteen members of the 1977-78 Notre Dame men's basketball team returned to campus February 24 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its historic run to the NCAA Final Four.

That group still rates as the only team in the history of the Irish men's basketball program to achieve that distinction. Notre Dame compiled a 23-8 record under the direction of Digger Phelps and moved to the finals in St. Louis that year by beating Houston, Utah and DePaul in the NCAA Tournament.

Members of the 1977-78 squad who attended the reunion included players Bruce Flowers, Bill Hanzlik, Tim Healy, Tracy Jackson, Gilbert Salinas, Stan Wilcox and Orlando Woolridge; coaches Digger Phelps, Dick Kuchen, Danny Nee and Scott Thompson (all who later served as head coaches of Division I programs), trainer Arno Zoske; and team managers Rick Gabbianelli and Joe Toddy.

-- ND --