Larry Graham (basketball)

Last updated
Larry Graham
Biographical details
Born1942
Scotland, Indiana, U.S.
DiedAugust 31, 2020
Maryville, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater Texas Wesleyan ('64)
Playing career
1960–1962 Vincennes University
1962–1964Texas Wesleyan
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969–1984Madison High School (IL) Trijans
1984–1992 SIU Edwardsville
unk.Oakville High School Lions
unk.Florissant Valley Community College Fury
unk. Lindenwood Lions (men's asst.)
unk. Lindenwood Lions (women's asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall806 wins
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
IHSA Class A 1977, 1981
Awards
IHSA Class A Coach of the Year (1977 & 1981)
Named one of “100 Legends of Illinois High School Basketball Tournament” (2007)
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1994)
Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2006)
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame (2012)
St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame (2018)

Larry Graham was an American college basketball coach and the former men's head coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). He remains the SIUE leader in both total wins and winning percentage. [1]

Contents

Playing career

Young Larry "Buddy" Graham of Scotland, Indiana played at tiny Odon High School (since consolidated into North Daviess Junior-Senior High School) in nearby Odon, Indiana. He set records at Odon High School for most career points (1,387) and rebounds (929), and helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever sectional and regional championships. Odon lost to New Albany in the quarterfinals of Indiana's single-division state tournament. The loss came in Indiana's last game played with a sudden death ending. [2] [3]

Graham played in college for Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana, and then for Texas Wesleyan University in Ft. Worth. [2]

Coaching history

After several seasons as an assistant high school coach in Indiana and Illinois, in 1969, Graham was named the head coach at Madison High School in Madison, Illinois. In fifteen seasons under Coach Graham, the Madison Trojans won 312 games versus only 103 loses. The school won the Illinois High School Association Class A State Championship in 1977 and 1981--- the second title coming the year after a fourth place finish. [4] He was named Illinois Class A coach of the year in both championship seasons. [5] Graham's Trojans played their way into the eight-team State Finals five times. [2] They won 24 games or more eight times in Graham's fifteen seasons, [4] and they won nine straight Class A regional titles from 1975–76 through 1983–84. [6]

In 1981, SIUE had hired Tom Pugliese to build its program toward moving to Division I. While going 17–40 in two seasons, Pugliese and his staff committed so many violations of NCAA rules that the university took the almost unheard of action of suspending the program for at least the 1982–83 season. [4]

In 1984, Graham left Madison to coach Florissant Valley Community College. However, when SIUE announced the return of its program, Graham applied for and was hired as head coach. (He would later return to coach Flo Valley.) [2]

A 7–21 inaugural season was highlighted by the December 1984 opening of the Vadalabene Center, which remains as the home of SIUE basketball. Graham's Cougars were 23–7 in 1985–86 and advanced to the school's first NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament. That was the first of what became seven consecutive winning seasons under Graham and eight overall. The Cougars advanced to the NCAA Tournament again in 1987 and 1989. Under Coach Graham, the Cougars won 147 games while losing only 84, a winning percentage of 63.6%. Graham's win total and winning percentage remain as the best in the SIUE men's basketball program's history. [4]

After Graham stepped down at SIUE, he did not stay out of coaching. He served as head coach at Oakville (MO) High School and at Florissant Valley Community College, adding another 347 wins to his record. [5] Late in his career, Graham served as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's basketball teams at Lindenwood University. [4]

As a player or coach, Larry Graham was inducted into halls of fame in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. [5]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
SIU Edwardsville Cougars (Division II Independent)(1984–1992)
1984–85SIU Edwardsville 7–21
1985–86SIU Edwardsville 23–7 1986 NCAA Division II
Regional Runnerup
1986–87SIU Edwardsville 23–7 1987 NCAA Division II
Regional Runnerup
1987–88SIU Edwardsville 19–9
1988–89SIU Edwardsville 23–7 1987 NCAA Division II
Regional 3rd
1989–90SIU Edwardsville 21–8
1990–91SIU Edwardsville 16–12
1991–92SIU Edwardsville 15–13
SIU Edwardsville:147–84 (.636)
Total:147–84 (.636)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Levens</span> American basketball player and coach

Amanda Kay Levens is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach at the University of Nevada. Previously, she was hired as head coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in 2008, when the school began a five-year transition to the NCAA's Division I. From 2012 to 2017, she was associate head coach at Arizona State before being hired at Nevada as head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Gallatin</span> American professional basketball player and coach

Harry Junior "The Horse" Gallatin was an American professional basketball player and coach. Gallatin played nine seasons for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1948 to 1957, as well as one season with the Detroit Pistons in the 1957–58 season. Gallatin led the NBA in rebounding and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1954. The following year, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team. For his career, Gallatin played in seven NBA All-Star Games. A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he is also a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, the SIU Edwardsville Athletics Hall of Fame, the Truman State University Athletics Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, two Illinois Basketball Halls of Fame, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Hall of Fame, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame, and the SIU Salukis Hall of Fame.

Martin Ray Simmons is an American basketball coach and former player. He is the head men's basketball coach at Eastern Illinois University, a position he has held since 2021. Simmons served as the head men's basketball coach at Wartburg College from 1996 to 1997, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 2002 to 2007, and the University of Evansville from 2007 to 2018. As a high school player, Simmons was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 1983. He played college basketball at Indiana University Bloomington and Evansville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vadalabene Center</span>

The Sam M. Vadalabene Center is a multi-purpose sports and recreation building on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) that features an arena with a seating capacity of just over 4,000. The Vadalabene, which opened in 1984, was named in honor of Illinois State Senator Sam M. Vadalabene (1914–1994), who was a long-time and ardent supporter of the university. The Vad Pad is home to the SIUE Cougars basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams. In addition to the arena, the Vadalabene also houses a swimming pool, classrooms, offices, and several activity areas. The Student Fitness Center (SFC), built in 1993, is immediately adjacent to and an integral part of the venue and contains numerous additional recreational and fitness facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars</span>

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), located in Edwardsville, Illinois, United States. The Cougars' athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and competes at the NCAA Division I level. The SIUE mascot is Eddie the Cougar #57, and the school colors are red and white. Cougar teams have won seventeen NCAA national championships in five sports.

Alicia DeShasier McConnell is an American track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She won the gold medal in the event at the 2011 Pan American Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars women's basketball</span>

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars women's basketball team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in the Ohio Valley Conference of NCAA Division I basketball. The Cougars play their home matches at the Sam M. Vadalabene Center located in the SIUE core campus in Edwardsville, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer</span> American college soccer team

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) of NCAA Division I soccer. The Cougars play their home matches on Bob Guelker Field at Ralph Korte Stadium located in the southwest corner of the SIUE campus in Edwardsville, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball</span>

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) in the Ohio Valley Conference of NCAA Division I basketball. The Cougars play their home matches at the Sam M. Vadalabene Center located in the SIUE core campus in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Paula Jean Buscher is an American college basketball coach, previously the women's head coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. The SIU Edwardsville Cougars are members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and compete in the NCAA's Division I.

The 2011–12 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by fifth-year head coach Lennox Forrester, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center and competed for the first time as members of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Garrett Ray Collins, known as Gary "Bo" Collins is a retired college head coach who coached the SIU Edwardsville Cougars baseball team from 1979 to 2012. His teams had 1028 career wins, making him the 56th winningest baseball coach in NCAA baseball and the seventh-highest winner among coaches in NCAA Division II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2014–15 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by eighth year head coach Lennox Forrester, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center as members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 12–16, 8–8 in OVC play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the OVC tournament to Eastern Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIU Edwardsville Cougars wrestling</span>

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars wrestling team represents Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) as an associate member of the Mid-American Conference of NCAA Division I wrestling. The Cougars host their home matches at the Sam M. Vadalabene Center on the university's campus in Edwardsville, Illinois, United States. The Cougars current head coach is Jeremy Spates who took over the program in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2015–16 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by first year head coach Jon Harris, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center as members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They finished the season 6–22, 3–13 in OVC play to finish in fifth place in the west division. They failed to qualify for the OVC tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2016–17 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by second year head coach Jon Harris, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois as members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 6–24, 1–15 in OVC play to finish in last place in the West Division. They failed to qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Louis–SIU Edwardsville men's soccer rivalry</span> American college soccer rivalry

The Saint Louis–SIU Edwardsville men's soccer rivalry is an American college soccer rivalry between the Saint Louis University Billikens and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars. The winner of each year's game receives the Bronze Boot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2018–19 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by fourth-year head coach Jon Harris, played their home games at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 10–21, 6–12 in OVC play to finish in a four-way tie for seventh place. As the No. 8 seed, they lost in the first round of the OVC tournament to Morehead State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2020–21 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by second-year head coach Brian Barone, played their home games in the First Community Arena at Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2022–23 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's basketball team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by fourth-year head coach Brian Barone, played their home games at the First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 19–14, 9–9 in OVC play to finish in a tie for sixth place. As the No. 6 seed in the OVC tournament, they defeated Southern Indiana in the first round before losing to UT Martin.

References

  1. "SIUE Mourns Loss of Former Basketball Coach". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. September 1, 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Famed Basketball Coach Larry Graham Dies At Age 77, Coached Madison To Two State Titles, Was All-Time Wins Leader At SIUE". riverbender.com/Intellisoft Development Corporation. August 31, 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  3. "Larry "Buddy" Graham". Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "BASKETBALL: Hall of Fame coach Larry Graham passes away". Edwardsville Intelligencer. August 31, 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Larry Graham recalled as coach who loved to teach". stltoday/St.Louis Posr-Dispatch. September 2, 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  6. "Former Madison, SIUE basketball coach remembered for his passion, dry humor". Belleville News-Democrat. September 1, 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.