This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 9/7/2012.
In 1962-63, Jerry Harkness’ senior year, he and the Loyola Ramblers started the season by winning their first 21 games, rising to the #2 rank in the country and outscoring their opponents by an average margin of 27.8 points. Harkness was the star of the team, averaging 21.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Loyola entered the 1963 NCAA tournament as the fifth-ranked team in the nation. They won the first four games of the tournament, each by double-digits including a 69-point blowout of Tennessee Tech in the opening round. The Ramblers advanced to the Finals where they would face the top-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats, winners of the previous two Championships. With 14 minutes left in the game, the top-ranked Bearcats had the Ramblers in unfamiliar territory; down 45-30 and Jerry Harkness had yet to score a basket. With their star players in foul trouble and no shot clock in existence, Cincinnati’s coach elected to go into a stall. The stall backfired and Loyola stormed back with an 11-3 run. With 4:30 left in the game, Harkness scored his first basket and immediately followed it up with a steal bringing the score within three points. Harkness was heating up and he would score 11 of the team’s final 13 points in regulation including a 12-foot buzzer beater to send the game to overtime. With the game tied at 58, a last-second putback by Vic Rouse gave Loyola the victory and the University’s first NCAA title. This size 10-1/2, yellow lustrium player’s ring weighs 13 grams and was presented to Jerry Harkness after the Loyola Ramblers defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats in the 1963 NCAA Championship Game. The top panel reads “NATIONAL CHAMPIONS” surrounding a red synthetic stone with “NCAA” in silver inlay. The left panel features the casted image of a basketball player along with two engraved banners with the player name, “HARKNESS”, and number, “15”. The right panel reads “LOYOLA 1963 RAMBLERS BASKETBALL” in relief. The inside of the ring is stamped “©YLTM” along with the diamond-shaped Jostens logo. The ring is in NRMT condition and is accompanied by a LOA from Jerry Harkness.