Louisville will unveil new banner
The KFC Yum! Center will soon have a new banner in the rafters.
Louisville men's basketball announced Nov. 26 that it will unveil a banner honoring its three NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Players at halftime of its game against Michigan Dec. 3.
Darrell Griffith (1980), Pervis Ellison (1986) and Luke Hancock (2013) were named Most Outstanding Players during Louisville's trips to the Final Four that ended in national championships. Griffith and Ellison have their numbers retired.
"Our legacy of championship basketball includes many great teams and individual players," Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra said. "This is an opportunity for the university to permanently recognize, and show our appreciation for, the achievements of three former greats who pushed themselves and their team to the highest level of play. Our fans and their teams will never forget their success nor their teams' success."
Griffith and Hancock plan to be in attendance for the game that tips off at 7:30 p.m. as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Ellison is unable to attend due to a previous commitment.
Griffith scored 34 points in Louisville the semifinal round against Iowa, shooting 14 of 21 from the field. he scored 23 points against UCLA in the championship game as a senior. His 57 combined points in the two games is the second-most scored in a Final Four by an individual in the last 41 years.
Ellison was just the second freshman to earn Most Outstanding Player honors, becoming the first since 1944. He had a double-double performance against LSU in the semifinal, posting 11 points and 13 rebounds. He finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds against Duke for Louisville's second national championship.
Hancock became the first non-starter to win the honor. He made 8 of 10 shots from behind the arc in the two games. He had 20 points against Wichita State in the semifinals while scoring 22 points against Michigan in the national championship.
