Down on the West Virginia bench, Coach Fred Schaus crunched a program in his country-ham-sized hands and grimly watched his lanky, burr-headed Mountaineers put the ball in play. Around him, Philadelphia's Palestra was rocking with astonished delight. With a 75-10-72 lead, the local boys from Villanova were just 30 seconds away from upsetting undefeated West Virginia, the nation's first-ranked team.
Smoothly, the well-drilled West Virginians whipped the ball back and forth until baby-faced Sophomore Jerry West broke free, twisted through the air and sank a layup that made the score 75 to 74. Then...