REGULAR SEASON
| Alberta | 18-2 | 22-11 | Barry Mitchelson | |||||
| U.B.C. | 13-7 | 19-12 | Peter Mullins | |||||
| Calgary | 10-10 | Skip Morgan | ||||||
| Victoria | 9-11 | Gary Taylor | ||||||
| Lethbridge | 5-15 | Robin Fry | ||||||
| Saskatchewan | 5-15 | 6-22 | Bob Mirwald | |||||
Because of CBC Television demands that the CIAU move up its finals to accommodate network programming desires, the first two games of the western playoffs counted as regular season games for the purposes of the standings. CBC claimed that there was a conflict between the date of the CIAU final and their plans to cover the Brier. Alberta thus finished with an 18-2 record to win the regular season.
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Calgary Dinosaurs: Tom Bishop, Lyle Leslie, Jim Lathrop, Don Lamont, Brent Farch, Bill Lathrop, Tom Bishop, Ian McKay, Jim Watson, Bob Herdman, Mike Horner, Don Else, Brent Vulcano, coach Skip Morgan, assistant John Hasselfield
Lethbridge Pronghorns: Gary Williams, Max Zaugg, Phil Letham, Tom Raffeiner, Peter Sikora, John Baldry, Larry Baker, Dan Court, Pete Sikora, Lauren Edlund, Jack Chymboryk, coach Robin Fry
Saskatchewan Huskies: Dean Faris; Bob Thompson; Mark Hopkins; Roger Ganes, Kevin Grieman, Hugh Hodsman, Larry Larson, Al Loewen, Gene Pavelich, Bob Peters, Jerome Reilander, Ken Traynor, Bob Thompson, coach Bob Mirwald
Victoria Vikings: Dean Sawyer; Tom Holmes; Gord Hoshal; Lee Edmondson; Jim Duddridge; Jim Hunter; Dave Mulcahy; Pard Hogeweide, Harry Hunter; Dale MacDonald; Brian Wright; Al McGee; Dean Sawyer; Bert Zethof, coach Gary Taylor
In the playoffs (a best of 3 final, no semis), Alberta defeated U.B.C. 79-70; 62-66; 59-51 (2g-1).
In the game one, Alberta defeated U.B.C. 79-70 as 6-8 centre Mike Frisby, who’d been hobbled by a leg injury for the most of the season, scored 24 on 10-22 from the floor and 15 boards. Steve Panteluk added 12, Steve Ignatevicius 10, Tom Solyom 10 and Bill Hamilton 10. Alberta led 46-30 at the half and by as many as 24. But UBC closed it out with a 36-21 run to make the score respectable. Mike Frisby told the Edmonton Journal that “I think it must be something about the team. We’re never able to stick it to a team and then keep right on doing it. … I’m finally starting to pull it together. I have not played that much in one game all year but I didn’t want to come out. I’ve been sitting out too much already and for a while, it was beginning to get to me.” U.B.C. coach Peter Mullins later noted “they really beat us on the boards. Especially Frisby, he surprised us.” The T’Birds were led by Ralph Turner and Bob Dickson, each with 12 points. Patterson added 10 and Dave Craig 10.
In game two, guard Blake Iverson scored 37 points, including 16 in the second half as U.B.C. overcame a 12-point deficit to take the contest 66-62. Jim Patterson added 10 for U.B.C., while the Golden Bears were paced by Mike Frisby’s 20 points. The Golden Bears led 20-8 early. Alberta hit 23-75 from the floor. Mike Frisby fouled out for the Bears with 4:24 to play and the score knotted at 60. U.B.C. post Mike McKay promptly took command.
Alberta took the deciding contest 59-51 as Wally Tollestrup scored 14 and Steve Panteluk 12. The Bears led 34-25 at the half. U.B.C. shot .320 from the floor and took a 47-46 lead one with eight minutes to play but Mike Frisby ripped down a defensive board and found Terry Valeriote in transition for an and-one. Wally Tollestrup and Bill Hamilton added buckets as the Golden Bears regained control. Blake Iverson scored 21 for the T’Birds while Mike McKay added 12. Bears coach Barry Mitchelson was returning from a year’s sabbatical.
The runner-up University of British Columbia Thunderbirds: Ralph Turner; Blake Iverson; Mike McKay; Dave Craig; Bob Dickson; Darryl Gjernes; Randy Allan; Jim Patterson; Norm Knowles; Frank Janowicz; Greg Hoskins; coach Peter Mullins
The champion Alberta Golden Bears: Wally Tollestrup; Steve Panteluk; Steve Ignatavicius; Mike Frisby; Terry Valeriote; Dave Holland; Bill Hamilton; Tom Solyom; Len Daviduk; Rick Johnson; Dave Holland; Scott Lawrie; Gerald Mancini; Jim Cornish; Bob Nodwell; Rick Nilson; coach Barry Mitchelson