Tallent looks back on 50-plus years supporting the Buff & Blue
Whether on the court, on the sideline or in the stands, Bob Tallent has been a part of the GW men's basketball family for the past five-plus decades.
A native of Maytown, Ky., Tallent has been true to the Buff and Blue since 1967 when he transferred into the program after three seasons playing at Kentucky under the legendary Adolph Rupp.
Tallent convinced brother Mike to come along with him, and after Bob coached Mike on the freshman team during his sit-out season, they teamed up for a memorable '68-69 season in which they combined to average 46.7 points per game. Later, Bob recruited his youngest brother Pat to Foggy Bottom and was on the bench throughout his decorated collegiate career from 1972-76.
Together, the Tallent brothers combined for 3,533 career points representing the Buff and Blue. All three are members of the GW Athletic Hall of Fame, and they are believed to be among just five families in NCAA history to have three brothers break the 1,000-point mark at the D-I level.
The eldest Tallent spent four seasons as an assistant before rising to the head coach position for seven years from 1975-81, a stretch that included five winning seasons and 102 total victories.
While he went on to professional success outside of hoops, Tallent has remained connected to the Buff and Blue, there to support his alma mater through the program's most unforgettable moments.
As a new season begins, Tallent looks back at the highlights and forward to the program's bright future in this Q-and-A.
What has GW basketball meant to you over all these years?
"I came up here from Kentucky in 1967, and of course, I'm still here. I've been able to see GW grow from then until now. It's been quite a journey. I've been a coach, a player, a fan, a supporter. GW means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my family.
"Obviously, my two brothers were really, really good players at GW. Now, my sons and grandsons go to the games with me. They love it.
"It's just been an on-going thing: All the coaches, all the players, the good times, the bad times. It all rolls right along. It's hard to believe that it's been that many years." The Tallent brothers combined for 3,827 collegiate points. Why has supporting this program through philanthropy been so important to you?
"It's pretty simple: I want us to succeed. I love GW. No matter where I go, even when I'm back in Kentucky, people know all about GW. We've had so many good players and teams through the years, and the fans can be really, really good. When Smith Center is full, it's as loud as any place I've ever played or coached in.
"You take some of those games when we used to play Maryland and Georgetown and Villanova, it was unbelievable. A couple of years ago when we beat Virginia, their coach Tony Bennett said, 'There's no way I'm coming back here again.' Or when Calipari was up at UMass and they came in and they were No. 1 in the country and Bill Clinton was at the game and we upset them. That's what we can have. We've had it before. And as far as I'm concerned, there's no reason why we can't do it again."
What's your favorite memory as a student-athlete?
"My favorite memory was just being able to play with my brother Mike. We were the back court, and we had a good team. Our center, Bill Knorr, got hurt, unfortunately. We would've won a lot more than 14-11, but it was just special for Mike and I to play on the same team.
"That '68-69 team still holds the record for the highest point average in program history. We averaged nearly 85 points a game - and that was without the 3. Mike and I probably made at least 10 a game. That could've been 95. We were fast. We ran every time. It was such a fun year. That whole year for me is full of so many great memories." Bob Tallent (left) starred with his brother Mike during GW's high-scoring 1968-69 season. What's your favorite memory as a coach?
"There's so many of them. In January of 1977, we went over to Maryland at Cole Field House. They were ranked 11th or 12th. They'd just beaten N.C. State on national TV on a Thursday night, and we went over there on Saturday, and John Holloran just lit them up. He scored 38 points, 16-for-24 from the floor, played all 40 minutes. He was just amazing.
The year before [in '75-76], we went 20-7, and six of the games we lost were to ranked teams. We played everybody tough. That year was also special because the Smith Center opened. You can imagine the feeling of moving into Smith Center after playing at Fort Myer all those years and practicing in the Tin Tabernacle."
What's your favorite memory as a fan?
"There are a couple that come to mind. The year Pops and Mike Hall were seniors [in '05-06] was such a great year. That last regular season game, we beat Charlotte at the buzzer. When Carl Elliott came out of nowhere and put back the game-winner, it was complete bedlam in that place.
Beating UVA [in 2015], that was very, very special because they were ranked so highly. That was a very hard team to score against, and we had no problems that night. Then winning the NIT [later that year] was great, too. Both those games in Madison Square Garden were fantastic. We had a big, big crowd there, and I think it helped make a difference." More than five decades after transferring to GW, Bob Tallent remains an avid supporter of the Buff & Blue. What excites you about the program right now?
"Time will tell, but I think we've probably got more talent on the team than we have in a long time. Jamion has brought in guys who have played in major college programs who know what's expected at practice every day and are ready to compete.
"That's the key to having a good basketball team. You need to have a lot of competition internally. If you don't, guys never get any better. You need to have 10 or 11 really good players who go after each other every day, so you can really improve. It sounds like to me we're finally getting to that situation now.
"We're really looking forward to what's going to happen. Just being down there at Smith Center again is going to be a plus, for sure."
