dave strack, a former team 1945–46 captain, had become the freshman basketball team coach in 1948 and later had become a variety assistant to perigo. he led the team to three consecutive big ten championships from 1963–66 and a third-place finish in the 1964 ncaa tournament. during 1964–65 the team compiled a 24–4 overall (13–1, big ten) record while completing an undefeated 11–0 overall (7–0, big ten) home season and was the national runner-up, falling to john wooden's ucla in the 1965 championship game. strack earned united press international (upi) national coach of the year honors. the team ended the season listed number one in both the upi and associated press (ap) national rankings. he recruited all-americans russell and buntin to anchor his mid-1960s teams. tomjanovich also became a wolverine at the end of strack's career and became second team all-big ten in 1968 subsequent later stardom. the 1964 team, which went 23–5 overall (11–3, big ten), tied with ohio state with sophomore russell and junior buntin. in 1965, buntin became the first wolverine to be drafted by the nba. in 1966, russell led the team to its third straight conference championship and ncaa selection on his way to national player of the year honors.