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University Calendar

Films and Filmmakers Series

November 26, 2019, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Location School of Communication and Media
SponsorFilms and Filmmakers SeriesCostFreePosted InFilm Forum at Montclair State
seriesFilms and Filmmakers

"College Basketball's Purple Reign" is the story of the tiny school that lit up the basketball world. With an enrollment of only 1500 students, the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA shocked the nation winning the NCAA Tournament in 1947. Following up with a second national championship in 1954, the Crusaders - loaded with New Jersey talent - cemented themselves in hoops history in the early days of the college game. Holy Cross launched the careers of legends and was the genesis of the Boston Celtics dynasty in the 50's and 60's. Bob Cousy, of the '47 Championship team, would come to be known as "Mr. Basketball" as the sport's biggest star in the 1950's. Tom Heinsohn, of the '54 Championship team, had a hall of fame career in the NBA, winning eight championships with Bill Russell's Boston Celtics. As the business of college basketball boomed in succeeding years, little Holy Cross couldn't keep up. Its relevance in the sport faded decade after decade, leaving behind this one golden era and its legacy.

For nearly four years, the documentary team gathered rare archival material from the period and captured exclusive interviews with players, fans, and reporters. The team behind the scenes includes veteran basketball agent Richard Kaner, award-winning director Ryan Hughes, veteran feature film editor/producer Dan Loewenthal, best-selling sports author Roland Lazenby, and narrator Scott Graham, the voice of "NFL Films.