The Great Scoreless Basketball Game: Iowa Time Machine February 21, 1979

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 21, 1979, a 6-on-6 basketball game between the Melvin Comets and Sibley Generals ended regulation in a 0-0 tie. Melvin stalled from the game’s opening, causing the teams to combine for four total shots in regulation before the Comets eventually pulled out a 4-2 four-overtime win.

In the high-stakes district tournament game at the Spencer Regional, the undefeated Comets came in at 24-0, averaging a scorching 78.3 points per game. Boasting an 18th ranking in the state, Melvin Coach Roger Tasler worried the guards from Sibley would lock down his learning scorer Deb Mouw. Sibley relied on a zone defense, and the Melvin coach hoped that by implementing a stall, the Sibley guards would be pulled away from his dominant low-post scorer, who averaged 43.7 points per game.

Melvin started the game with the ball and held the possession for the entire first half, only attempting a shot with ten seconds to play in the half. Despite an offensive rebound and a second shot attempt, Melivn failed to score. When Sibley got the ball to start the second half, they initiated a stall of their own when Melvin refused to come out of a zone defense of their own. An eventual turnover allowed Melvin to run out the clock on the third quarter. With 20 seconds left in the game, Melvin took their third shot, missed a put-back attempt, and Sibley pushed the ball into the offensive zone, butfailed to get a shot off. The game went to the first overtime, 0-0, and Sibley had not yet taken a shot.

In the first overtime, a relative offensive explosion ensued as Mouw scored the game's final basket for Melvin with 1:13 to play. Sibley’s Debbie Platt countered, scoring with four seconds to tie the game 2-2 as the first overtime ended. Melvin stalled until ten seconds remained in the second overtime, only to miss again. Despite both teams taking shots in the third overtime, no one scored. In the fourth overtime, Mouw scored from the baseline with 1:20 to play, giving Melvin the commanding 4-2 lead that would serve as the final score. In the Regional Final at Spencer four days later, Estherville turned the tables on Melvin after racing out to a 31-22 halftime lead. In the second half, Estherville stalled out several possessions before eventually ending the state tournament dreams of the Comets. #Iowa #OTD #History #Basketball #WomensBasketball