Bob Boyd (2001) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Bob Boyd

Induction:
2001
Class:
1952

Bob Boyd had a stellar association with USC men’s basketball, first as a player and then taking the program to great heights as its head coach. The 3-year letterman (1950-52) was Troy’s MVP as a senior in 1952. He then began his coaching career, first for 5 years in the high school ranks (at El Segundo and Alhambra Highs), then for 6 years at the junior college level at Santa Ana College (his 1959 team finished second at the state tournament) and then collegiately, first at Seattle University, where he went 41-13 in 2 seasons (1964-65). After a year out of coaching while working for Converse, he embarked on a 13-year career (1967-79) guiding USC. His Trojans went 216-131 overall and played in the post-season 4 times (the 1979 NCAA playoffs, 1973 NIT and 1974 and 1975 Commissioner's Conference tourney). His 1971 Trojan team, which went 24-2 and was ranked No. 5 nationally (Troy was No. 1 at midseason), is regarded among USC’s best (he also won 24 games in 1974). His wins over UCLA in 1969 and 1970 were the Bruins’ first losses in Pauley Pavilion. He was twice named the conference Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Hall of Honor. He sent 10 Trojans into the NBA, including Paul Westphal and Gus Williams. After USC, he went on to be the head coach at Mississippi State (1982-86), Riverside Community College (1989) and Chapman (1990-92), and then was an assistant at LSU and Utah State. He died on Jan. 14, 2015, at age 84.