Fred Taylor, Ohio State University head men's basketball coach from 1959 to 1976, died January 6 after a long illness. He was 77.

Taylor is the only Ohio State men's basketball coach to win a national championship. His 1960 team defeated the University of California, Berkeley, 72-55, March 19, 1960, to claim Ohio State's NCAA crown. His 1961 and 1962 teams advanced to the national championship game before falling to the University of Cincinnati both years.

Taylor is one of eight former Ohio State players and coaches currently in the National Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 1968. Three other Buckeyes elected to the hall of fame -- Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Bob Knight -- played for Taylor.

Five of Taylor's teams earned NCAA tournament berths (1960, 1961, 1962, 1968 and 1971) with the first four of those advancing to the Final Four.

The Buckeyes also made history under Taylor by winning an unmatched five consecutive Big Ten Conference titles from 1960 to 1964. He also is the only Ohio State coach to lead six teams to 20 or more victories.

Over his 18 seasons as head coach, Taylor compiled an Ohio State record 297 victories in 455 career games. His teams won seven Big Ten titles, four outright, and compiled a 158-102 record in conference play. His .653 overall and .608 Big Ten winning percentages are the highest among Ohio State coaches with more than two years of service in Columbus.

Taylor played both basketball (1948-50) and baseball (1947-50) at Ohio State. He was a baseball all-American as a first baseman in 1950.

"He set the standards to which every basketball coach since him has aspired to achieve," said Jim O'Brien, current head coach of the Buckeyes. "The thing that impresses me the most about coach Taylor is that all his former players held him in such high regard. Every one of his former players speak in glowing terms about their relationship with coach Taylor both during their playing days and well after their basketball careers."