Herb Buckner

Now of Los Mochos, Arizona, Herb Buckner ranks as one of the best men’s basketball players in school history. Originally of Detroit, Michigan, he ranks eighth all-time in men’s basketball scoring with 1,633 points.

A 6-1, 175 pound guard/forward, he accumulated 623 rebounds which ranks in the Top 20 at USF all-time. The standout performer also finished in the Top 10 in assists at USF while leading the Cougars to a 71-27 record, which included 20-8 as a senior. Buckner, who wore No. 30, prepped at Northwestern High School in Detroit, Michigan, and helped his team to a public school league title.

As a senior at USF, Buckner averaged 23.4 points per game and scored 655 points, which ranks third for a season all-time at USF. He played in 28 games, and hit 257- of-570 field goals for 45.1 percent. He led USF to the Tri-State Conference crown in a 20-8 season under direction of Coach R. E. (Dutch) Erickson. In that season, USF scored over 90 points in a game nine times as Buckner delivered shot after shot. He finished the senior season 141-of-213 at the foul line and gathered up 234 rebounds or 8.4 per game.

As a junior in 1968-69 under Coach Steve Schoenherr, USF was 17-7 as Buckner scored 502 points, and averaged 20.8 points per game over 24 games. He added 7.3 rebounds per game (174 total rebounds), made 198-of-394 field goals for 50.3 percent and 106-of-163 free throws.

Buckner was also stellar at USF as a sophomore in 1967-68, and led the squad to an 18-6 overall mark. He averaged 17.0 points per game (419 points) and 7.0 rebounds per game (190 rebounds).

Buckner played on the same team as two other USF Hall of Famers in Ron Krayl (560 points, 23.3 ppg) and Roger Heibult (483 points, 20.1 ppg, 300 rebounds (12.5 rpg)). As a true freshman, he played in 17-of-24 games, and averaged 3.1 points (53) and 1.5 rebounds (25) for the 1966-67 squad. Buckner, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education at USF in 1970, was an educator and coach in the Detroit area before retiring.