Curtis considered attending University of Florida or Florida State, but his mother encouraged him to be independent and move away from home.
His uncle in Compton, California contacted UCLA about Curtis attending the school.
Curtis earned a scholarship to UCLA, where he played basketball under Wooden.
Curtis began at UCLA along with Larry Farmer on the freshman squad; players were not allowed to play varsity basketball their first year in college, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) limitation at the time.

He did not play his second year, having redshirted, as the Bruins won the national championship.
 He started playing varsity ball on the 1971–72 team, which also included first-year players Bill Walton, Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes), and Greg Lee.
UCLA again won the national championship that season, their sixth consecutive title.
The Bruins outscored opponents by an NCAA-record 30.3 points per game during an undefeated 30–0 season, extending the school's winning streak to 45 consecutive games; UCLA had last lost in 1971 to Notre Dame.
Wooden that season started Lee over Curtis.
 Lee was bigger than the small, 5-foot-11-inch (1.80 m) Curtis, and he was more effective than Curtis at getting the ball into the high post and complementing Walton, who was also close friends with Lee.
 Wooden also believed Curtis would be more valuable providing a needed spark to the team off the bench, a role the coach did not believe Lee could fill.
Curtis played a large role with eight points and six assists in the championship game as UCLA defeated Florida State, 81–76.
Wooden in the first half replaced Lee with the quicker Curtis, which along with a strong performance by Walton helped turn an early deficit into an 11-point halftime lead.

Curtis continued a Wooden tradition of quick, strong-shooting, black point guards at UCLA, established earlier by Walt Hazzard, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, and Henry Bibby.
Wooden said he was best in a fast-paced running game and commended his defensive skills.
Curtis became a starter his junior year, beating out the incumbent, Lee.
He started the first 10 games of the season before becoming ill with the London flu.
He was out for two weeks, and his weight dropped from 170 to 157 pounds (77 to 71 kg).
When he returned, Lee had re-established himself as the starter, and Curtis became a key reserve.
He did not brood over his new role, and Wooden called him a good team player.
Curtis sparked the team with 12 points off the bench in a 54–39 win over San Francisco in the quarterfinals of the 1973 NCAA tournament.
His play was cited by both Wooden and opposing coach Bob Gaillard as keys to the game's outcome.
In the semifinals, he led the team in scoring with 22 points to help defeat Indiana 70–59.
UCLA defeated Memphis, 87–66, to complete another perfect 30–0 season and win an NCAA-record seventh straight title.
During the season, the Bruins eclipsed San Francisco's NCAA record of 60 consecutive victories, defeating Notre Dame for No.
61.

In his senior year, Curtis became a starter again.
The Bruins started the season ranked No.
1 and won their first 13 games.
On January 19, 1974, then-No.
2 Notre Dame ended UCLA's record 88-game win streak with a 71–70 victory in South Bend, Indiana.
The Bruins led 70–59 with 3:32 remaining in the game, but the Fighting Irish scored the final 12 points of the game as UCLA missed six straight shots and committed four turnovers, including two by Curtis.
Curtis and Walton missed jumpers in the final seconds, and there were four unsuccessful attempts to tip in a miss.
Wooden did not call a timeout late in the game, as was his custom in the final two minutes.
Curtis, who trash-talked during games, was accused afterwards by Notre Dame's Dwight Clay of taunting.
Until that loss, Curtis had not lost a basketball game since he was a 14-year-old high school freshman.
A week later, the Bruins beat Notre Dame, 94–75, in a rematch at home at Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA lost three more times that season.
Their bid for an eighth consecutive championship ended after an
Curtis considered attending University of Florida or Florida State, but his mother encouraged him to be independent and move away from home. His uncle in Compton, California contacted UCLA about Curtis attending the school. Curtis earned a scholarship to UCLA, where he played basketball under Wooden. Curtis began at UCLA along with Larry Farmer on the freshman squad; players were not allowed to play varsity basketball their first year in college, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) limitation at the time.
He did not play his second year, having redshirted, as the Bruins won the national championship.  He started playing varsity ball on the 1971–72 team, which also included first-year players Bill Walton, Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes), and Greg Lee. UCLA again won the national championship that season, their sixth consecutive title. The Bruins outscored opponents by an NCAA-record 30.3 points per game during an undefeated 30–0 season, extending the school's winning streak to 45 consecutive games; UCLA had last lost in 1971 to Notre Dame. Wooden that season started Lee over Curtis.  Lee was bigger than the small, 5-foot-11-inch (1.80 m) Curtis, and he was more effective than Curtis at getting the ball into the high post and complementing Walton, who was also close friends with Lee.  Wooden also believed Curtis would be more valuable providing a needed spark to the team off the bench, a role the coach did not believe Lee could fill. Curtis played a large role with eight points and six assists in the championship game as UCLA defeated Florida State, 81–76. Wooden in the first half replaced Lee with the quicker Curtis, which along with a strong performance by Walton helped turn an early deficit into an 11-point halftime lead.
Curtis continued a Wooden tradition of quick, strong-shooting, black point guards at UCLA, established earlier by Walt Hazzard, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, and Henry Bibby. Wooden said he was best in a fast-paced running game and commended his defensive skills. Curtis became a starter his junior year, beating out the incumbent, Lee. He started the first 10 games of the season before becoming ill with the London flu. He was out for two weeks, and his weight dropped from 170 to 157 pounds (77 to 71 kg). When he returned, Lee had re-established himself as the starter, and Curtis became a key reserve. He did not brood over his new role, and Wooden called him a good team player. Curtis sparked the team with 12 points off the bench in a 54–39 win over San Francisco in the quarterfinals of the 1973 NCAA tournament. His play was cited by both Wooden and opposing coach Bob Gaillard as keys to the game's outcome. In the semifinals, he led the team in scoring with 22 points to help defeat Indiana 70–59. UCLA defeated Memphis, 87–66, to complete another perfect 30–0 season and win an NCAA-record seventh straight title. During the season, the Bruins eclipsed San Francisco's NCAA record of 60 consecutive victories, defeating Notre Dame for No. 61.
In his senior year, Curtis became a starter again. The Bruins started the season ranked No. 1 and won their first 13 games. On January 19, 1974, then-No. 2 Notre Dame ended UCLA's record 88-game win streak with a 71–70 victory in South Bend, Indiana. The Bruins led 70–59 with 3:32 remaining in the game, but the Fighting Irish scored the final 12 points of the game as UCLA missed six straight shots and committed four turnovers, including two by Curtis. Curtis and Walton missed jumpers in the final seconds, and there were four unsuccessful attempts to tip in a miss. Wooden did not call a timeout late in the game, as was his custom in the final two minutes. Curtis, who trash-talked during games, was accused afterwards by Notre Dame's Dwight Clay of taunting. Until that loss, Curtis had not lost a basketball game since he was a 14-year-old high school freshman. A week later, the Bruins beat Notre Dame, 94–75, in a rematch at home at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA lost three more times that season. Their bid for an eighth consecutive championship ended after an 
Tommy Curtis