University of North Alabama - Diorama Yearbook

“Rebound to glory ■ he men ' s basketball team regained the national title and set a few records in the process By Mollie H. McCutchen Twelve years may seem like a long time to wait between national championship titles, but don ' t try telling that to the men ' s basketball team. The team proved once again that the school ' s program is one of the most suc- cessful in the National CoUegiate Athletic Association Division n by winning the national championship this year. The title is the second national championship for the men ' s basketball program, with the first coming in 1979. Cutting down the net after winning the champi- onship Is one of the rewards of the tournament. Getting ready to retrieve their trophy, Tony Dorsey, Allen Williams and Eric Smith brandish their clip- pers and make ready the ladder. Finals honors went to Head Coach Gary Elliott, who scaled the ladder and secured ttie net to bring It home to Ror- ence. (Photo by Young Company) Senior Carl Wllmer stops durtr^ the adulation after the game to offer applause to his teammates, the coaches and managers, and the fans of Lion basketball. (Photo by Young Ckimpany) The Lions now join a select group of schools, namely Kentucky Wesleyan and Evansville (Indiana), that have claimed the title more than once. Other records were set by the team under Head Coach Gary Elliott ' s leader- ship. UNA posted its best record ever, 29- 4, and also the most wins in a season. This was the third season the team has been under EUiott ' s guidance. In these three years, he has amassed a remarkable 65-23 record, and has continued to enrich a program in which he formerly served as assistant coach under Bill Jones, now the university ' s athletic director. With only two starters returning from the ' 89- ' 90 team, Elliott and his players faced the toughest schedule in school history. In fact, 1 7 of UNA ' S opponents were teams who had finished with 20 or more wins themselves. " There can ' t be a group of players who deserve to be national champions more than this group we have, " Elliott said. ' They have worked hard and done every- thing we ' ve asked them to all season, and now they have reaped the rewards from that hard work. " " Hie Lions won the South Region cham- pionship by defeating Hampton (Virgirua) University 94-80, in the first round, and Gulf South Conference rival Troy State 93- 86, in the championship game. The regional title was the sixth for the Lion program, and led to a trip northward to Springfield, Mass., and the Elite 8 tour- nament. With a 92-84 win over Ashland (Ohio) and a 97-76 win over Virgli] Union, UNA advanced through the toun ment. The Lions then defeated Bridgep < I (Connecticut) 79-72, before a national tej vision audience on March 23 to capture 1 1 NCAA Division n title. Seniors Fred Stafford, Carl Wilmer a Allen Williams were named to the Elite All-Toumament Team. Wilmer and W liams both were selected to the All-G. South Conference Team and the All-Sou Region Tournament Team. Elliott also received post-season hone by being named the NCAA Divisioni National Coach of the Year by Kodak i the National Association of BasketbJ Coaches. The award is the first for a W coach. Upon returning home, the team w greeted by hundreds of Shoals ar citizens who lined the streets of downtov Florence as the team was honored by " Parade of Champions. " Several coi munity and university officials were the to greet and thank the team with varioi awards, and Elliott presented the Nation Championship trophy to University Pre: ' dent Robert L. Potts. i Afterwards, team members commentc about how the festivities had affected thei Senior Darin Liles said, " It ' s somethii that ' s going to be with me for a lifetim but I ' m never going to feel like this again Junior Darryl Hardy agreed, and sai ' There seemed like there was somethir missing after winning the game. Th makes it start to really sink in. " li ”