Texas A&M–Commerce Lions men's basketball

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Texas A&M–Commerce Lions men's basketball
2023–24 Texas A&M–Commerce Lions men's basketball team
UniversityTexas A&M University–Commerce
All-time record1382–1082 (.561)
Head coachJaret von Rosenberg (5th season)
ConferenceSouthland Conference
LocationCommerce, Texas
ArenaTexas A&M–Commerce Field House
(Capacity: 3,055)
NicknameLions
ColorsBlue and gold[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1997, 2005
NCAA tournament appearances
1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
NAIA tournament champions
1955
NAIA semifinals
1953, 1955, 1978
NAIA quarterfinals
1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1977, 1978
NAIA tournaments
1940, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1964, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979
Conference tournament champions
Lone Star: 1975, 2005, 2015
Conference regular season champions
Lone Star: 1934, 1936, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2020
For information on all Texas A&M University–Commerce sports, see Texas A&M–Commerce Lions

The Texas A&M–Commerce Lions men's basketball team (formerly the East Texas State Lions) is the men's intercollegiate basketball program representing Texas A&M University–Commerce. The school competes in the Southland Conference (SLC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team plays its home games at the University Field House on the university campus in Commerce, Texas. They are currently coached by Jaret von Rosenberg.

The Lions were members of the National Association for Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) from 1940 to 1952, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1952 to 1982, and joined the NCAA for the 1982–83 season. Between 1982 and 2022, the team competed in the Lone Star Conference of Division II. In 2022, the team joined the Southland Conference in the Division I.

The Lions won one NAIA National Championship in the 1954–55 season, 21 Lone Star Conference Championships, and have made National Playoff tournaments 19 times, 11 as a member of the NAIA and eight as a member of the NCAA Division II.

History[edit]

The East Texas State men's basketball team in 1920
The A&M-Commerce men's basketball team in action against the A&M-Kingsville Javelinas in 2015

Early years and NAIB membership[edit]

The men's team was formed in 1916, and then joined the Lone Star Conference (LSC) in 1931 and won their first conference championship under Jules V. Sikes in 1934. Sikes left Commerce to become head football coach at the University of Kansas and returned to Commerce in 1954 as head football coach. Sikes was replaced by S. J. Petty, who led the Lions to an LSC title in 1936. Dennis Vinzant became head coach in 1937 and the team saw its first national tournament in 1940 as they were invited to the NAIB national tournament in Kansas City, losing in the first round to Pittsburg State, 55–33.

Joining the NAIA[edit]

The Lions joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for Basketball for the 1940–1941 season. Due to World War II breaking out, seasons in the mid 1940s were either shortened or cancelled, and Vinzent stopped coaching Basketball after the 1945 season after notching a 92–60 record and two Lone Star Conference Championships. Darrell Tully assumed head coaching duties and led the Lions to a conference title in 1948 and two appearances in the NAIA postseason playoffs. Milburn Smith led the team to the NAIA National Tournament in 1950 and conference title before becoming the head football coach at the University and having tremendous success. Jack Woodruff coached for one season in 1951 before leaving.[2]

Championships under Bob Rogers[edit]

Bob Rogers arrived in Commerce in 1952 and from 1952 to 1956, the Lions had an immense amount of success. Rogers amassed a record of 113–34, Conference Championships in 1953, 1954, and 1955. Additionally, the program went to the NAIA National Tournament all of those years as well. The 1953 team finished in NAIA Final Four, losing to Hamline College and then losing the National third place game to Indiana State University by 3 points. In the 1954 tournament, the Lions defeated North Texas, Portland State, and Geneva College before losing to Southwest Missouri State in overtime. Entering the 1955 tournament, ET finally broke through by sailing through the tournament and defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State University 71–54 in the National Championship Game. It was the final time the Lions would make the National tournament under Rogers, despite having winning records in 1956 and a conference title in 1957 before leaving Commerce to become head coach for Texas A&M University.[3]

Norman Pilgrim Era[edit]

Norman Pilgrim became head coach and the Lions had another run of success under his tenure. Pilgrim coached from 1957 to 1967 and he won two Lone Star Conference Championships in 1958 and 1964. The team returned to the NAIA Elite 8 in 1958. In 1964 ET qualified for the postseason yet again, but lost in the NAIA District playoff to St. Mary's. In 1966, the Lions played Texas Western University's (now The University of Texas at El Paso) historic color barrier breaking team. The game was featured in the Walt Disney film Glory Road. This caused controversy as in the film, the East Texas squad and fans were shown to be very hostile to the Texas Western Black players. In reality, the Lions suited up 3 Black players and the game was played in El Paso and resulted in a 73-51 Miner win, rather than the close and tense affair played in Commerce. Pilgrim amassed a 152–126 record before retiring.[4]

Jim Gudger Years[edit]

From 1969 to 1982, Jim Gudger coached the Lions with mostly successful seasons. The team had won the Lone Star Conference 3 times (1974, 1977, 1978) and were selected for the National Tournament times as well. Losing in the first round in 1974, Gudger's 1977 team went to the Elite 8, where they bowed out to Texas Southern. In 1978 the team lost to eventual National Champion Quincy in the NAIA final four, and lost in the first round to St. Mary's in 1979. Gudger retired in 1982 after winning 202 games, second most in program history. 1982 was also the final year the Lions would compete in the NAIA.[5]

NCAA Membership & Jerry Matthews/Paul Peak Years[edit]

In 1982, the East Texas State and Lone Star Conference left the NAIA and joined the NCAA. Jerry Matthews coached from 1983 to 1990, winning 99 games and winning conference championships in 1984 and 1990. Paul Peak coached team from 1991 to 1999. Under Peak, the Lions won the LSC in 1996 and 1998. The team went to the NCAA tournament for the first time since joining the NCAA in 1996, losing to Central Missouri in the First Round. In 1997 the Lions qualified for the NCAA Elite 8 before losing to Northern Kentucky. In 1998 the Lions returned to the NCAA tournament for the third straight year, losing in the first round.

Sam Walker Era[edit]

Peak's Assistant Coach Sam Walker became Head Coach in 2000. Under Walker, the Lions won 285 games, had 10 winning seasons, and a Lone Star Conference Championship in 2005 and 2015. Walker's 2005 team went to the NCAA Elite 8 and won the Lone Star Conference Championship in 2015 and went back to the NCAA tournament, before losing in the first round to conference foe Angelo State in the NCAA first round. In Walker's final season in 2017, the Lions again qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Walker retired from coaching in 2017 to take another position with the University. His 285 wins make him the winningest coach in program history.[6]

Current Era[edit]

Jaret von Rosenberg became the head coach in 2017. The Lions finished second overall in the Conference during the 2017–18 and the 2018–19 seasons and also qualified for the NCAA tournament, finishing as NCAA South Central Region semi-finalists both times.[7] After falling in the LSC semi-finals during the 2019–20 season, the Lions missed the LSC Tournament in 2020-21 after recording a 7-7 record.[8] In 2021–22, the Lions returned to both the LSC and Regional Tournaments, but suffered first round exits in both.[9]

In September 2021, the Lions accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference and NCAA Division I. They debuted in the Southland Conference in the 2022–23 season and began their four-year transition process to garner full-time Division I status.[10]

Coaches[edit]

Sam Walker, head coach from 2000 to 2017, the winningest coach in program history

[11]

# Name Term GC OW OL OT O% CW CL CT C% PW PL CCs NCs
1 Johnny Garrity 1916 6 3 3 0 .500 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
2 H.D. Phillips 1917–1918 15 5 10 0 .333 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
3 E.M. Tipton 1919 5 2 3 0 .400 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
4 Cecil Cushman 1920 8 5 3 0 .625 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
5 Russell Jerrigan 1921–1923 30 14 16 0 .467 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
6 Joe Murphy 1924–1927 55 27 28 0 .491 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
7 Will Hill Acker 1928–1930 65 46 19 0 .708 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 0
8 J.V. Sikes 1931–1934 73 36 37 0 .493 22 16 0 .579 0 0 1 0
9 S.J. Petty 1935–1936 43 30 13 0 .698 12 4 0 .750 0 0 1 0
10 Dennis Vinzent 1937–1945 152 92 60 0 .605 39 26 0 .600 0 1 3 0
11 Darrell Tulley 1946–1949 95 59 36 0 .621 32 16 0 .667 4 3 2 0
12 M.A. Smith 1950 22 13 9 0 .591 5 3 0 .625 0 0 0 0
13 Jack Woodruff 1951 24 11 13 0 .458 5 5 0 .500 0 0 0 0
14 Bob Rogers 1952–1956 147 113 34 0 .769 48 10 0 .828 20 3 4 1
15 Norman Pilgram 1957–1967 278 152 126 0 .547 81 70 0 .536 5 3 2 0
16 Phil Andrews 1968 27 9 18 0 .333 3 11 0 .214 0 0 0 0
17 Jim Gudger 1969–1982 392 202 190 0 .515 123 106 0 .537 11 5 3 0
18 Jerry Matthews 1983–1990 225 99 126 0 .440 42 53 0 .442 0 0 2 0
19 Paul Peak 1991–1999 252 134 118 0 .532 61 59 0 .508 3 3 2 0
20 Sam Walker 2000–2017 487 285 202 0 .585 119 109 0 .502 2 2 2 0
21 Jaret Von Rosenberg 2017-Present 109 88 46 0 .657 54 32 0 .628 2 2 2 0

Arena[edit]

Main article: Texas A&M–Commerce Field House
Texas A&M–Commerce Field House

The A&M-Commerce men and women's basketball teams both share the university field house along with volleyball . The field house was constructed in 1950 and has been home to Men's basketball for over six decades. The Field House covers 69,000 square feet and will seat 3,055 people for either a volleyball or basketball contest. The facility is also the host to the University's Athletic Administration staff, the Sports Medicine Department and the Health and Human Performance Department; in addition to the offices for the basketball, cross country and track and field, golf, soccer and volleyball teams.

The Field House is shaped like an airplane hangar and has space for three basketball courts crossways. The floor allows three games to be played at the same time under one roof. The one lengthwise court is reserved for A&M-Commerce basketball and volleyball matches. With an arched roof, 58 feet from the ground at the highest point, is supported on steel beams that are stationed at one end. The university recently upgraded the hardwood court and placed a giant lion head logo in the center of the court similar to the one at Memorial Stadium.

Notable former players[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Logo Downloads - Texas A&M University-Commerce". Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  2. ^ Team History (Men)
  3. ^ Team History (Men)
  4. ^ Team History (Men)
  5. ^ Team History (Men)
  6. ^ Team History (Men)
  7. ^ Team History (Men)
  8. ^ "2020-21 Men's Basketball Schedule". LionsAthletics.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  9. ^ "2021-22 Men's Basketball Schedule". LionsAthletics.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  10. ^ "Texas A&M University-Commerce Officially Joins NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference". Texas A&M University–Commerce. July 1, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  11. ^ MBBall Coaches
  12. ^ "Robert M. Carpenter (1978) - A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  13. ^ "John "Jake" Douglas Carter (1981) - A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  14. ^ "Bill Gaines (2007) - A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  15. ^ "Lion Athletics Announces 2016 Hall of Fame Class". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  16. ^ "Men's Basketball Award History". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  17. ^ "Dr. Shelby R. Metcalf (1982) - A&M-Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  18. ^ "Devondrick Walker - Men's Basketball". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  19. ^ "NBL1 – Your Team. Your Rivals. 1 Champion". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  20. ^ "NBL1 – Your Team. Your Rivals. 1 Champion". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  21. ^ "Former Lions Standout Kevin Widemond Dies in Portugal". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. 2009-10-25. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  22. ^ "The Long Rebound for Darrell Williams".

External links[edit]

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