Unbeaten and Unnoticed

[Jam Piper Jam]

An article that appeared in the Boston Globe a few years ago.
read
Besides Alfredo Monroe, I wonder what happened to the rest of these guys?


Alcorn St. went 27-0 in 1978-79 but was overshadowed by Indiana St.and overlooked by the NCAA

By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Staff | March 7, 2004

They are a trivia question buried beneath the press clippings of a basketball legend. Why should you care about the 1978-79 Alcorn State basketball team? For starters, it was undefeated in the regular season. Of course, the team doesn't expect you to know that, because that same year Indiana State and its prized forward, Larry Bird, also finished unblemished in the regular season.

Bird and his Sycamores captivated an adoring public with their attempt at running the table, making it all the way to the NCAA championship game before losing to Earvin Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans in an epic showdown that remains the most highly rated televised college basketball game in history.

Wondering who eliminated Alcorn State in the NCAA Tournament? Nobody. They weren't invited. Apparently a spotless 27-0 ledger wasn't good enough for the selection committee back in 1979, when the tournament field was only 32 teams.

A quarter-century later, Saint Joseph's (27-0) and Stanford were on the brink of becoming the first Division 1 tandem to go undefeated in the regular season since Indiana State and Alcorn State. But Stanford lost to Washington last night, keeping a place in history for 1979's two special teams.

"People don't believe it," said Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Randy Wittman, who, as a guard for Indiana, played against Alcorn State in the 1979 National Invitation Tournament. "I was just telling someone the other day about Alcorn State. He said, `Undefeated? No way. I would have heard of them.' But nobody has. It's too bad, because they were a great team."

How good? Consider this testimonial from another former Hoosier, forward Mike Woodson, whose team narrowly defeated the Braves, 73-69, in that second-round NIT matchup.

"They were the toughest team I played in my four years at Indiana," Woodson declared. "That team gave me fits. They did as good a job as anyone in taking me out of my game. I'm a living witness to what Alcorn State was all about."

People knew so little about the small, predominantly black school in Mississippi that its location was often listed as Lorman, Miss., when, in fact, it was in its own hamlet called Alcorn State. The school was known for its agricultural studies, its landmark chapel, and its excellent sports teams. Students affectionately called the campus "The Reservation," but former Braves star James Horton said he and his teammates had another nickname for it.

"We called it `Home of the Champions,' " said Horton, who was the point guard on the 1978-79 team. "That's because we won all the time. We were good, the football team was good, the baseball team was good . . . but nobody knew about us. Guess that's what you get for being a black school in the South."

Coach Davey Whitney set out to change that. He stockpiled his roster with athletic, coachable, enthusiastic players, including many from Mississippi who were overlooked by larger programs. He emphasized passing and defense, and taught trapping, full-court pressure, which would become his trademark....

"Coach Whitney ran the kind of offense that emphasized passing," said former guard E.J. Bell. "Sometimes, we'd get the ball down the floor without ever bouncing it. The only time we were supposed to dribble was when we were in trouble."

Larry Smith, nicknamed "Mr. Mean" because he was so rugged under the basket, was Alcorn State's best player. But Smith, who would go on to enjoy a 13-year NBA career, primarily with Golden State, was hardly a one-man show. Horton, nicknamed "Pee Wee" because he stood just 5 feet 7 inches, was also a key player, an endless whir of energy defensively. "And he could shoot the cover off the ball," said Smith.

Backcourt partner Ronnie Smith, the cerebral Joe Jenkins, forward Cornelius Jenkins, and center Alfredo Monroe also made major contributions.

 

[oldgymlgnd]

Good read.....Knowledge is contagious

 

[CocoaLove]

Thanks for posting this.

I'm trying to figure out why didn't I remember this? :xeye:

 

[Jam Piper Jam]

You're welcome..... I'll never forget the Mississippi State Game. My non-Black teachers nor the local media thought Alcorn stood a chance of winning.

 

[players]

When that Mississippi State game happened back then, it was pure black and white................Minus the violence. :lol:

That was the only time in my families history, that a house full of JSU Alum's was bouncing off the wall's, yelling at the TV, rooting for Alcorn. :nod:

Up until then, my dad never had anything, AND I MEAN NOTHING, good to say about Alcorn.
The HBCU's here knew we could beat the big 3, but when faith put Alcorn in that position, black people here was all wearing purple and gold. :lol:

 

[Panther88]

Good 411. I never knew this.

 

[delock]

I heard about this awhile back from an uncle of a woman who i slept with at the time....

But for him to tell the story of the Mississippi State game is :lmao:

 

[Bane]

The first NIT opponent was Mississippi State, a predominantly white school that had long overshadowed Alcorn State -- and refused to play it. The Braves, by virtue of their higher seed, should have hosted the game, but their gym was declared too small. A neutral site was proposed, but the game was moved instead to Mississippi State's home court.

"I was mad," said Horton. "Bad enough we didn't get to go to the NCAAs. But then to make us play at Mississippi State's gym? That was an injustice."

The game was a sellout. Tailgaters lined the campus. Alcorn State's players were quiet as they pulled into the gym. Sensing they were intimidated, Whitney reminded them which team had not lost all season.

And when Larry Smith nailed a baseline jumper at the buzzer for an 80-78 victory, the Braves were still perfect.

"It was a big deal," Smith said. "To be a predominantly black school going into an almost all-white school and beating them like that . . .

"You could feel it in that gym. When our fans started celebrating in the stands after we won, they had some problems. We just got off the court as soon as we could

Man, too see the face of those white folks when we won that game would be priceless. During the years of 1978-85, Alcorn single handily put HBCU basketball on the map.

 

[Blankman2k5]

I never knew that but it is very impressive and good info to know

 

[purplerush]

I was at that game and will never forget it.

I think there were at least four SWAC teams that could have completed nightly with the so called PWC back then.

 

[JROCK]

I can testify that Alcorn was very good. That Southern team that they beat in OT had all five starters drafted and the 6th man would eventually become the nations leading scorer a couple of years later......Those were the days!!!

 

[JROCK]

Also, keep in mind that the 1977 Texas Southern team (if memory serves me correctly) won the NAIA National championship............SWAC Basketball in the 70s was simply awesome......

 

[HBCUs]

Excellent article. I love reading these type of articles and hearing anecdoctal stories about HBCU athletics from years gone by. I'm sure there's a treasure trove of information out there if someone wanted to seriously research the subject.

 

[Ice Man]

Man, too see the face of those white folks when we won that game would be priceless. During the years of 1978-85, Alcorn single handily put HBCU basketball on the map.

I was there and I didn't see any of them after the game. Prior to the game all we heard was "don't know why yall came up here". Couldn't find one after the game....that became our campus that night. Right before tip off somebody threw a Gin bottle onto the court. The bottle spin around for a few seconds on its side and then stood up. (No lie!)

The next year we met MSU in the Babe McCarty Classic on the Gulf Coast. They beat us by a point in the championship game and we were without Larry Smith. Later in the season we met them in another tournament and blew them out by more than 20 points.

 

[purplerush]

...........yeah, thats the game where coming down to the end,they pretended that there was a problem with the scoreboard and turned it off so you didn't how much time was left and when they scored a basket to take the lead,they said time had ran out.

 

[EB]

I remember this team. I did not see them that year until the SWAC tournament finals. My dad said, "No wonder they were undefeated. They were good as freshmen."

When that Mississippi State game happened back then, it was pure black and white................Minus the violence. :lol:

That was the only time in my families history, that a house full of JSU Alum's was bouncing off the wall's, yelling at the TV, rooting for Alcorn. :nod:

Up until then, my dad never had anything, AND I MEAN NOTHING, good to say about Alcorn.
The HBCU's here knew we could beat the big 3, but when faith put Alcorn in that position, black people here was all wearing purple and gold. :lol:

I only saw a brief clip after they beat Mississippi State. But let me state something before the Alcorn game. LSU won the SEC that year. The radio announcer said that people were throwing things on the floor before the game started. Anyway, the game eventually started.

Well, on a Thursday night LSU defeated Alabama and won the SEC. They played Miss. State in the regular season finale on Saturday and lost at home. MSU, which had a very good team, did not win the SEC tournament but was probably very confident of advancing in the NIT. From the brief clip that I saw after Alcorn's win, I could tell that they did not know what hit them.

As someone who passionately hated Bobby Knight. I have to give him credit for sportsmanship. He went into the Alcorn lockerroom and said that they outside of eventual national champ Michigan State (with Greg Kelser and Magic Johnson) was the best team that they played that year.

I can testify that Alcorn was very good. That Southern team that they beat in OT had all five starters drafted and the 6th man would eventually become the nations leading scorer a couple of years later......Those were the days!!!

The year before Alcorn went undefeated, Southern and JSU were loaded. The SWAC was so fun to watch.

 

[ATLBRAVE]

I remember this team. I did not see them that year until the SWAC tournament finals. My dad said, "No wonder they were undefeated. They were good as freshmen."



I only saw a brief clip after they beat Mississippi State. But let me state something before the Alcorn game. LSU won the SEC that year. The radio announcer said that people were throwing things on the floor before the game started. Anyway, the game eventually started.

Well, on a Thursday night LSU defeated Alabama and won the SEC. They played Miss. State in the regular season finale on Saturday and lost at home. MSU, which had a very good team, did not win the SEC tournament but was probably very confident of advancing in the NIT. From the brief clip that I saw after Alcorn's win, I could tell that they did not know what hit them.

As someone who passionately hated Bobby Knight. I have to give him credit for sportsmanship. He went into the Alcorn lockerroom and said that they outside of eventual national champ Michigan State (with Greg Kelser and Magic Johnson) was the best team that they played that year.



The year before Alcorn went undefeated, Southern and JSU were loaded. The SWAC was so fun to watch.

THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO PUSH OUR ATHLETES TO GO TO HBCU 'S ...WE WERE THE ****E!!!!!!!

 

[JROCK]

The year before Alcorn went undefeated, Southern and JSU were loaded. The SWAC was so fun to watch.

Yes...........but don't forget that TXSU won the NAIA national championship the year before Alcorn's feat.........Also, S.U. was loaded the year Alcorn went undefeated and loss the second game in OT...........probably should have won that game.........

 

[EB]

Yes...........but don't forget that TXSU won the NAIA national championship the year before Alcorn's feat.........Also, S.U. was loaded the year Alcorn went undefeated and loss the second game in OT...........probably should have won that game.........

TSU won the SWAC regular season and national titles in '77. The next year ('78) JSU, Alcorn, and SU were loaded. (TSU lost a lot of players from the year before.) In '79 Alcorn went undefeated when SU lost a lot of players. (I think SU lost three starters and a two or three key reserves, and Frankie Sanders went a year early to the Boston Celtics.) However, the regular season games between Southern and Alcorn went into overtime in '79. But the tournament final was dominated by Alcorn. I saw the massacre myself.

 

[EB]

What the nation did not realize was how strong the SWAC was then. Those guys who went undefeated for Alcorn that year played against strong teams like Southern, JSU, TSU, Miss. Valley, and Grambling as freshman and sophomores. They were tested by the time the '79 season started.

Speaking of Mike Woodson, Larry Smith was an assistant under him with the Atlanta Hawks. He is now an assistant for the Los Angeles Sparks.