Basketball fans all across the country watching on ESPN Sunday saw an extremely dejected Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball team after Murray State University hit a last-second shot to beat the Indians 62-61 in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Nashville.
But the Indians certainly have no reason to hang their heads after a sensational season that was by far their best since the school made the move up to Division I eight years ago.
And the same goes for Southeast's women's team. The Otahkians lost in Saturday's OVC Tournament semifinals, but they can also take pride in the fact that they had their best Division I season over.
When the 1998-99 college basketball season began, Southeast's men and women weren't getting a whole lot of respect in the 10-team OVC, The Indians were picked to finish fifth, and the Otahkians were tabbed for eighth.
But both squads proved all those predictions wrong in a big way as they thrilled area basketball fans who made attending the Show Me Center for games an extremely popular way to spend a winter night.
Southeast's men of head coach Gary Garner picked up a big early-season non-conference win over Arkansas State and then had an impressive OVC season. The Indians wound up 20-9 overall and a second-place 15-3 in league play.
After winning their first-ever OVC Tournament game, played at home, the Indians and their legion of fans headed to Nashville for the OVC Final Four.
The Indians won their semifinal game Saturday to set up the highly anticipated, nationally televised championship battle with Murray State. Only an unbelievable shot at the buzzer kept the Indians out of the 64-team NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time ever.
Southeast's women of head coach Ed Arnzen also notched up a big early season non-conference win, beating Missouri for the first time ever. Then the Otahkians also had an impressive OVC season. They finished 19-9 overall and a fourth-place 13-5 in league play.
Like the men, the Otahkians won their first-ever OVC Tournament game, played at home, to advance to the OVC semifinals in Nashville. A loss Saturday kept the Otahkians from reaching the title contest.
Both teams not only had sensational seasons, but they also were directed by extremely talented coaching staffs and filled with fine student-athletes who are genuinely quality young people.
Garner and Arnzen both received OVC Coach of the Year honors, while Indians' center Bud Eley put the finishing touches on a brilliant career by being named OVC Player of the Year.
The people of Cape Girardeau and surrounding communities can certainly take pride in what the Southeast basketball teams accomplished this season.
And everybody associated with both programs should certainly hold their heads high.
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