Born Again Cardinal Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 December 13, 2006 I was 18 years old, my friends dad was a finance manager at a car dealership and he had tickets from a sponsor. Of course after he offered the tickets we took them. The opponent BYU One of the best experiences of my life after a big halftime lead Lamar would let BYU tie it up at the end of regulation. Going to overtime you could feel the excitement and nervousness through the Montagne Center. To speed this up Lamar wins 86-77 and it was an amazing experience just to see what Lamar accomplished and the fans and players reaction. I look up mid celebration to see Billy Tubbs with pure joy overcoming him ... So I take that opportunity to walk up his way and get his autograph after some conversation about what we just witnessed in the most genuine way he thanked us for coming and supporting Lamar I'll never forget that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamarfan360 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 The start of the 1985/86 season, the first game played in the Montagne Center, against the defending National Champion Villanova Wildcats was electric. The fans (7000) were into the game. For the majority of the game the fans were cheering like crazy. The team played great and the Cardinals won. I can't remember the score but the results made Sports Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportsGuy Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Quite a few: - BYU @ Lamar as mentioned above. I remember it was Roc’s first signature win, months after losing an exhibition to a DII school. - Lamar @ Texas Tech in ‘07? Cards barely lost. Should have won. - Tech @ Lamar, the return game which LU won - McNeese @ Lamar in ‘12. Lamar clinches the SLC east division. Great environment which sent LU into the tourney with a lot of momentum - McNeese vs Lamar in SLC title game. Self explanatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachacola Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 In no particular order: LSU played LU in the Montagne Center. LSU won big but everyone was hyped because LSU was in town. LU beats Villanova in the Montagne Center the year after they won the national title. Wichita State with Xavier McDaniel came to Montagne Center. Big crowds for all those games. Late seventies, LU still played in McDonald gym, early years of Billy Tubbs as head coach, both Mike Oliver and someone else (I can't remember his name) were shooting lights out from way outside. There was no 3 point line back then or probably both players would have scored 40+ points. 1983 NCAA playoffs. LU vs Alabama in the first round in The Summit in Houston. LU blows out Alabama by 23 points. LU then loses in the second round to Villanova by 2 points. I also enjoyed the games against McNeese and Louisiana Tech back when they had Joe Dumars and Karl Malone, respectively. Those two looked like men playing against boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamarfan360 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Coachacola, was the other shooter besides Mike Oliver named Terry Long? I remember he could really shoot the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamar1 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 The start of the 1985/86 season, the first game played in the Montagne Center, against the defending National Champion Villanova Wildcats was electric. The fans (7000) were into the game. For the majority of the game the fans were cheering like crazy. The team played great and the Cardinals won. I can't remember the score but the results made Sports Center. Fantastic game and may of been best Lu win ever. However first game ever in Montagne Ctr was Wichita St. Xavier McDaniel & Company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamar1 Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 The best game ever in my estimation was 1983 NCAA tourney 1st Rd. in Houston's Summit. Lamar 73 Alabama 50 . (Tide had Bobby Lee Hurt, Ennis Whatley and freshman Buck Johhson) BTW: Bama was an 8 pt favorite Rd 2. Villanova 66 Lamar 64 (John Pinone, Gary McClain, Dwayne Mcclain) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamarfan360 Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 1985 Lamar played Duke in the Preseason NIT at the Summit in Houston. The Blue Devils had Johnny Dawkins. The Cardinals loss by 4 points, 66-62 as Duke would go on the play in the National Championship game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachacola Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Coachacola, was the other shooter besides Mike Oliver named Terry Long? I remember he could really shoot the ball. Yes, Terry Long! Thank you. I was still in high school and that was one of the first LU games I ever attended. I think Long was a JUCU transfer and a very streaky shooter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born Again Cardinal Posted June 6, 2019 Author Share Posted June 6, 2019 Great stories from everyone..most are from before I was born or very young ... So I must ask what was the reason for Lamar Basketball's downfall was it is leaving the Sunbelt ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddin tane Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 another 2 awesome games, altho LU lost both, were the NIT games vs. UT Chattanooga and Santa Clara. if my old brain remembers, the Santa Clara game was in the civic center?? loudest crowd i remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Ultimately it comes down to poor coaching selections, but leaving he Sunbelt was a big mistake also. Returning to the Southland just made it that much harder to recruit the talent needed to compete against higher rated conferences. Another factor was lack of support from the school administration which included the decision to drop football. After Foster left, I don't think you can name a truly successful coach. Lamar went through three coaches in the first seven years following Foster. Abetamarco immediately followed Foster and lasted two years. He upset the money donors and probably didn't get the recruits needed to maintain the program. He was followed by Branch who had the second worst winning percentage in program history and only lasted two years. The next coach was Newell who almost broke even but only lasted three years. Giovanine followed with a six year stint but like Newell failed to get above a 50% winning percentage. Mike Deane took over in 1999 and although he did get LU to the NCAA tourney couldn't develop a winning record and like Abetamarco turned off the fans. Also during Deane's tenure is when Dr. Simmons began as President. Simmons was instrumental in getting Tubbs to return, wanting to rebuild the athletic department and restarting football. Tubbs did return LU to a winning record during his three year tenure but it didn't last as Roccaforte was a good recruiter but as a first time head coach didn't get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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