R EACHING FOR THE T OP IN BISON BASKETBALL With the beginning of the I 995 Bison basketball season and Coach Jeff Morgan's second year. the Bisons ranked in the basement of th AIC conference. The outlook for the season held anything but promise for the hodge-podge team consisting of one senior. five juniors (three ofwhich were transfers) . said. ·Tve never seen a group of guys who got along so well on and off th court. They support acl1 o t11er. and that has made this year a real family e ffo rt ." enior Sigmund D ne lson also noticed a cl1ange in this y ar's team. "I have seen the team one sophomore and four freshmen. Tl1e I 994 season had been riddled with losing str aks amid strong defensive perSeo I{ ES go through a lo t of hardships and troubles formances by the team. Despite the dismal predictions. the Bisons kep t th e ir c riti cs guessing t11roughout the season because they kept winning . The Evangel Tournament in November was the spot of their first big ups t when they defeated Arkansas Tech to win the tournament . By Christmas break. tl1e Bisons· record was I 0-3 overall and 2-0 in the conference. Aft r the break. th Bisons con tinued to win and. even in the ir losses. managed to keep th score low with strong defense. WBU Lyon SAU OBU JB ATM Ozarks UAM WBU Lyon SAU OBU JB ATM Ozarks UAM Tl1e real glue that carried the team through two overtime wins and other com e- from-b ehind victories was th e cohesiveness of the players. After b ating Arkansas Tech by one point at home in an overtime conference game. Morgan recognized the team as a whole. "It was a great win. a true t am victory: he said. Morgan gave much of the er dit for the positive season to tl1e team's unity. "This team is more like a fam ily and less individualistic than in past years," he 89-75 73-58 68-78 87-7 1 67-70 66-60 78-92 10 1-69 ()7-6 1 87-8 1 68-60 78-58 62-68 65-76 86-93 113-83 but also a lo t o f growth. We've built a new foundation and I think tl1is team will go a long way." he said. Bison stats and scores supported Donelson·s tho ughts as the season wounddown. Witl1onlytwohomegames left and four on th road. the Bisons held a second-plac spot in the conference. trailing on ly tt1e Tect1 wonderboys. However . heartbreaking losses to John Brown. Ozarks and Tech put the Bisons in third plac a t tt1e conc lusion of conference play. with a I 0-6 record. The Bison beat Ouachi ta in the qua rt er-fina ls of the post-season tournament to face Ozarks in the semifinals. Th Bisons di played spirit and gritty determination as tt1ey came from bet1ind to tie th Golden Eagles in regulation and w ent on to win 78-73 . but were c rushed by Tech in the finals . Despite some disappointments near th end, the Bisons had the best season in university histo ry. with a 22-1 o overall record. Tm excited about what this team has done." coach Jeff Morgan said. ·They worked and earned all their accomplishments." - Jenny Tyree Kennedy Pol1ctor ctriues in for 1wo points . Po /1 dor bolsterecl the team with s1rono contril>utions in rebounds one/ shorr 1ump shots . P/1oto by Jason Burr Sco11 \\'ebb guarcls his opponent ctunng o oome against \l'il/wms Bop11st \\ 'd>lJ's ctefenswe ploy l1elped the Btsons stoy in the top half of conference sranctings rhroughow rhe season Pharo /Jy Jason Burr . M en· s Baske11>all 235 Spor1s
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