262 /I athletics .' ·nCONClUDESwilh .~ ~ heartbreaking loss in Tupel The road to a 20-win season, a second-straight trip to the NCAA-II National Tournament and the careers of four Bi.sons hung in the balance as senior Darren McCrillis's 1S-footer saiJed toward the basket as time expired . As the basketball rattled off the rim, the careers of McCrillis and three of his teammates ended faster than they began as the Bisons dropped a 78-77 heartbreaker to the University of West Georgia at the Gulf South Conference Tournament Quarterfinals in Tupelo, Miss., March 4. Despite not making the national tournament field, the team was p leased w ith its campaign. For the first time since joining the Gulf South Conference in 2000, the Bisons dropped three consecutive games in the confines of the Rhodes Field House. Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello each downed the Bi– sons inSearcy. Just when the season looked like it would coUapse, the Bisons strung together a six-game win streak, including victories over nationally ranked Christian Brothers at home and Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State on the road. Before this season, the Bisons had never de feated a nationally-ranked opponent. The winning streak allowed the Bisons to earn the third seed at the GSC tournament and secure a ninth place ranking in the South Re gional standings before the tournament. "We played well enough to get back into re gional rankings," head coach Jeff Morgan said "No one thought we could win the games w did. [The team] did a great job of getting itself i the position to make nationals." As the curtain fell on the season, it also fell or the careers of four seniors: forward Jay Brogdon center Yahaya lbrihim, McCrillis and forwardI center Chad Ware. The team's 11 returning players for the 2004 05 season planned to take the Bisons to a fourth· straight visit to the conference tournament. -Matt Pric
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