In the early 1950’s Lion Basketball hit a bit of a rut. Milburn Smith, who would coach arguably the greatest Lion Football team ever in 1952, coached the Lion Basketball team to a 13-9 record in 1950, before taking over a Lion football program that would be dominant from 1951-1953 and then Jack Woodruff came to Commerce to coach for one season and the result was a rare losing season at 11-13. The school needed boost and the program found their man on the plains of Northern Oklahoma.

Another thing had happened as well. Under the leadership of President Dr. James Gee, Milburn Smith, and with the political acumen of Walter Woodul, East Texas State built a remarkable basketball arena, the University Fieldhouse, the largest basketball arena west of the Mississippi river. It was built for the Lion Basketball program that was becoming a national power and had certainly become a Lone Star Conference basketball power. When it was opened, it was something to truly behold with it’s domed shape and massive amount of space.

Bob Rogers was a Stillwater, Oklahoma native who had been standout basketball player at Stillwater High School, and lettered at Oklahoma State (then Oklahoma A&M) for two seasons, graduating from Oklahoma A&M with both his bachelor’s and master’s degree in 1947 and 1949, respectively. He had served in the US Army from 1943-1945 in between starting at Oklahoma A&M and finishing his degrees. After graduating, Rogers took a job a nearby Connors Junior College in Warner, Oklahoma. Coaching the Aggies from 1950-1952, Rogers won conference championships in both seasons, and that was enough for the powers that be in Commerce to convince Rogers to come south to Northeast Texas and take over a Lion program that had been lagging. That would not last long.

In Rogers first season in Commerce in the 1952-1953 season, Rogers and the Lions cruised to a 21-3 regular season record. The conference record was a 9-1 record and the NAIA once again rang the basketball office to let the Lions know they were in the NAIA District playoffs once more. In the first game of the District playoffs in Dallas, the Lions blitzed Texas Wesleyan 72-52 to punch their ticket to Kanas City and win the NAIA District 4 Championship. In the round of 32, The Lions devoured Adrian College, 57-40 to move the round of 16. St. Peters was waiting for the Lions, who ended up waiting for defeat the Lions moved to the Elite 8 by hammering the Peacocks 85-68. In the Elite 8, it was the first time East Texas had reached this far in the NAIB or NAIA tournament. It was also where the road would not end as they defeated Tennessee State 72-67, sending them to their first NAIA Final Four.

Matching up in the final four against Hamlin College would be a tough out. Hamline was a frequent flyer to deep rounds in the NAIA tournament and routinely won championships as well. This would be no exeception. The Lions gave it their all against Hamline, but in the end the Pipers experience was just too much for the Lions to overcome as they won a nailbiter in the final seconds by a score of 73-71. It was not the final game for the Lions, as they faced off against another NAIA power in Indiana State (Larry Bird’s Alma Mater) where they lost the 3rd place game to the Sycamores, 74-71.

It was the end of the season, but it was the best season the Lions had ever had and also a history making season where everything seemed to go well and while they had just finished short of where they wanted, it was the start of a golden era for Lion Basketball.

1952-53 East Texas State Lions

Lone Star Conference Champions

NAIA District 4 Champions

NAIA Final Four

25-5 final record , # 4 Final Ranking