I did not live through the 1970’s, but ask anyone who was there, times changed, and the ways of doing thing had changed. One thing had not changed, and that was Jim Gudger’s powerful East Texas State Men’s Basketball team.

1975 had been gotten the Lions a conference title, but not a chance to get to play for the national title. 1976 was another great season, with a 20-6 overall record and a 12-2 LSC conference record for second place finish. The Lions fell in the first round of the LSC tournament, which meant conference tournament champion Howard Payne got the bid and went to the round of 32, where they fell to Fairmount State, but 1977 showed that Gudger wasn’t going anywhere, and neither were the LIons.

The Lions started the 1977 campaign with a 7-4 record over their first 11 games, all of them non conference. Gudger loved putting tough squads on the schedule that he knew he might face again the NAIA postseason, but it also toughened up the Lions for LSC play as well. It worked as the Lions worked their way to a 9-4 LSC record to end the regular season tying for second place in with Stephen F. Austin with an 18-8 record overall. This time, the standards for getting to play in the NAIA postseason were clear, they had to win the LSC tournament to keep their season alive. Nothing else mattered, and they would have to do it against teams that had beaten them in the regular season. Also, in another move that few would ever understand, whoever won the LSC tournament would be the LSC champions, regardless of conference record.

In the opening round of the LSC tournament in Brownwood, The Lions took down Sam Houston State 91-66. In the conference semis, the Lions battled Stephen F. Austin to overtime, but did just enough to hold off the Jacks and take a 74-71 overtime win. The next game to decide how good the Lions were would be against Howard Payne, the regular season LSC champions and it was simple, win or have their season end.

In front of a rabid crowd in Brownwood, The Lions ran out to a lead that they would never relinquish and defeat Howard Payne 77-66 in the LSC tournament championship game. It was now time to go back to the NAIA postseason for the first time since 1974, but this time, it would be harder than it had been before. In the previous season only two teams would play a best of three series, but the district 4 committee decided to take the top two teams from the LSC and the Big State Conference, and play a single elimination game. The 4 teams to make it were East Texas, Howard Payne, St Mary’s, and Texas Lutheran. The Lions were hoping for a rematch with Howard Payne, but bounced Texas Lutheran 54-44 in the first round of the District 4 Championship where an old foe that had broken many Lion hearts awaited, St. Mary’s.

This time, the Lions were the heartbreakers as a relentless defense and hot shooting was too much for the Rattlers and the Lions won the District 4 title, moving them onto the round of 32 in the NAIA tournament, it the Lions first trip to Kansas City since 1958.

In the round of 32, ET Briar Cliff College 70-59. In the Sweet 16, it was a much tougher affair as the Lions gutted out a 92-89 win over Emporia State, but waiting in the wings was a team that had established itself as perhaps the best basketball program in Texas and certainly the nation, Texas Southern. It was Tigers Vs. Lions in the Elite 8, and that is where the eventual national champions would show just how good they were, handing ET their most lopsided loss of the season 87-68 en route to a second national title.

Despite the buzzsaw they ran into, the Lions were back and Gudger had made them serious national contenders again, and 1977 was a year where banners galore were handed out and awarded. If you thought this one was good, the next one would be even better.

1977 East Texas State Lions

Lone Star Conference Tournament Champions

NAIA District 4 Champions

NAIA Elite 8