For information on all Texas A&M University–Commerce sports, see Texas A&M–Commerce Lions The Texas A&M–Commerce Lions men's basketball team (formerly the East Texas State Lions) is the men's intercollegiate basketball program representing Texas A&M University–Commerce. The school competes in the Southland Conference (SLC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For their first 91 years of existence, they competed in the Lone Star Conference of Division II. The Lions were members of the NAIB from 1931 to 1940, the NAIA from 1940 to 1982, and joined the NCAA for the 82–83 season. The A&M–Commerce men's basketball team plays its home games at the University Field House on the university campus in Commerce, Texas. The Lions have won one NAIA National Championship during the 1954–55 season, 21 Lone Star Conference Championships, and have made National Playoff tournaments 19 times, 11 as a member of the NAIA and 8 as a member of the NCAA Division II since joining DII in 1982. The team is currently coached by Jaret Von Rosenberg.
History
Early years and NAIB membership
The men's team was formed in 1916, and then joined the Lone Star Conference (LSC) in 1931 and won their first conference championship under Jules V. Sikes in 1934. Sikes left Commerce to become head football coach at the University of Kansas and returned to Commerce in 1954 as head football coach. Sikes was replaced by S. J. Petty, who led the Lions to an LSC title in 1936. Dennis Vinzant became head coach in 1937 and the team saw its first national tournament in 1940 as they were invited to the NAIB national tournament in Kansas City, losing in the first round to Pittsburg State, 55–33.
Joining the NAIA
The Lions joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for Basketball for the 1940–1941 season. Due to World War II breaking out, seasons in the mid 1940s were either shortened or cancelled, and Vinzent stopped coaching Basketball after the 1945 season after notching a 92–60 record and two Lone Star Conference Championships. Darrell Tully assumed head coaching duties and led the Lions to a conference title in 1948 and two appearances in the NAIA postseason playoffs. Milburn Smith led the team to the NAIA National Tournament in 1950 and conference title before becoming the head football coach at the University and having tremendous success. Jack Woodruff coached for one season in 1951 before leaving.
Championships under Bob Rogers
Bob Rogers arrived in Commerce in 1952 and from 1952 to 1956, the Lions had an immense amount of success. Rogers amassed a record of 113–34, Conference Championships in 1953, 1954, and 1955. Additionally, the program went to the NAIA National Tournament all of those years as well. The 1953 team finished in NAIA Final Four, losing to Hamline College and then losing the National third place game to Indiana State University by 3 points. In the 1954 tournament, the Lions defeated North Texas, Portland State, and Geneva College before losing to Southwest Missouri State in overtime. Entering the 1955 tournament, ET finally broke through by sailing through the tournament and defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State University 71–54 in the National Championship Game. It was the final time the Lions would make the National tournament under Rogers, despite having winning records in 1956 and a conference title in 1957 before leaving Commerce to become head coach for Texas A&M University.
Norman Pilgrim Era
Norman Pilgrim became head coach and the Lions had another run of success under his tenure. Pilgrim coached from 1957 to 1967 and he won two Lone Star Conference Championships in 1958 and 1964. The team returned to the NAIA Elite 8 in 1958. In 1964 ET qualified for the postseason yet again, but lost in the NAIA District playoff to St. Mary's. In 1966, the Lions played Texas Western University's (now The University of Texas at El Paso) historic color barrier breaking team. The game was featured in the Walt Disney film Glory Road. This caused controversy as in the film, the East Texas squad and fans were shown to be very hostile to the Texas Western Black players. In reality, the Lions suited up 3 Black players and the game was played in El Paso and resulted in a 73-51 Miner win, rather than the close and tense affair played in Commerce. Pilgrim amassed a 152–126 record before retiring.