We Once Hosted Tournament Games

[NT03]

I was browsing the DMN college board and found this :

Today marks the 27th anniversary of one of the biggest wins and one of the more unusual wins in the history of Texas A&M basketball. The Aggies knocked off North Carolina, 78-61, in double overtime in Denton in the second round of the 1980 NCAA Tournament. Amazingly, the Aggies outscored the No. 3 seed by 17 points in the second overtime, even though the two teams didn't make a shot in the first one. A&M lost to eventual champion Louisville in the next round, and UNC went on to the NCAA championship game the next two seasons, winning it all in '82. Maybe that good luck will resurface when A&M takes on Oklahoma State tonight on what could seem like the Cowboys' home floor.

Didn't know that. Was that the last time ??

[NT Drummer]

I was browsing the DMN college board and found this :

Today marks the 27th anniversary of one of the biggest wins and one of the more unusual wins in the history of Texas A&M basketball. The Aggies knocked off North Carolina, 78-61, in double overtime in Denton in the second round of the 1980 NCAA Tournament. Amazingly, the Aggies outscored the No. 3 seed by 17 points in the second overtime, even though the two teams didn't make a shot in the first one. A&M lost to eventual champion Louisville in the next round, and UNC went on to the NCAA championship game the next two seasons, winning it all in '82. Maybe that good luck will resurface when A&M takes on Oklahoma State tonight on what could seem like the Cowboys' home floor.

Didn't know that. Was that the last time ??

That's true - I have a friend who volunteered as an usher when we were students. Things are a lot different now - as great as the 'Pit is, there's no way that such a "small" venue would ever be used even for the opening round. When was the last time any tournament round was held on any campus?

[CMJ]

That's true - I have a friend who volunteered as an usher when we were students. Things are a lot different now - as great as the 'Pit is, there's no way that such a "small" venue would ever be used even for the opening round. When was the last time any tournament round was held on any campus?

Almost every year actually. Kentucky and Wake Forest are hosting for instance this year.

[UNTflyer]

They probably didn't have another venue available in the DFW area in 1980. Maybe Reunion Arena was booked?

[UNTflyer]

They probably didn't have another venue available in the DFW area in 1980. Maybe Reunion Arena was booked?

Actually, I see that Reunion Arena opened on April 28, 1980.

[NT91]

The pit is one of the best in the nation!

[UNTflyer]

Hehe. This is interesting... in looking up this information I found that the San Antonio Spurs used to be the Dallas Chaparrals and they played in Moody Coliseum and the Dallas Convention Center Arena before they moved south.

[Buford_Julep]

The Super Pit was one of the largest basketball venues in the southwest at that time.

I remember watching Texas vs Syracuse from near the back row of Section 204.

[kingwoodgreen]

I was at that game. even though I am anti-aggie it was great to see Dean Smith lose. He was the father of the four corner stall and I always hated that play. The shot clock later took care of that style of game. UNC had a late lead and went into the stall and it cost them.

The pit was packed and had all the atmosphere of the tournament as it is today. They later raided the attendance minimums that put the pit out of contention for further venues. Anytime you get a program like the tarheels in town it was good pr for the school.

[SUMG]

I think we hosted NCAA games in the Pit back in 1973 as well. That was before my time at NT.

In 1980.....the NCAA tourney had 48 teams.....so six teams went to each site. (with two getting byes).

The six teams in Denton that year were: Alcorn State; Texas A & M; South Alabama; Bradley; North Carolina; and LSU. I worked in the athletic department that year (I was a student assistant in Promotions---got a full scholarship). Anyway, getting to participate when we hosted the NCAA tournament was one of the funnest things about that school year.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

----At the time we build the Super Pit... we were a member of the Missouri Valley with Louisville, Cincinatti, Memphis coming to town... The MVC was far superior to the SWC in basketball, and we were part of it. Today's students and more resent Alums don't really understand the atmosphere at UNT basketball games then. This is one of the reasons I was shocked and disappointed at the poor turnout that now exists.

----We had one of the best and largest arenas at that time..... much better than what A&M or Texas had although Tech may have had a larger one, it was old and not near as nice.

Edited March 11, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[foutsrouts]

The Super Pit and Hoffeinz Pavillion were the two best basketball venues in the state for several years back in the early seventies. Most of the current Big 12 teams played in barns. The opening of the Summit in '75 for the Rockets was the first big-time arena in the state. I was their for the opening and actually saw Elvis, McCartney and Wings, Zeppelin, The Who, ZZ and a whole lot of other bands and sporting events there back in those early days. Pretty amazing how far the arena situation has progessed in Texas over the past quarter of a century.

[Buford_Julep]

The Super Pit was one of the largest basketball venues in the southwest at that time.

I remember watching Texas vs Syracuse from near the back row of Section 204.

Oops. It was a double header in 1974. I am sure that it was a near sell out.

Creighton 77, Texas 61

Oral Roberts 86, Syracuse 82