The Last Time ETSU Won an NCAA Tournament Game

It’s been awhile

The last time ETSU won an NCAA Tournament Game Marky Billson looked like this

With Connecticut and Purdue ready to play for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament championship tonight, it’s only natural for ETSU fans to wonder if and how the Buccaneers could ever reach this pinaccle.

Unfortunately, ETSU has not won a game in the NCAA Tournament since March 20, 1992.

On that day, the Bucs defeated second-ranked Arizona 87–80 in the first round of the tourney.

It was the crowning jewel of the “Glory Days” of the Buccaneers, when ETSU went to the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive years, producing the program’s only National Basketball Association player, Keith Jennings, and national ranking to boot in 1991.

Jennings was gone by ’92, but his successor in the starting lineup, Rodney English, poured in 21 against the Wildcats that Friday night, which was also the last time ETSU has defeated a nationally ranked team (kudos to Tim Hayes of the Bristol Herald-Courier for turning me on to that stat).

Trazel Silvers shoots with future San Antonio Spurs guard Matt Othick (12) in the background. In his final game for Arizona Othick was held scoreless against the Bucs.

Why the Glory Days didn’t propel ETSU in to a stratosphere of success similar to what, say, Gonzaga enjoys is a subject for another column.