1977 & 1997 Basketball Reunion and Celebration
Two of UTC's most memorable athletics accomplishments were commemorated on Saturday, February 17th, on the UTC campus. The University will celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 1976-77 men's basketball team's NCAA Division II National Championship and the 10th anniversary of the 1996-97 men's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance.
Click the 1977 Team or 1997 Team to read information on each team's accomplishments.
Below are pictures from the reunion reception held on 2/17/07.
1977 Division II National Champions
The 1976-77 squad, under Head Coach Ron Shumate, responded from an NCAA Division II runner-up finish the previous season to defeat Randolph-Macon 71-62 in the 1977 NCAA finals for the school's only basketball National Championship.
That season, the Mocs compiled a 27-5 overall record, a mark that is still stands as the most wins in a season in program history. The following year, UTC and the Mocs moved up a level in competition to NCAA Division I.
1997 Team Make a Sweet-16 Run 
Mack McCarthy's 1996-97 team began the schedule losing seven of its first 12 games. But after the New Year, everything began to click as the Mocs rolled off 11 consecutive victories and concluded the season with the program's most successful run in NCAA Division I Tournament history.
UTC won the Southern Conference Tournament title with a thrilling, one-point, overtime victory over Marshall on a putback by Chris Mims.
The Mocs earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and, as the 14th seed in the Southeast Regional, defeated third-seeded Georgia, 73-70 and sixth-seeded Illinois, 75-63.
The Mocs took their momentum and a huge following to Birmingham, Ala., for a Sweet 16 matchup with 10th-seeded Providence. The joyous ride ended with a 71-65 loss to the Friars.
Team members expected to participate in the 1976-77 reunion are Shumate, Howard Duncan, Kevin Galbraith, Book McCray, Darrell Payne and Darryl Yarbrough. Expected from the 1996-97 squad are Marquis Collier, Isaac Conner, Preston Hawkins, Billy Hutchins, Keynon Lake, Chris Mims, Wes Moore and Akintoye Oloko.
McCarthy, currently the Associate Head Coach at East Carolina University, will be unable to attend as his team will be playing at SMU in Dallas, Texas, this weekend. Johnny Taylor and Willie Young, members of the 1996-97 team, are competing professionally overseas. Gary Stich, from the 1976-77 squad, will be traveling to South Africa on business. All four have expressed their deepest regrets at not being able to attend.
For More Information
For more information on Mocs basketball please visit www.GoMocs.com or call 423/425-5292.
