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There has been talk on here in recent weeks regarding the lack of success of our mens basketball program. There are many of you, I suspect, that are not old enough to remember the success that the mens program has had over the past 50 years plus.

Although it was not ever on the scale of football, mens basketball at UCA has seen alot of success over the years. The last 30 years, however, are not even close to being classified as a success, in my opinion.

I simply provide this as information only. If there is one thing that I have learned when posting on these boards, it is to respect the opinions of others and in some cases to agree to disagree.

In some of the figures I will share, some will say well that was NAIA years or Division II years. The NAIA years were the best, most consistent, years the Bears ever experienced. UCA played for two national titles in 1990-91 and 1991-92 against Oklahoma City each time in Kansas City. Those title runs were special and to this day, some of the best basketball I ever saw, was during those runs to Kansas City.

Anyway, going back to the 1991-92, which includes the last three years in the NAIA, all of the D-II years, which was from 1993-94 through 2005-2006 and the Division I years from 2006-2007, to the present, UCA had only eight winning seasons and 21 losing seasons. The lone winning season in Division I was during the 17-18 season when the Bears finished 18-17. Prior to that the last winning seasons were the last two years of Division II in 04-05 and 05-06.

I became curious at this point so I went back to look at the records from 1960-61 through the 1989-90 seasons. UCA during this time had winning records in 23 seasons against 6 losing years and one year when they finished at 13-13.

I'm not sure where I am going with these numbers, but I guess it is an attempt to show that there has been some success with mens basketball over the years, but the last 15 plus years have been more than lacking since the move to Division I.

I started watching mens basketball at UCA back in the early 1970's. Saw some really fine games and some GREAT players. I realize that today we are not even close to having records like we did back then, however, I do think that we should , at least, be competitive and that is an area where, I believe, we are not even close.

Sorry for the length. Just wanted to pass along some historical information.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that! I think they wouldn't have moved up to D1 if it wasn't for success at earlier levels in most sports. I think the issue at this time is no longer a coaching issue. I think it has to be the support from the University. I know UCA needs money, but why not play some games against a team like VCU, Liberty, High Point, Rice or something along those lines? Basically some mid major teams and have a chance of actually winning those games?

I agree, but I am not sure we would even be competitive with those teams right now. BTW, somewhat encouraged right now as I write this, that the Bears are behind Memphis by only eight points with about seven minutes left.

There were times that I felt we could play with teams of the mid-major caliber and then we get blown away. I'm not sure what the answer is....but right, my biggest wish is that we be competitive.

Some of us old timers remember well the caliber of basketball in the AIC and how UCA, Henderson State, Tech, Harding, OBU, A&M and Hendrix at times, and, of course, Suffering State played great basketball (throw in UAPB, known then AM&N,who was very good in BB and who was in the AIC at a time but even when not there was OOC games)...all had excellent coaching and played strong fundamentals...like solid defense, shoot free throws well, rebounding, fast breaks, etc.....there were numerous players of considerable size who were very good and LOTS of good guard play....after the early 90s we had a few good teams in D2 but not like the early 90s and AIC years..... I have long felt in several D1 years we were one player away from being a 20 game winning team in the SLC but instead we lacked the depth and ended up where we did.......the Jordan Howard teams were an example of one player away.....remember we took UCLA to OT....how we played Oregon really well until giving in late.....same at San Francisco ......how we beat Cal ...all at their places......but the Howard years are not normal as a JH only comes along once a generation....this year's team has some potential but are not yet where we all want them to get....Go Bears!!

how we only had one winning season with Jordan Howard on the team is beyond absurd

Very true....but then again, when you load up your non-conference schedule with a ton of money games, the athletic department is laughing all of the way to the bank and your program is spiraling out of control. More than a sad situation. It is downright disappointing and disgusting. I don't see how our players keep their chins up. It has to be hard.