Hall of Fame
1999-00 Men's Basketball Team
The 1999-00 Men's Basketball Team will forever be remembered for winning the first ever National Championship in school history on Mar. 14 2000. The Eagles had the run of play through much of the conference season, but faltered in the last three games and subsequently relinquished home-court advantage to Palm Beach Atlantic for the conference tournament. Despite the disappointing finish to the regular season, the Embry-Riddle men regained the focus that had afforded them success throughout the year and went on to upset PBAU for the conference tournament crown, which gave them an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.
2000 marked the first year that the College of the Ozarks would host the national tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. The Eagles battled through the preliminary rounds to advance to the national title game. The championship match-up was a dream for local marketing and promotions efforts as the “Cinderella” College of the Ozarks team battled its way to the championship game also, which meant the Eagles would play in front of a packed gym full of mostly Ozark fans.
Jason Cruse scored the first five points of the game giving the Eagles a lead that they never relinquished. Embry-Riddle took a 36-27 lead into the locker room at halftime, and led by as many as 12 points early in the second half. College of the Ozarks came within three points with just under five minutes remaining. With 4:22 left in the game senior Yon price made a three-point basket and increased the Eagles lead to six. Ironically, Price’s off-balanced bank shot off the glass (as the shot clock expired) was very similar to the last second shot that sent the Ozarks to Championship game. Price’s shot silenced the crowd, crushed the Bobcat spirit and lifted the Eagles to their first NAIA Division II National Championship.
The team ended the season with a 31-7 record.
