The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils were having one of their best seasons ever as they headed to Birmingham, Ala., Thursday as a favorite to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament. But their storybook season was not to have a happily-ever-after ending.
After winning the regular-season SWAC title, the Delta Devils suffered a heart-breaking 67-66 loss in the first round of the tournament to instate rival Alcorn.
To prove the respect Valley earned with its outstanding regular-season performance, Alcorn coach Sam West felt it necessary to offer an apology after his team's big win. West said if anybody deserved to represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament, it was Mississippi Valley State University. He described what the Valley team did this season as "phenomenal." So do we.
The Delta Devils finished the 2004 campaign with a 22-6 overall record. They were 16-2 in SWAC play following the regular season, five games ahead of second-place Alabama State. Eleven of their 16 conference wins were double digit victories. What an accomplishment.
Other accomplishments this year include setting a school record for regular-season wins and capturing the school's first-ever win over a Big Ten foe, Northwestern.
We commend the Valley players and Coach Lafayette Stribling on a fine season. The hard work and dedication were evident throughout the year.
While the ultimate goal of making the Big Dance was narrowly missed, the team should still feel proud of what it did achieve this year and build on that for the 2004-2005 season.
