University of Ozarks looks to build off last season

CLARKSVILLE — To those outside the program, the season that the University of the Ozarks men’s basketball team was able to put together last year looked like a dream season.

Buzzer-beaters. Stormed courts. National exposure. First conference championship in 28 years. But to fifth-year coach Travis Carruthers and his players, it was simply just the result they had been grinding to get to over the years.

“I don’t see it as a dream season,” he said. “It was a lot of hard work that finally culminated into something positive that we could see. We finally got the results we had been working so hard for. We were behind the 8-ball for a couple of years and couldn’t get momentum. We couldn’t string wins together or win the close ones. The guys last year just found ways to win over and over again.”

If it wasn’t a dream season for the Eagles, it was at least a roller coaster ride. It all started with three consecutive losses. Ozarks then only dropped two more games in the next 12 en route to a Division III American Southwest Conference championship.

The Eagles were coming off an 8-17 record in the previous year but put together the magical run finishing 10-3, their first winning season since 2005-06.

There were plenty of heroics along the way. The Eagles closed out the season strong on the road with back-to-back wins to clinch a division title and the honor to host the conference tournament. Bryson Johnson nailed an off-balance 25foot three-pointer as time expired to advance to the finals.

The play was featured as the second play on ESPN with SportsCenter’s top 10 plays. Mabee Gymnasium exploded with excitement after the buzzer-beating semifinals victory. However, the celebration didn’t continue into the locker room, where the mood was unlike any other win during that season.

Carruthers enjoys celebrating wins with postgame dancing and general silliness with his team. The players were waiting for their coach to get it all started after the big win. But with the championship game the next day, he had other ideas. He walked in and looked his players in the eyes and said they have more work to do.

“We hit that shot and everybody goes wild and storms the court,” Carruthers said. “It was a fantastic scene. But then we have to turn around and refocus. I’ve been on teams and a part of programs where so much goes your way you can’t turn the page. I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

The postgame dance party only needed to last with a one day absence. The refocused Eagles took care of business on their homecourt the following night, downing Louisiana College 74-72 for the first conference title since the 1993-1994 season.

If the Ozarks are able to make it back-to-back conference titles this year, it will be done with a much different group. Gone among many others from last year are two key seniors in Johnson with his 21 points per game and Zach Bobo and his 13 points per game.

“This team will be quite the puzzle to put together,” Carruthers said. “Nobody is returning in the same role as last year. Trying to define the roles this early is tough to do. We have a lot of new faces. It’s been very energetic. The new guys are excited to be playing college basketball. It doesn’t hurt that they are talented dudes as well.”

A pair of seniors in West Memphis’ Zach Byrd and Grayson Nix look to lead the way for the Eagles. Byrd started nearly every game and was third on the team in scoring with 11 points per game. He also averaged a team-high eight rebounds per game, including a league best four offensive rebounds per game. Nix provided energy off the bench last year and finished fourth on the team in scoring with 10 points per game.

Women

It’s a new school and another new challenge for University of the Ozarks women’s first-year basketball coach Shauna Watson. But she knows a thing or two about rebuilding programs.

In her previous coaching stint at Earlham College (Ind.), the Fort Wayne, Ind., native took over the team that didn’t have much success and was able to bring it to new heights.

Watson in her initial season there guided the team to a first-ever conference tournament appearance and followed it up with two additional appearances during her four seasons there.

“It’s a really strong community out here,” Watson said. “Everyone is so welcoming. That is part of the reason that attracted me to take this job.”

Faith Curry, a junior point guard, has impressed Watson with her ability to run the new offense in early practices. Curry put together a strong sophomore season last year, averaging 10 points with four rebounds and two assists per contest.

Senior forward Stevie Perkins and senior guard Janna Rhinehart have been standouts in early practices. Perkins led the team in rebounds last year with seven and chipped in eight points on average last season.