Henderson State University Athletics

The 1978-79 Reddies basketball team was a cornerstone for the most successful run in AIC basketball history.
Going 28-4 and reaching the NAIA national championship game in Kansas City, the team capped off a string of seven straight Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference titles and three appearances in the NAIA Final Four.
Led by legendary coach Bobby Reese, the squad was known for its unique "two platoon" system of using 10 to 12 players in a game in an era when most teams played six or seven. Their suffocating full court man-to-man defense and relentless fast breaking offense was years ahead of its time and was a forerunner to the way the game is played today.
The 1978-79 Reddies won the Missouri Southern Classic, finished runner-up in the prestigious Quincy Holiday Tournament, were AIC Champions, and NAIA District 17 Champs while losing only three games by a combined six points.
The Reddies reeled off 11 straight wins at the end of the year to get to the national title game where they lost to No. 1 ranked Drury College 60-54.
The 78-79 Reddies are one of only five four-year universities to reach a national championship game in the history of college basketball in Arkansas.
Deeply talented, the team was led on the court by All-American Anthony Avery, contained three members that are in the Reddie Hall of Honor as individuals, and six players that would go on to receive all-conference honors in their careers at HSU.
The 1978-79 Henderson State University Reddie basketball team becomes only the fourth entire squad to be inducted to the HSU Hall of Honor.
Team members include: Chris "Doc" Lockhart, Dean Lee, Bruce Hines, Rickey Fisher, Anthony Avery, Grady Bean, Alvin Russell, John Aitken, Alton Brown, Dean Vaudry, John Hansen, John "Boo" Gaddie, Terry Deloney, Jeff McCuien, Melvin Oatis, Tilman Wolfe, Vernon "Waldo" McDonald, Harold Treadway, and Jay Freeman. The squad was led by head coach Bobby Reese and assistant coach Jimmy Allen.