The following was printed on the 1988-89 SHU Basketball's HOF plaque:
The 1988-89 men’s basketball team won four tournaments and still holds the school record for most wins in a season (31). Included in those tournament wins was the District #23 tournament championship title, which earned the Saints their first appearance in the NAIA Division I National Championship in the history of the program.
As an unseeded and unheralded team at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO, the Saints upset #11-seeded Southern Arkansas in the first round of the 32-team tournament. Coach Fred Smith’s squad continued its tournament run with a win over St. Ambrose (IA) College in the second round.
In their first trip to the national tournament, the Saints advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to East Central (OK) University.
The ‘88-89 Saints were led by All-District forwards William Clyburn and Mark Merriman. Clyburn earned honorable mention All-American honors and Merriman was named to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament team.
Other outstanding contributors on this team included forward Brian Dettling (an NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete), shooting guard Craig Tanis, point guard Bernard Loudermill, reserve guards James Stafford and Nick Langenderfer, freshman forwards Jemile Green and Lester Dickerson, and shooting guard Steve Moore.
Co-captains were Allan Harris and Carleton “Moon” Johnso,n who also still holds the single-season assist record at 188.
