March Madness Spotlight: Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils

Each day this week we are spotlighting one local team and their history in March Madness. Today we are looking at the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, who have not made the Tournament since 2012.

NCAA Tournament Appearances
5 (1986, 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012)

NCAA Tournament Record
0-5

NIT Appearances
1 (2007)

The Mississippi Valley State Basketball program began in 1961-62 under Head Coach Arthur Magee. It would take the Delta Devils until the 1980’s before the program would finally find its footing within the SWAC. The Delta Devils first qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 1986 as they won their first SWAC Championship. As a No. 16 seed, they faced the top-seeded Duke in the first round. Despite a valiant effort, MVSU fell short, losing 85–78. The Delta Devils would return to the Tournament in 1992, once again as a 16 seed losing to 1 seed Ohio State 83-56.

Over the years, the Delta Devils have been home to several standout players and coaches who have left an indelible mark on the program. One of the most notable players is Greenwood, MS native Alphonso Ford, who played for the Delta Devils from 1989-93. He holds every record in the MVSU record book and easily the school’s most decorated player. He would later get drafted in the 2nd Round of the 1993 NBA Draft and play two years from the 76’ers and Super Sonics. He would later have prominent career overseas and regarded as one of the greatest Greek basketball players ever.

(Lafayette Stribling guided the Delta Devils from 1983-2005, and later coached Tougaloo College from 2005-2012)

On the coaching side, Lafayette Stribling is a legendary figure in MVSU basketball. Serving as head coach from 1983 to 2005, Stribling led the team to multiple SWAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.

(Alphonso Ford played for the Delta Devils from 1989-1993, and was later drafted in the 2nd Round of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76’ers)

The Delta Devils highest ranking in the NCAA Tournament would occur in 1996. Placed as a 15 seed, they matched up with #2 seed Georgetown. Though the Delta Devils finished with their best season the 1995-96 season, they were no match for an Allen Iverson led Georgetown squad.

(2011-12 Mississippi Valley State Basketball team, the last team from the school to play in the postseason)

It would be 12 seasons before the Delta Devils would be back in the Tournament. In 2008 as #16 seed the Delta Devils experience a lopsided defeat scoring only 29 points in a 70-29 loss to #1 ranked UCLA. It would be the last tiem the Delta Devils would automatically make the Tournament, because in 2012 they were apart of the First Four Games played in Dayton. Coming in as a #16 seed Valley State would have their best postseason effort to date losting 69-68 also to a #16 seed Western Kentucky.