Members of Mocs 1977 National Championship Basketball Team Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Chattanooga-(WDEF) During halftime of the Mocs basketball game Saturday against ETSU, Chattanooga plans to honor their 1977 national championship team.
UTC beat Randolph Macon 71-62 for the Division II crown.
Now players and coaches from that team are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Mocs only basketball national title.
On Friday, members of the 1977 national title team gathered for a benefit luncheon at Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga.
They traveled back to the moment they won it all in Springfield, Massachusetts, watching a video replay of part of the championship game.
Said forward Gary Stich:”I was telling Coach Shumate that each time I see the film, I still feel the adrenaline inside me. I get excited, and I become speechless. I get emotional about seeing it because it’s such an accomplishment that we did.”
The Mocs lost the in the finals of the national championship game in ’76.
So there was no way that was happening again a year later.
Said forward Herbert ‘Book’ McCray:”Again just that determination. You could see it on everybody’s faces. You could see it as a collective group that nothing was going to allow us to lose that game that night.”
Said guard Wayne Golden:”Never had a bit of uncertainty whether or not we were going to win the game. Confident that we would win it, and we won it.”
The homecoming celebration was just as exciting as the game.
Said head coach Ron Shumate:”And I remember flying into Chattanooga, and the airport was just loaded with fans. And all the way back to the University, the streets were lined with thousands and thousands of people. It’s big to win any national championship. We’re really pleased to be able to do that, and thank the University for recognizing it this weekend.”