March 1, 2006 – BIRMINGHAM, AL – There’s a reason it’s called March Madness. It’s a time of year when the wild and whacky invades basketball courts across the nation. So on the first day of March 2006, the Maroon Tigers suffered the most maddening defeat of the season -- an 88-84 overtime loss to Tuskegee in the first round of the SIAC tournament.

On paper, Morehouse was the heavy favorite. Morehouse was seeded sixth; Tuskegee was seeded eleventh. It wasn’t exactly David versus Goliath, but the Maroon Tigers 16-11 (12-9 SIAC) entered the tourney on a three-game winning streak. That’s as many games as Tuskegee 3-24 had won all year. In addition, the Maroon Tigers had beaten Tuskegee in both meetings this season, by an average of 20 points.

The game had two distinct halves. The misfortune for the Maroon Tigers is that Tuskegee ruled the second half, and the momentum into the OT.

Morehouse led by as many as 19 points midway through the first half and appeared headed to an easy win, but the wheels feel off the season when Tuskegee began a steady comeback that was capped by a Harry Hagwood three-pointer at the buzzer. The 18-foot jumper by the senior who wasn’t ready to end his career sent the game into overtime and sent Morehouse to the earliest exit from the conference tournament since the 2000-01 double overtime loss to Fort Valley.

Coach Grady Brewer emphasized before the game that the team was not looking past the lowly-ranked Golden Tigers to a possible meeting in the next round with number-three seed Stillman College.

The upset loss was the last game as a Maroon Tiger for Brandon Childs who ends his Morehouse playing career as the second-highest scorer in Morehouse history.

Playing 42 of the game’s 45 minutes, Childs turned in a near-heroic finale, scoring 20 points, grabbing six rebounds, handing out six assists and collecting two steals.

Will Belton tied for team-high scoring honors with 20 points. The junior guard also pulled down five rebounds and recorded six steals.

Poor free-throw shooting (19-of-33 for 57.5 percent) was the key to the shocking defeat. It was a collective effort and came at the worst possible time. Four Maroon Tigers missed 10-of-14 free throws in the final 30 seconds of regulation and the overtime period.

Power forward Peter Price, who scored 16 points, on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, went 0-for-6 on free throws after halftime. Edward Pollard provided his usual spark off the bench, with 12 points and five rebounds and Jason Patterson scored nine points and snagged a team-high eight rebounds.

Hagwood, who hit 9-of-14 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, led the Golden Tigers with 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and senior experience. Four others – Lionel Miller (19 pts.), Brian Heaven (16 pts.) and Eric Wilson (12 pts.) – scored in double figures.

Touched by March Madness, a jubilant Tuskegee team will move on to play Stillman on Friday. The despondent Maroon Tigers will prepare for Spring Break.