It was a first-round NCAA Tournament appearance to forget for Mississippi Valle. The Delta Devils were beaten by top-seeded UCLA 70-29, making only 13 of 66 shots for a percentage of 19.7, the lowest in the NCAA Tournament since North Carolina State made 19.5 percent in 1950.

Their 29 points matched the fifth-fewest in NCAA Tournament history and is the lowest since Baylor scored 29 in 1946 in a regional final.

But getting there will certainly be unforgettable to MVSU. Valley, which won the regular season last year only to lose to Jackson State in the tournament finals, finished second to Alabama State in the regular season this year.

But the Delta Devils defeated rival Jackson State in the finals to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament as Carl Lucas sank two free throws with 0.4 seconds left to send the Delta Devils to their first NCAA Tournament since 1996.

No one expected Valley to beat UCLA. Not too many expected the Delta Devils to even be there. And that was quite an accomplishment in itself.

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