For nearly three decades his name was synonymous with Texas Southern basketball. On Monday, February 15th during the Texas Southern vs. Jackson State men’s basketball game, TSU will honor the legacy of Coach Robert Moreland by naming the H&PE Arena basketball Court in his Honor. The game begins at 8:00 pm and his unveiling ceremony will take place during halftime.
In 27 years as TSU’s “Top Kat”, Moreland has more wins than any coach in the university’s history (406 victories). He has had one 30 win season and six 20-win seasons. He has won a NAIA National Championship in 1977. He has five SWAC conference championships, two SWAC conference co-championships and three SWAC tournament championships. Under his watch the Tigers have made three trips to the NCAA Tournament in the 1990’s (Georgetown University 1990, Duke 1994 & University of Arkansas 1995).
Moreland is a five time SWAC coach of the year, American wire service 1994 National Coach of the Year and American Wire Service National Black College Champion in 1994 and 95. He also coached three national scoring champions in Harry Kelly (twice) and Kevin Granger.
A Mississippi native, Moreland started his coaching career at Greer High School in Carthage, Mississippi, where he coached from 1962 to 1963. The following year he assumed the reigns of Utica Junior College in Utica, Mississippi. While there, he won 78% of his games over a 12 year period. The last 10 years were 20 win seasons, including a 30 win season in his final campaign at Utica.
A fortunate meeting between Moreland and Former TSU athletic director and head football coach Rod Paige caused Moreland to head west to Houston and Texas Southern.
“When Rod was a Sr. at Jackson State, I was a Sr. at Hines Agricultural High School which is on the same campus as Utica Junior College,” Coach Moreland recalled. “Rod came to Hines to do his practice teaching and that’s when we first met. We were also at Indiana University doing graduate work for a year or two together. It was Rod, who while coaching at Jackson State, made it possible for me to get the job at Utica.”
“I was at Utica and we had enormous success during my 12 years there. My final year we finished #3 in the nation so I guess it only made sense for Rod to look to me when he needed to fill an opening for a basketball coach at Texas Southern.”
Naturally Moreland is elated about the university’s decision to name the court in his honor.
“This is one of the highest honors a coach can receive as a result of success over a number of years,” Moreland shared. “Twenty seven years at one institution is a very long time and of course I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
When Robert Moreland arrived at Texas Southern in 1975, he didn’t come alone. He brought with him Utica Jr. College All-American Alonzo Bradley (‘75-‘77), which opened the “Mississippi pipeline” and the rest is history.
“I go way back with Coach Moreland to when I was a small kid looking through the rails at Utica Jr. College watching Coach’s team practice basketball,” Bradley shared. “My final year at Utica we placed third in the national Jr. College tournament.”
“Guys like myself, Marcello Singleton, and others players from Mississippi brought coach Moreland’s brand of aggressive, winning basketball to Houston. We merged our talent with the rest of our teammates and we were extremely successful, winning a national championship (1977) and I was a two time All-American.”
Bradley is also pleased his alma mater is honoring his coach.
“I think it’s a well deserved honor for an outstanding coach that has accomplished a great deal during his tenure at Texas Southern.”
Count another Mississippi native, Harry “Machine Gun” Kelly (‘78-‘83), a two-time NCAA scoring champion and two year All-American, has one who views the Moreland tribute as a major accomplishment.
“I came to Houston as a 17 year old, I didn’t turn 18 till December,” Kelly said. “Coach was like a father to me. He taught me a lot about basketball and a lot about life. I enjoyed playing for him and we remain close to this day. It’s a tremendous honor he’s getting at TSU and well deserved.”
Moreland brought Kevin Granger (‘92-’96) out of the thriving metropolis of Scooba, Mississippi. Granger, like Bradley and Kelly before him, was a two-time All-American, the final to be coached by Moreland. Granger has fond memories of his time spent at TSU under Moreland.
“My decision to come to TSU was because Coach Moreland was from Mississippi, as was Coach Reynolds (asst. coach, Lacey). They also had a number of Mississippians on the team, so I thought it would be a good fit for me,” Granger recounted. “Coach taught me and mentored me, not only to be a great basketball player, but also how to be a great individual and a man.”
Granger goes on to speak to the historic opportunity Coach Moreland is being honored with.
“I think when you go back through the history of the SWAC, I don’t think there is anyone who has had the tenure or level of success that Coach Moreland has, especially at one location. For everything that he has been for TSU; this tribute is something that is definitely deserved and in my opinion long overdue.”
Coach Moreland was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in December 2007 and he received the “SWAC Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award” for contributions to the Southwestern Athletic Conference in December 2009. He is also an inductee into the Tougaloo University Hall of Fame and Hines Community College Hall of Fame.
Max Edison
DEFENDER
