ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The celebration has been 50 years in the making.

It has been a half century now since the 1971-72 UMSL men's basketball team inked their name into Tritons history, as this was the second team in program history to qualify for postseason play and the first to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

That season, the team captured the Midwest Regional championship with wins over South Dakota State (114-72) and Lincoln (84-75) before the season came to a halt in the NCAA quarterfinals, as the team fell to the eventual champion, Roanoke College, 94-69.

The team was coached by UMSL Hall of Famer Chuck Smith and included UMSL Hall of Famer Greg Daust.

"We are hoping to have seven, eight guys back this Saturday," said UMSL head coach Bob Sundvold, who is in his ninth year at the helm and is two Tritons wins shy of 150. "They represent the first UMSL team to get to the NCAA Tournament, and a 50-year reunion is a great way to recognize their achievement. As a coach, I have always appreciated the coaches, players, and teams that have come before us and have competed and fought the good fight."

The team still owns school records for points (2,411), field goals attempted in a season (2,073), field goal percentage (.508), rebounds in a season (1,550), assists in a season (489), and the most consecutive wins and longest winning streak at 13 games, according to university records.

Looking back at history has given the current program a model of greatness in which to match.

Added Sundvold: "This team's success is certainly deserving of its Hall of Fame status, and [they] have given all of our teams a goal and has shown that it is a realistic opportunity at UMSl."

Also, the team set a school record for points in a game with 141 against Missouri Valley (141-74): A record that stood until the 2009-10 campaign.

That year ['71-72], the Tritons amassed an astounding eight games with at least 100 points scored.

Things did not commence well as the team dropped the first two tilts of the season (73-45 against St. Louis University; 79-78 heartbreaker to Southeast Missouri State University).

But the Tritons responded with four-consecutive wins to right the ship and, well, the rest is history.

The men host Lindenwood at 3 p.m. this Saturday.

Up close with the '71-72 Tritons:

* The roster and staff were (from left, front row): Greg Daust, Jim Buford, Mark Bernsen, Mike Hayes, Hilliard Willis, Ron Carkhum, Dan Wall and Cozel Walker (assistant coaches), Jim Steitz, Francis Goellner, Genn Rohn, Bill Harris, Casey Renzenbrink, Mike Pratt, Charles McFerren, Rick Schmidt, and student manager Jim Spitzfaden.