Lamar University Athletics

His "imagination" caused Lamar to reach national prominence in big-time basketball. When Billy Tubbs returned in 1976 to revive a sagging program, he said "our only limitation is our imagination." With Tubbs' legendary achievements, a long-time Lamar dream became a reality by necessity as the basketball success created a demand for a facility such as the Montagne Center. 

In four years, Tubbs guided Lamar to its greatest basketball heights. He led the Cardinals to consecutive Southland Conference Championships (1977-78, 1978-79 and 1979-80) and to two NCAA Division I playoffs. Lamar became the darling of the NCAA tournament with stunning wins over 17th-ranked Detroit in 1979 and 16th-ranked Weber State and fifth-ranked Oregon State in 1980. The two 1980 wins propelled the Cardinals into the the Sweet 16 – Lamar's best finish ever.

A two-year letterman at guard for the Cardinals in the mid-1950's, Tubbs served 11 years as an assistant coach at Lamar. Since becoming head coach at the University of Oklahoma in 1980-81, Tubbs – hailed for hiw witty one-liners – has made the Sooners into a national power. He is a two-time "Coach of the Year" in both the Southland and Big Eight Conferences.