Alex Couladis '75 kept looking at his cell phone.

“Here's another text from Art Clark,” he said to Chuck Robinson '75, who was the other co-captain on Marietta's 1974-75 team that won the OAC regular season championship.

And the text messages didn't stop there.

“Let me tell you, I've had texts from teammates in Seattle, Wash., La Hoya, Calif., Plano, Texas, Detroit, Mich., Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.,” said Couladis, who was sitting in his normal spot in the second row. “They are all excited about what the Pioneers did tonight. I also just spoke with Coach (Phil) Roach and he is excited for Marietta College and this team.”

It may seem odd that a group of guys who finished playing basketball almost two decades before any of the current players were born decided it was so important to discuss Marietta's 63-62 victory over Wittenberg.

But see, these guys were in the same position as Marietta's current team … just 36 years ago. In that game, the Tigers handed the Pioneers their final loss in the old Ban Johnson Fieldhouse, 85-70.

“This is definitely revenge,” Couladis said. “We felt we should have done better when we had the chance and moved to the next round like these guys tonight. I can speak for that entire team and we are excited to see them do us one better.”

Robinson, who sat next to Couladis the past two games, hopes Marietta sets the ultimate record.

“I'd like to see them get to the Final Four and win it,” he said. “Then the best anyone could ever do is tie them.”

Until this season, it would have been easy to argue the 1974-75 team was the greatest in school history. The Pioneers went 19-4 and if not for an upset loss in the OAC Tournament against Capital they would have reached the coveted 20-win plateau.

“It was an exceptional team of closeness. Everybody cared about everybody,” says Couladis, who is a semi-retired CPA in Athens, Ohio. “There was a lot of teasing and practical jokes, which kept the atmosphere light. We played hard and we just kind of got on that roll. We would have like to gotten to 20 wins.”

Now many of those players are some of coach Jon VanderWal's biggest fans.

“He's done an amazing job of recruiting great players and coaching them up,” Robinson said. “They have been a blast to watch this season.”

Saturday night's come-from-behind, one-point win was just another one of those great moments. Now the Pioneers wait to see where they will play in the “Sweet 16.” But one thing is clear; the long, grueling 36-year wait for Marietta's fans is finally over.

VanderWal said he wanted his team to pay tribute to the 1974-75 team by doing them one better.

“I told the players before the game that we don't want to repeat history, but that we wanted to make history,” he said. “How long is 36 years? I guess I'd put it this way. Thirty-six years is looking out at 10 a.m. and seeing 100 people lined up for tickets in the rain. They wanted to be a part of this and we're glad we didn't let them down.”