Hall of Fame
The 1961-62 team was the first Mayville State University men’s basketball team to go to a national tournament. Not another Mayville State team went until 1996, more than 30 years later. Another highlight for this team was defeating the NDSU Bison in a home game at the new Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on the same night that the Fieldhouse was dedicated on December 16, 1961.
The Comets finished the regular season as district 12 champions and NDIAC runner-up. Valley City State won the NDIAC title, but was ineligible for NAIA play because of a transfer student violation. Mayville State won the opportunity to represent North Dakota in the district playoffs for the second-straight year. They defeated Southern TC Pointers of Springfield, S.D. by a score of 75-59 to earn the trip to nationals. Mayville was defeated by Peru, Nebraska, 90-74, in the first round of the national tournament.
Leading scorer in the national tournament was Tom Iverson with 19 points. Iverson held the record of most points scored by a Mayville State player in a national tournament until 2007 when it was broken by Monty Rogers. It had been tied by Gilby Sanchez in 2006.
The 61-62 team logged a final record of 17-8. They were 16-7 in the regular season and 13-3 in the NDIAC. Team members Doug Eiken and Gil Herbel were named All-NDIAC, Eiken to the first team and Herbel to the second.
