The 1987-1988 Bridgewater College men's basketball team defined the program with an eventful and successful campaign that concluded with a trip to the NCAA tournament.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Leatherman, the team finished in the top spot in the regular season standings with a record of 24-5 (12-2 in conference play) before going on to win the ODAC Tournament. Leatherman was named ODAC Coach of the Year, while Ramsey Yeatts was named ODAC Player of the Year and to the All-ODAC First Team.
The 1987-1988 squad was battle tested, winning three games that went into overtime late in the season and emerging victorious from a record-length four-overtime contest in the ODAC semifinals vs. Roanoke, 96-93. Coming into that game, Roanoke had won 22 consecutive ODAC tournament games and were seven-time conference champions.
The Eagles defeated Emory & Henry, 64-63, to take the ODAC Championship and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA postseason. After traveling to Trenton State College for the first round of the tournament, in which they lost 87-50, Bridgewater concluded its standout season in the consolation game, losing to Stockton State, 72-70.
The 1988 team set numerous team records, including best win percentage, best field goal percentage, best free throw percentage and most wins in a season.
Some of the most accomplished players in Bridgewater men's basketball history took the court for this team, including John Curry and Ramsey Yeatts, along with coaches Bill Leatherman, Carlyle Whitelow and Bobby Stevens, all of whom are in the Bridgewater College Athletic Hall of Fame.
In addition to Yeatts' ODAC accolades, he earned First-Team All American honors from Basketball Times magazine and was named Second-Team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
