This file photo from May 12, 2017, shows Shepherd University’s Sara Cree Hall in the midst of demolition. Built in 1952, Sara Cree Hall was the Health and Physical Education Building, featuring two basketball courts, a large and small gymnasium, an elaborate swimming pool, classrooms and a health center.

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd was without its all-time leading scorer and best-ever player Dave Russell when it began practicing in friendly Sara Cree Hall for the 1975-1976 basketball season.

Russell and his single-game record of 56 points were gone.

The cupboard was far from bare for long-time coach Bob Starkey.

Rodney Sewell, Mike Philippi, Charlie Rideout, Larry Boomer and Gilbert Allen would comprise the formidable starting lineup. The often-capable list of reserves was headed by Don Stinnette and Chip Reklis, both of whom had their share of games where they scored in double figures.

Oddly enough, the schedule had the Rams beginning what would be a most magical season in Canada. In beating Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier, the Rams scored in bunches as they controlled the fast-moving tempo and scored over 100 points.

Breaching the 100-point mark would happen 10 times during a lengthy season that saw Starkey’s runners win 33 times. And lose just three games, including a verdict to Scranton (Pa.) in the national semifinals of the college-division NCAA Tournament.

Sewell would become the fourth-leading all-time scorer in Shepherd histor. Philippi, Boomer, and Sewell would all three gain entrance into the Shepherd Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rideout was a transfer from George Washington in the Division I ranks of the NCAA. He had an illustrious playing career at North Hagerstown High School.

As the games kept falling into the Shepherd win column, the apparent end-of-the-regular-season script was going to pit them against coach Joe Retton’s Fairmont Falcons, another team that rarely lost.

The Shepherd highlights easily outnumbered the nights when a sizzling scoreboard failed the Rams.

Sewell totaled 36 points in an 88-78 conference win over Alderson-Broaddus. He was one of six scorers in double figures (Sewell, Boomer, Rideout, Allen, Philippi and Reklis). The nation’s leading scorer, Archie Talley, and Salem were tamed 96-85 in a game played in Martinsburg. Shepherd had five players in double figures and they were enough to outshine Talley’s 36 points on 17-of-32 shooting.

Nationally prominent Franklin & Marshall fell 73-62 with Sewell providing 28 points. Sewell’s 33 points led five Rams in double figures in a second win, 101-81, over Salem and Talley’s 26 points.

Morris Harvey (now University of Charleston) couldn’t keep up (losing 93-77) when Sewell, Boomer and Rideout all scored at least 20 points.

Sewell missed only seven shots in a 46-point scoring effort as the Rams topped Concord, 93-82. The Rams defeated Wheeling a second time just before a loss at Fairmont before an estimated 4,600 people.

Sewell’s 29, Rideout’s 27 and Otto Turner’s career high 11 were not enough.

In February, the wins came in rapid-fire fashion and included a blistering 95-90 success versus Bluefield where five players reached double figures, led by Sewell with 24 and Stinnette with 17.

With Sewell making 18 of his 23 shot-attempts and Rideout casting in 20 points, the Rams downed Southeastern, 111-92. Rideout’s 33 led the way to a comfortable 92-69 win against West Liberty.

After a WVIAC tournament loss to Fairmont, the Rams accepted an invitation to compete in the NCAA Division II tournament and played all their games away from the comforts of Cree Hall.

A 77-62 win over Glassboro State (NJ) began the post-season and the next night the Rams rode farther on down the tournament path with a 79-71 win over Monmouth (NJ) where Rideout (20 points), Sewell (18 points) and Philippi (16 points) led the scoring way.

The eventual national champion — Scranton — pushed the Rams reluctantly into the off-season with a late-tournament win.

Shepherd finished with a ringing 33-3 mark. It was the school’s high-water mark for wins in a single season. And it was accomplished after Dave Russell had played his senior season and headed off to France to play professional basketball.