HUTCHINSON, Kan.— No. 1 John A. Logan College got off to a strong start in Tuesday's NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Second Round matchup, and it proved to be enough for the tournament's top team to overcome a few runs by the No. 16-seeded Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team in a 105-85 final at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. John A. Logan advances to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Championship with the win, while the Mustangs are eliminated from the tournament with the loss. It was a tough start for the Mustangs, as the Volunteers made a trio of three-pointers in the first two minutes to take a 9-2 lead. With Monroe within nine, the Volunteers went on a 10-0 run to take a 26-7 advantage with 10:51 left in the first half.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/melvin-council-jr-/7123">Melvin Council Jr.</a>&nbsp;later hit a three to get back within 15. The teams began trading baskets, leading to John A. Logan taking a 39-20 lead with 5:50 to play in the half. The Mustangs then began to turn things around, scoring nine straight points to make it a 10-point difference. A three by Logan's Sean Smith pushed the top-seeded team's lead back to 13, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/stefano-faloppa/7132">Stefano Faloppa</a>&nbsp;made from deep, followed by a three from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ziare-wells/7131">Ziare Wells</a>&nbsp;the next time down the court to make it a seven-point game. Elijah Jones produced a three-point play for the Vols to go back up by 10, but Council got to the line and made both of his chances to draw within eight. Quimari Peterson then made Logan's ninth three-pointer of the half with just eight seconds left to send the game to the half with the Volunteers on top, 50-39. The threes were falling both ways early in the second half. Curt Lewis made one to push Logan's lead to 14, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keith-warren-jr-/7126">Keith Warren Jr.</a>&nbsp;responded with a longball of his own to get back within 11. Peterson hit another for the Vols the next time down the court, but Warren made another deep three on the next possession to keep the Volunteers from pulling away.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/hamdel-mohammed/7125">Hamdel Mohammed</a>&nbsp;made 1-of-2 from the line to make it a 10-point game, but the Volunteers scored five points on their next to trips up the court to push their lead to 61-46 with 16:16 on the clock. Warren nailed his third three of the half moments later, but Peterson hit another from the corner to keep the lead at 15 for the Volunteers. Council was fouled on a three, making all three chances to make it a 64-52 game. Sean Smith scored twice in a row for the Vols, but Warren sank yet another three. After a pair of free throws for the Volunteers, Warren stayed hot with his fifth three of the half, but John A. Logan went on a 7-2 run to push the lead to 17. Warren scored another four points as part of a 6-3 stretch for Monroe that made it a 14-point game. James Dent hit a three for the Volunteers, but Council hit one of his own with 8:01 on the clock to keep the difference at 14. The Volunteers built their lead back up to 18 before Wells drained a three for the Mustangs, followed a few possessions later by a layup from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/nikola-danicic/7124">Nikola Danicic</a>&nbsp;that brought the difference down to 13 with 2:54 to go. Logan scored the next five points to go back up by 18. In the final minute, the Volunteers scored seven straight before Wells made a layup for the final bucket of the game, seeing the score go final at 105-85. Council scored a game-high 23 points for the Mustangs in Tuesday's Second-Round matchup, adding seven boards and nine assists to lead the team in all three categories. Warren caught fire in the second half, scoring 19 of his 21 points in the final 20 minutes. Wells finished with 16 points, scoring 11 of those points in the second half as the Mustangs tried to make a comeback. The Mustangs' season comes to an end with an outstanding 29-5 overall record, their best winning percentage (.853) since going 33-4 (.892) in 2011-12. Monroe's First-Round victory over No. 17 South Georgia State College on Monday was their first NJCAA Tournament appearance and victory since the 2017 tournament. The Mustangs earned their way to the 2023 NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship after winning the 2023 East District Championship for the second time in their past three seasons. ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/">www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com</a>&nbsp;or follow us on social media: Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/monroeathletics">Monroe Mustangs Athletics</a>), Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/Monroe_Mustangs">@Monroe_Mustangs</a>) and Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/monroemustangs/">@monroemustangs</a>).<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/news/2023/3/21/mens-basketball-no-16-monroe-mustangs-mens-basketball-defeated-in-njcaa-second-round-by-top-seeded-john-a-logan.aspx?print=true">Print Friendly Version</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679485878611.jpeg" alt="Monroe eliminated from NJCAA 2nd round" />
 <figcaption>Monroe eliminated from NJCAA 2nd round</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.— No. 1 John A. Logan College got off to a strong start in Tuesday's NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Second Round matchup, and it proved to be enough for the tournament's top team to overcome a few runs by the No. 16-seeded Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team in a 105-85 final at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. John A. Logan advances to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Championship with the win, while the Mustangs are eliminated from the tournament with the loss. It was a tough start for the Mustangs, as the Volunteers made a trio of three-pointers in the first two minutes to take a 9-2 lead. With Monroe within nine, the Volunteers went on a 10-0 run to take a 26-7 advantage with 10:51 left in the first half.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/melvin-council-jr-/7123">Melvin Council Jr.</a>&nbsp;later hit a three to get back within 15. The teams began trading baskets, leading to John A. Logan taking a 39-20 lead with 5:50 to play in the half. The Mustangs then began to turn things around, scoring nine straight points to make it a 10-point difference. A three by Logan's Sean Smith pushed the top-seeded team's lead back to 13, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/stefano-faloppa/7132">Stefano Faloppa</a>&nbsp;made from deep, followed by a three from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ziare-wells/7131">Ziare Wells</a>&nbsp;the next time down the court to make it a seven-point game. Elijah Jones produced a three-point play for the Vols to go back up by 10, but Council got to the line and made both of his chances to draw within eight. Quimari Peterson then made Logan's ninth three-pointer of the half with just eight seconds left to send the game to the half with the Volunteers on top, 50-39. The threes were falling both ways early in the second half. Curt Lewis made one to push Logan's lead to 14, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keith-warren-jr-/7126">Keith Warren Jr.</a>&nbsp;responded with a longball of his own to get back within 11. Peterson hit another for the Vols the next time down the court, but Warren made another deep three on the next possession to keep the Volunteers from pulling away.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/hamdel-mohammed/7125">Hamdel Mohammed</a>&nbsp;made 1-of-2 from the line to make it a 10-point game, but the Volunteers scored five points on their next to trips up the court to push their lead to 61-46 with 16:16 on the clock. Warren nailed his third three of the half moments later, but Peterson hit another from the corner to keep the lead at 15 for the Volunteers. Council was fouled on a three, making all three chances to make it a 64-52 game. Sean Smith scored twice in a row for the Vols, but Warren sank yet another three. After a pair of free throws for the Volunteers, Warren stayed hot with his fifth three of the half, but John A. Logan went on a 7-2 run to push the lead to 17. Warren scored another four points as part of a 6-3 stretch for Monroe that made it a 14-point game. James Dent hit a three for the Volunteers, but Council hit one of his own with 8:01 on the clock to keep the difference at 14. The Volunteers built their lead back up to 18 before Wells drained a three for the Mustangs, followed a few possessions later by a layup from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/nikola-danicic/7124">Nikola Danicic</a>&nbsp;that brought the difference down to 13 with 2:54 to go. Logan scored the next five points to go back up by 18. In the final minute, the Volunteers scored seven straight before Wells made a layup for the final bucket of the game, seeing the score go final at 105-85. Council scored a game-high 23 points for the Mustangs in Tuesday's Second-Round matchup, adding seven boards and nine assists to lead the team in all three categories. Warren caught fire in the second half, scoring 19 of his 21 points in the final 20 minutes. Wells finished with 16 points, scoring 11 of those points in the second half as the Mustangs tried to make a comeback. The Mustangs' season comes to an end with an outstanding 29-5 overall record, their best winning percentage (.853) since going 33-4 (.892) in 2011-12. Monroe's First-Round victory over No. 17 South Georgia State College on Monday was their first NJCAA Tournament appearance and victory since the 2017 tournament. The Mustangs earned their way to the 2023 NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship after winning the 2023 East District Championship for the second time in their past three seasons. ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/">www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com</a>&nbsp;or follow us on social media: Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/monroeathletics">Monroe Mustangs Athletics</a>), Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/Monroe_Mustangs">@Monroe_Mustangs</a>) and Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/monroemustangs/">@monroemustangs</a>).<a href="https://www.monroecollegemustangs.com/news/2023/3/21/mens-basketball-no-16-monroe-mustangs-mens-basketball-defeated-in-njcaa-second-round-by-top-seeded-john-a-logan.aspx?print=true">Print Friendly Version</a>

🏀NJCAA Tourney: No. 1 John A Logan rolls past Monroe College in secound round

ENID, Oklahoma – The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’ golf team shot a team tournament-low round of 5-over 289 on Tuesday and came back from a small opening-round deficit to win the Oakwood Intercollegiate at the Par-71 Oakwood Country Club.

Still playing in very windy conditions on Tuesday, the Blue Dragons won their second-straight tournament with a 36-hole total of 601. The Dragons trailed Garden City and Southwestern Christian University by a single stroke heading into the final round.

Dodge City shot 293 on Tuesday to finish second in the team title chase five strokes behind the Blue Dragons at 606. Southwestern Christian was third at 613 and Garden City was fourth at 615.

The Blue Dragons finished strong with the four players who figured in the scoring for round two – Dominic Clemons, Blake Saffell, Alex Lindstrom and Marco Anderson, played a collective eight-under par – nine birdies and one bogey – over the final six holes.

Clemons wound up tied for fifth, a jump of 10 spots from the opening round. After a season-high 78 on Monday, Clemons shot even-par 71 on Tuesday and finished tied with Dodge City’s Cole Streck at 149.

Saffell moved up eight spots in the final standings to a tie for seventh place. After dropping three strokes with a double bogey and bogey on Nos. 11 and 12, Saffell kept his round together with birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 to close at 1-over 72 and finished at 150 for the tournament.

Anderson improved seven strokes from his first round with a 1-over 72 on Tuesday. Alex Lindstrom improved three strokes to a 74. Anderson and Lindstrom tied for 11th at 151.

Louis Galvin improved seven shots and fired a 75 on Tuesday and tied for 38th at 157.

Individual player Kalle Svederman carded an 80 and finished tied for 53rd at 161.

Iowa Western, a District III rival of the Blue Dragons, finished seventh in the team standings at 621. Garden City’s Anthony DeSchuter won the individual title by three strokes at 145 with rounds of 71 and 74.

The Blue Dragons open the Jayhawk Conference season next Monday and Tuesday at Jayhawk No. 1 at Colbert Hills Country Club in Manhattan.

HutchCC Sports InformationENID, Oklahoma – The No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’ golf team shot a team tournament-low round of 5-over 289 on Tuesday and came back from a small opening-round deficit to win the Oakwood Intercollegiate at the Par-71 Oakwood Country Club.Still playing in very windy conditions on Tuesday, the Blue Dragons won their second-straight tournament with a 36-hole total of 601. The Dragons trailed Garden City and Southwestern Christian University by a single stroke heading into the final round.Dodge City shot 293 on Tuesday to finish second in the team title chase five strokes behind the Blue Dragons at 606. Southwestern Christian was third at 613 and Garden City was fourth at 615.The Blue Dragons finished strong with the four players who figured in the scoring for round two – Dominic Clemons, Blake Saffell, Alex Lindstrom and Marco Anderson, played a collective eight-under par – nine birdies and one bogey – over the final six holes.Clemons wound up tied for fifth, a jump of 10 spots from the opening round. After a season-high 78 on Monday, Clemons shot even-par 71 on Tuesday and finished tied with Dodge City’s Cole Streck at 149.Saffell moved up eight spots in the final standings to a tie for seventh place. After dropping three strokes with a double bogey and bogey on Nos. 11 and 12, Saffell kept his round together with birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 to close at 1-over 72 and finished at 150 for the tournament.Anderson improved seven strokes from his first round with a 1-over 72 on Tuesday. Alex Lindstrom improved three strokes to a 74. Anderson and Lindstrom tied for 11th at 151.Louis Galvin improved seven shots and fired a 75 on Tuesday and tied for 38th at 157.Individual player Kalle Svederman carded an 80 and finished tied for 53rd at 161.Iowa Western, a District III rival of the Blue Dragons, finished seventh in the team standings at 621. Garden City’s Anthony DeSchuter won the individual title by three strokes at 145 with rounds of 71 and 74.The Blue Dragons open the Jayhawk Conference season next Monday and Tuesday at Jayhawk No. 1 at Colbert Hills Country Club in Manhattan.

🏌️ HutchCC golf rallies to win Tuesday

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/robinson_mykell_fl1f">Mykell Robinson</a>&nbsp;knocked down two free throws with 19 seconds left in regulation on Tuesday afternoon and lifted the Ranger College men's basketball team to a 78-75 victory over Seminole State College in the opening round of the 2023 NJCAA Men's Division I National Basketball Championships.

Robinson's free throw was part of a 41-point second-half performance by Ranger that broke open a 37-37 halftime deadlock.

With the win, Ranger College improved to 27-7 overall and, more importantly advanced to the second round of the tournament for the fourth time in the past five years. The Rangers will face fourth-seeded Indian Hills at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/conerway_tayton_webm">Tayton Conerway</a>&nbsp;led all RC scorers in the win over Seminole State by throwing in 24 points. Robinson added 18 more, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/comer_b.j._9z4q">B.J. Comer</a>&nbsp;chipped in 13.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/robinson_mykell_fl1f">Mykell Robinson</a>&nbsp;knocked down two free throws with 19 seconds left in regulation on Tuesday afternoon and lifted the Ranger College men's basketball team to a 78-75 victory over Seminole State College in the opening round of the 2023 NJCAA Men's Division I National Basketball Championships.Robinson's free throw was part of a 41-point second-half performance by Ranger that broke open a 37-37 halftime deadlock.With the win, Ranger College improved to 27-7 overall and, more importantly advanced to the second round of the tournament for the fourth time in the past five years. The Rangers will face fourth-seeded Indian Hills at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/conerway_tayton_webm">Tayton Conerway</a>&nbsp;led all RC scorers in the win over Seminole State by throwing in 24 points. Robinson added 18 more, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rangersports.net/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/comer_b.j._9z4q">B.J. Comer</a>&nbsp;chipped in 13.

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Ranger College advance to second round with win over Seminole State

By DAVE SKRETTA Associated Press

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jerome Tang was tearing around his property on
 an unseasonably warm spring day not long ago, just before Kansas State 
headed down Interstate 70 for the Big 12 Tournament, when he noticed his
 four-wheeler was running out of fuel.

So, the Wildcats' coach did
 what anyone would do in a small town: He steered that bad boy onto the 
road, conveniently forgetting that it wasn't exactly street legal, and 
headed off for the service station.

“So I'm zooming down and the 
college kids are outside. They're hollering at you, happy to see you. I 
mean, how great is that?" Tang recalled. “My wife was upset. She's like,
 'You're going to get arrested. It's going to be on the news!'”

Tang glances around furtively, his ever-present smile growing just a bit wider.

“I can't, like, get in trouble for something that already happened, right?”

Not these days. Not in Manhattan, Kansas.

One
 year after taking over a downtrodden program coming off three straight 
losing seasons, Tang and his upstart Wildcats are preparing to play 
Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. They've <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kentucky-kansas-state-e0f322d3422ce45e56ec92d210ea55d8">already taken down mighty Kentucky</a> and its roster of NBA prospects, and now they will face Tom Izzo and the Spartans — a program synonymous with <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> success — under the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">bright lights of Madison Square Garden</a>.

The
 fan apathy that reached a nadir last spring? Forgotten after eight 
straight sellouts to end the regular season. Chants of “Eff K-U” during 
home games, the epitome of a long-standing inferiority complex toward 
their bitter rival, replaced by pride-filled shouts of “K-S-U,” much to 
the relief of a coach who demands 10 pushups every time his players 
swear.

This is a coach who can be found posted up on a purple sofa
 delivered to random spots around campus, from dining halls to the 
engineering building, so that he can chat with students going about 
their everyday lives.

“I mean, I'm just happy to see Coach Tang and our team having so much success,” says <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kentucky-kansas-state-e0f322d3422ce45e56ec92d210ea55d8">Markquis Nowell, their All-American guard.</a> “He's the reason we play with so much love and joy. And you know, we still have a lot to prove.”

Tang
 kept using the term “elevate” when he was hired to replace Bruce Weber a
 year ago. But not even the longtime Baylor assistant could imagine how 
quickly, and how high, <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1637614896367140864?s=20">he would have the Wildcats soaring.</a>

“We
 surpassed the epectations I had,” Tang said in a wide-ranging interview
 with The Associated Press. “But like, you don't enjoy this, you 
shouldn't be doing it, right? Our guys, our young people, our community 
deserves to have someone that really appreciates them and desires to be 
around them. They deserve this.”

The first thing to understand 
about Tang's winding road to the heartland of America is fortunate to be
 here. Not here, as in Kansas State. Here, as in alive.

Born in 
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, Tang moved to St. Croix with his 
mother and three siblings while his father chased work in the oil 
industry. He was about 5 years old and playing marbles beneath a car in 
his aunt's driveway when his cousin, not knowing he was there, got 
behind the wheel and drove away.

“Drove right over him,” remembers Tang's older sister, Kim. “He's lucky. He was in the hospital for weeks.”

Perhaps
 that brush with death somehow infused in Tang his profoundly deep faith
 — “I believe my gift is ministry,” he explains, “and my passion just 
happens to be basketball." Or perhaps it somehow led to a 
preternaturally optimistic outlook on life, which has served him well as
 he tries to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-sports-manhattan-mens-college-basketball-texas-8d2a90d1813be03b4a5a9d91f69c28f0">resurrect Kansas State's basketball program</a>.

“He treats people the right way,” says Baylor coach Scott Drew, his longtime friend. “He just always sees the good in people.”

Tang
 grew up playing cricket and soccer, and when his family moved to the 
Houston area, it became baseball and football — this was Texas, after 
all. But in 1979, while watching Magic Johnson and Michigan State beat 
Larry Bird and Indiana State in the title game that truly gave birth to 
March Madness, Tang fell in love with basketball.

It
 was a bible scholarship that got him to North Central College. He later
 attended junior college before dropping out, partly because of money, 
partly due to immaturity. (He would earn his degree from Charter Oak 
State College years later.)

Tang returned to Texas, intent on 
becoming a youth pastor. But when the founder of Heritage Christian 
Academy, Dr. Jennifer Cooper, was searching for a basketball coach, she 
turned to Mike Allard, Tang's own youth pastor at Green’s Bayou Assembly
 of God. He recommended this energetic kid with a devout faith in both 
Jesus and basketball.

“We drove around in, like, a Cheech-and-Chong van to get places,” Tang says. “It was the best place in the world.”

Tang
 soon built the small school into a national power, pumping out 
prospects such as Von Wafer, who played at Florida State and in the NBA.
 And he was still there in 2002 when Drew was hired to clean up <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-football-nfl-business-mens-college-basketball-bd83e9e43e464016b6e29d6d9ec98818">an inconceivable mess at Baylor.</a>

Drew
 needed someone with an unflinchingly positive attitude who could 
recruit in Texas, and over dinner one night, Tang won him over, earning a
 job that Drew had very nearly given to someone else.

Nearly two 
decades later, inside a quiet football stadium at the end of an NCAA 
Tournament played entirely inside a COVID-19 bubble, Drew and Tang 
celebrated the Bears <a href="https://apnews.com/article/baylor-win-defeat-gonzaga-1st-ncaa-basketball-championship-1d53c12b04f50a9ea50110e787cc6567">winning the 2021 national championship</a>.

“Scott
 allowed us to make mistakes,” says Tang, who has Drew's book, “The Road
 to Joy,” prominently displayed above his otherwise haphazard desk. “I 
mean, we were young, so we could make mistakes. And sometimes in this 
business, you're not allowed to make mistakes. I'll never be able to 
thank him for that.”

Gene Taylor remembers a moment last year when
 the Wildcats still had just five players on their roster, and he was 
rightfully nervous. The athletic director had hired Tang after a pair of
 lengthy linterviews, one in Kansas City and one at Tang's home in Waco,
 Texas, and entrusted him with a program long on tradition but short on 
recent success.

“I asked, ‘Are we OK?’” Taylor recalled, "and he said, ‘Gene, we're fine. I don’t just want guys; I want the right guys.'”

The right guys turned out to be a motley crew carefully assembled during that hot summer in the Flint Hills.

Nowell
 is the 5-foot-8 sparkplug that Kentucky coach John Calipari couldn't 
get himself to call by name — “That little guy,” coach Cal said — after 
he'd minced up his own Wildcats in last weekend's second-round tourney 
game.

Keyontae Johnson, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-all-america-mens-basketball-team-2ab037abcde5157ad840f7dcd22cc8a4">voted an All-American alongside Nowell</a>,
 was playing for Florida when he collapsed on the court during a game in
 December 2020. Most schools were unwilling to clear Johnson to play, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-florida-gators-kansas-top-25-college-basketball-today-keyontae-johnson-6b738fc1685d1e9fdfade4e2a1afc6be">due to his underlying heart condition</a>, but Tang was willing to take every step and precaution necessary to get him back on the court.

Cam
 Carter came from Mississippi State, David N'Guessan from Virginia Tech.
 Desi Sills arrived from Arkansas State, Abayomi Iyiola from Hofstra. 
Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who never even played basketball in high school, signed
 out of junior college, and a pair of freshmen were sold on Tang's 
unwavering vision for the future.

“Nobody," Kansas coach Bill Self said, “has done a better job of assembling talent in a short amount of time.”

Picked
 to finish last in the Big 12, the Wildcats finished third. The reward 
was a No. 3 seed in March Madness, where the Wildcats <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kansas-state-montana-state-c73a1a3cad7f67d1db2b315deb5917eb">knocked off Montana State</a> in the first round before toppling Kentucky last weekend.

Now, they're just two more wins away from their first Final Four in nearly 50 years.

“I
 like doing first stuff, you know?” Tang says, leaning forward in a 
purple wingback chair in the corner of his office, where boxes still 
remain unpacked a year after moving in. “Players, you ask them, do you 
remember your first dunk? They all remember their first dunk. Do you 
remember your third dunk? They don’t. Do you remember your first 
girlfriend? My first girlfriend was Pam Hubbard. My last was Careylyen, 
and I married her.

“You remember your firsts and your lasts,” Tang says, "and I like firsts.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679420939010.jpeg" alt="Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang celebrates with members of the pep band after defeating Kentucky in a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang celebrates with members of the pep band after defeating Kentucky in a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Greensboro, N.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA Associated PressMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jerome Tang was tearing around his property on
 an unseasonably warm spring day not long ago, just before Kansas State 
headed down Interstate 70 for the Big 12 Tournament, when he noticed his
 four-wheeler was running out of fuel.So, the Wildcats' coach did
 what anyone would do in a small town: He steered that bad boy onto the 
road, conveniently forgetting that it wasn't exactly street legal, and 
headed off for the service station.“So I'm zooming down and the 
college kids are outside. They're hollering at you, happy to see you. I 
mean, how great is that?" Tang recalled. “My wife was upset. She's like,
 'You're going to get arrested. It's going to be on the news!'”Tang glances around furtively, his ever-present smile growing just a bit wider.“I can't, like, get in trouble for something that already happened, right?”Not these days. Not in Manhattan, Kansas.One
 year after taking over a downtrodden program coming off three straight 
losing seasons, Tang and his upstart Wildcats are preparing to play 
Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. They've <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kentucky-kansas-state-e0f322d3422ce45e56ec92d210ea55d8">already taken down mighty Kentucky</a> and its roster of NBA prospects, and now they will face Tom Izzo and the Spartans — a program synonymous with <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> success — under the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">bright lights of Madison Square Garden</a>.The
 fan apathy that reached a nadir last spring? Forgotten after eight 
straight sellouts to end the regular season. Chants of “Eff K-U” during 
home games, the epitome of a long-standing inferiority complex toward 
their bitter rival, replaced by pride-filled shouts of “K-S-U,” much to 
the relief of a coach who demands 10 pushups every time his players 
swear.This is a coach who can be found posted up on a purple sofa
 delivered to random spots around campus, from dining halls to the 
engineering building, so that he can chat with students going about 
their everyday lives.“I mean, I'm just happy to see Coach Tang and our team having so much success,” says <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kentucky-kansas-state-e0f322d3422ce45e56ec92d210ea55d8">Markquis Nowell, their All-American guard.</a> “He's the reason we play with so much love and joy. And you know, we still have a lot to prove.”Tang
 kept using the term “elevate” when he was hired to replace Bruce Weber a
 year ago. But not even the longtime Baylor assistant could imagine how 
quickly, and how high, <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1637614896367140864?s=20">he would have the Wildcats soaring.</a>“We
 surpassed the epectations I had,” Tang said in a wide-ranging interview
 with The Associated Press. “But like, you don't enjoy this, you 
shouldn't be doing it, right? Our guys, our young people, our community 
deserves to have someone that really appreciates them and desires to be 
around them. They deserve this.”The first thing to understand 
about Tang's winding road to the heartland of America is fortunate to be
 here. Not here, as in Kansas State. Here, as in alive.Born in 
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, Tang moved to St. Croix with his 
mother and three siblings while his father chased work in the oil 
industry. He was about 5 years old and playing marbles beneath a car in 
his aunt's driveway when his cousin, not knowing he was there, got 
behind the wheel and drove away.“Drove right over him,” remembers Tang's older sister, Kim. “He's lucky. He was in the hospital for weeks.”Perhaps
 that brush with death somehow infused in Tang his profoundly deep faith
 — “I believe my gift is ministry,” he explains, “and my passion just 
happens to be basketball." Or perhaps it somehow led to a 
preternaturally optimistic outlook on life, which has served him well as
 he tries to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-sports-manhattan-mens-college-basketball-texas-8d2a90d1813be03b4a5a9d91f69c28f0">resurrect Kansas State's basketball program</a>.“He treats people the right way,” says Baylor coach Scott Drew, his longtime friend. “He just always sees the good in people.”Tang
 grew up playing cricket and soccer, and when his family moved to the 
Houston area, it became baseball and football — this was Texas, after 
all. But in 1979, while watching Magic Johnson and Michigan State beat 
Larry Bird and Indiana State in the title game that truly gave birth to 
March Madness, Tang fell in love with basketball.Except, well, he wasn't very good.It
 was a bible scholarship that got him to North Central College. He later
 attended junior college before dropping out, partly because of money, 
partly due to immaturity. (He would earn his degree from Charter Oak 
State College years later.)Tang returned to Texas, intent on 
becoming a youth pastor. But when the founder of Heritage Christian 
Academy, Dr. Jennifer Cooper, was searching for a basketball coach, she 
turned to Mike Allard, Tang's own youth pastor at Green’s Bayou Assembly
 of God. He recommended this energetic kid with a devout faith in both 
Jesus and basketball.“We drove around in, like, a Cheech-and-Chong van to get places,” Tang says. “It was the best place in the world.”Tang
 soon built the small school into a national power, pumping out 
prospects such as Von Wafer, who played at Florida State and in the NBA.
 And he was still there in 2002 when Drew was hired to clean up <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-football-nfl-business-mens-college-basketball-bd83e9e43e464016b6e29d6d9ec98818">an inconceivable mess at Baylor.</a>Drew
 needed someone with an unflinchingly positive attitude who could 
recruit in Texas, and over dinner one night, Tang won him over, earning a
 job that Drew had very nearly given to someone else.Nearly two 
decades later, inside a quiet football stadium at the end of an NCAA 
Tournament played entirely inside a COVID-19 bubble, Drew and Tang 
celebrated the Bears <a href="https://apnews.com/article/baylor-win-defeat-gonzaga-1st-ncaa-basketball-championship-1d53c12b04f50a9ea50110e787cc6567">winning the 2021 national championship</a>.“Scott
 allowed us to make mistakes,” says Tang, who has Drew's book, “The Road
 to Joy,” prominently displayed above his otherwise haphazard desk. “I 
mean, we were young, so we could make mistakes. And sometimes in this 
business, you're not allowed to make mistakes. I'll never be able to 
thank him for that.”Gene Taylor remembers a moment last year when
 the Wildcats still had just five players on their roster, and he was 
rightfully nervous. The athletic director had hired Tang after a pair of
 lengthy linterviews, one in Kansas City and one at Tang's home in Waco,
 Texas, and entrusted him with a program long on tradition but short on 
recent success.“I asked, ‘Are we OK?’” Taylor recalled, "and he said, ‘Gene, we're fine. I don’t just want guys; I want the right guys.'”The right guys turned out to be a motley crew carefully assembled during that hot summer in the Flint Hills.Nowell
 is the 5-foot-8 sparkplug that Kentucky coach John Calipari couldn't 
get himself to call by name — “That little guy,” coach Cal said — after 
he'd minced up his own Wildcats in last weekend's second-round tourney 
game.Keyontae Johnson, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-all-america-mens-basketball-team-2ab037abcde5157ad840f7dcd22cc8a4">voted an All-American alongside Nowell</a>,
 was playing for Florida when he collapsed on the court during a game in
 December 2020. Most schools were unwilling to clear Johnson to play, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-florida-gators-kansas-top-25-college-basketball-today-keyontae-johnson-6b738fc1685d1e9fdfade4e2a1afc6be">due to his underlying heart condition</a>, but Tang was willing to take every step and precaution necessary to get him back on the court.Cam
 Carter came from Mississippi State, David N'Guessan from Virginia Tech.
 Desi Sills arrived from Arkansas State, Abayomi Iyiola from Hofstra. 
Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who never even played basketball in high school, signed
 out of junior college, and a pair of freshmen were sold on Tang's 
unwavering vision for the future.“Nobody," Kansas coach Bill Self said, “has done a better job of assembling talent in a short amount of time.”Picked
 to finish last in the Big 12, the Wildcats finished third. The reward 
was a No. 3 seed in March Madness, where the Wildcats <a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kansas-state-montana-state-c73a1a3cad7f67d1db2b315deb5917eb">knocked off Montana State</a> in the first round before toppling Kentucky last weekend.Now, they're just two more wins away from their first Final Four in nearly 50 years.“I
 like doing first stuff, you know?” Tang says, leaning forward in a 
purple wingback chair in the corner of his office, where boxes still 
remain unpacked a year after moving in. “Players, you ask them, do you 
remember your first dunk? They all remember their first dunk. Do you 
remember your third dunk? They don’t. Do you remember your first 
girlfriend? My first girlfriend was Pam Hubbard. My last was Careylyen, 
and I married her.“You remember your firsts and your lasts,” Tang says, "and I like firsts.”

🏀 Jerome Tang has rising Kansas State feeling sweet again

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Midland College men’s basketball head coach Tra Arnold just asked his Chaparrals to be themselves at the NJCAA National Tournament this week.

The No. 8-seed Chaps did just that as they relied on defending and rebounding to defeat No. 9-seed Chipola College, 69-55, in second round action on Tuesday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Doug Young led the Chaps with a game-high 21 points, Keonte Jones had a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Brison Waller had 13.

MC (28-6) advances to face No. 1 John A. Logan College in the quarterfinal round at noon Thursday. John A. Logan advanced after a 105-85 victory earlier on Tuesday.

The Chaps only had a 35-32 lead at the half thanks in part to a 3-pointer made at the buzzer by Young.

MC held the lead throughout the second half and was able push it to 10 points midway through the half.

After the Indians (29-5) pulled to within 55-51 with 5:53 remaining, MC’s defense helped the Chaps to pull away down the stretch.

“At this time of year, it’s about rebounding and guarding well,” Arnold said. “I thought we did a good job of guarding the 3-point line. We had to go up against a match-up zone and we were able to make some good adjustments and the guys made some shots. We fed off our defense.

“After being in the game at the half, the guys stuck to what our game plan was. They made some shots, rebounded and defended.”

Chipola was held to 34% shooting from the floor and was just 3 of 14 from 3-point range. MC also had a 42-32 advantage on the boards.

Jamil Safieddine led Chipola with 17 points and Zach Bell added 13.

Arnold said he did not see much of John A. Logan but knows it’s a pretty good team and added that there are no weak teams left at this point of the tournament.

“We’ll switch some things here and there but nothing major,” he said. “We just need to get the guys ready to perform on Thursday. Survive and advance is what matters at this time of year.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670356189381.jpeg" alt="njcaa basketball 2nd round" />
 <figcaption>njcaa basketball 2nd round</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Midland College men’s basketball head coach Tra Arnold just asked his Chaparrals to be themselves at the NJCAA National Tournament this week.The No. 8-seed Chaps did just that as they relied on defending and rebounding to defeat No. 9-seed Chipola College, 69-55, in second round action on Tuesday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.Doug Young led the Chaps with a game-high 21 points, Keonte Jones had a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Brison Waller had 13.MC (28-6) advances to face No. 1 John A. Logan College in the quarterfinal round at noon Thursday. John A. Logan advanced after a 105-85 victory earlier on Tuesday.The Chaps only had a 35-32 lead at the half thanks in part to a 3-pointer made at the buzzer by Young.MC held the lead throughout the second half and was able push it to 10 points midway through the half.After the Indians (29-5) pulled to within 55-51 with 5:53 remaining, MC’s defense helped the Chaps to pull away down the stretch.“At this time of year, it’s about rebounding and guarding well,” Arnold said. “I thought we did a good job of guarding the 3-point line. We had to go up against a match-up zone and we were able to make some good adjustments and the guys made some shots. We fed off our defense.“After being in the game at the half, the guys stuck to what our game plan was. They made some shots, rebounded and defended.”Chipola was held to 34% shooting from the floor and was just 3 of 14 from 3-point range. MC also had a 42-32 advantage on the boards.Jamil Safieddine led Chipola with 17 points and Zach Bell added 13.Arnold said he did not see much of John A. Logan but knows it’s a pretty good team and added that there are no weak teams left at this point of the tournament.“We’ll switch some things here and there but nothing major,” he said. “We just need to get the guys ready to perform on Thursday. Survive and advance is what matters at this time of year.”

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Midland pull away from Chipola for second-round win

HUTCHINSON, Kan.-All five starters were in double-figures as Southeastern rolled past Snead State 75-49 in the opening round of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. The Blackhawks raced out to an early 13-2 lead in the opening minutes, only to have the lead shrink to 35-31 at Halftime. In the second half, the defense locked down Snead holding them to 5-30 shooting and outscoring the Parsons 40-18 in the second half to cruise to victory.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccblackhawks.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/deang_deng_juye">Deng Deang</a>&nbsp;led SCC with 19, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccblackhawks.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/searles_jaylen_0v7a">Jaylen Searles</a>&nbsp;chipped in 15. The Blackhawks advance to play #3 seed Odessa at 6pm at Hutchinson Sports Arena on Wednesday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679459510682.jpeg" alt="SCC_vs_Snead_State_NJCAA_Tournament" />
 <figcaption>SCC_vs_Snead_State_NJCAA_Tournament</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.-All five starters were in double-figures as Southeastern rolled past Snead State 75-49 in the opening round of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. The Blackhawks raced out to an early 13-2 lead in the opening minutes, only to have the lead shrink to 35-31 at Halftime. In the second half, the defense locked down Snead holding them to 5-30 shooting and outscoring the Parsons 40-18 in the second half to cruise to victory.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccblackhawks.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/deang_deng_juye">Deng Deang</a>&nbsp;led SCC with 19, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccblackhawks.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/searles_jaylen_0v7a">Jaylen Searles</a>&nbsp;chipped in 15. The Blackhawks advance to play #3 seed Odessa at 6pm at Hutchinson Sports Arena on Wednesday.&nbsp;

🏀 MBB: Southeastern CC Blackhawks run past Snead State to advance in NJCAA Tournament

MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;K-State (18-16) will continue its Postseason WNIT journey on Tuesday, as the Wildcats host Wyoming (23-10) in the second round at 6 p.m., in Bramlage Coliseum. • Tuesday's game airs on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Jazsmin Halliburton (sideline) will have the call. Starting 5 Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State WBB 1. Wildcats in the WNIT • K-State is 17-5 in its seven appearances in the Postseason WNIT. The Wildcats have reached the semifinals of the Postseason WNIT three times, which included winning the title in 2006. 2. 500 Free Throws/250 Three-Pointers&nbsp; • K-State is one of three teams in the nation (Arkansas &amp; Middle Tennessee) this season with 500 or more free throws made and 250 or more 3-point field goals made. This is the sixth time since 2009-10 in which a Big 12 school achieved these numbers in a season. 3. K-State Sets Free Throw Record • The Wildcats have set the school record for free throws made in a season with 547. K-State is one of eight teams in the nation with 500 or more made free throws this season and ranks second. 4. 20x5 From Long Range • K-State has registered the third season in program history with five or more Wildcats with 20 or more 3-point field goals made in a season (2002-03 &amp; 2009-10). 5. Glenn Sees Double-Double • Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;became the sixth Wildcat to register a double-double in a Postseason WNIT game, as she notched 13 points and 11 rebounds against Wichita State. This was Glenn's third double-double of the season and tied her career-high for rebounds. Number to Know 2,405 • K-State has recorded 2,405 points this season, the sixth time in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era in which the Wildcats scored 2,000 or more points in a season.&nbsp; • K-State's point total this season ranks 11th in program history and the most under Mittie. • The 2,405 points this season marks the first time since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons in which K-State tallied consecutive seasons with 2,000 or more points. At a Glance: Wyoming • Wyoming (23-10, 13-5 Mountain West) enters Thursday's Potseason WNIT second round game following a 75-41 win over Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi. • Wyoming is guided on the sideline by first-year head coach Heather Ezell. The 2009 graduate of Iowa State had spent the past seven seasons with the Cowgirl coaching staff, including the last three as the associate head coach. • The Cowgirls feature three players averaging double figures led by the by sophomore center Allyson Fertig and graduate student guard Quinn Weidemann. • Fertig, a 2023 All-Mountain West Conference Team selection, is averaging 13.4 points per game and 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks this season. • Weidemann, also a 2023 All-MWC recipient and MWC All-Defensive Team member, is averaging 11.2 points and 2.4 assists.&nbsp; Last Time Out at K-State 90, Wichita State 56 (March 16, 2023; Manhattan, Kan.) • K-State opened its 2023 Postseason WNIT by setting the school record for points scored and margin of victory (34). • The Wildcats improved to 17-5 all-time in the WNIT. • Four Wildcats reached double figures led by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;with 16 points and seven assists while sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;achieved her third career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. K-State Top-20 in NCAA History for Wins • K-State is in its 55th season of action and ranks among the top programs in NCAA history for all-time wins. • K-State's all-time record stands at 1,016-655 (.608) and the Wildcats entered the 2022-23 season ranked 19th in NCAA Division I women's basketball history for program wins. The Wildcats were the 19th program in NCAA Division I history to reach 1,000 or more wins as a program and the third among the Big 12 (Texas, Baylor). K-State is averaging 18.5 wins per season. • Kansas State is one of four teams in the nation to be guided by an active head coach with 600 or more career wins and the program has surpassed the 1,000-win mark (Stanford, UConn, NC State).&nbsp; • The Wildcats have accumulated 26 20-win seasons and have secured 379 victories inside Bramlage Coliseum.&nbsp; • K-State has 219 wins in the Big 12 Conference. • Kansas State has registered 226 victories when they were ranked in the Associated Press top-25 poll and achieved 87 wins against teams ranked in the AP poll. Wildcats With 375+ Wins in Bramlage • K-State is 379-154 (.711) all-time inside Bramlage Coliseum, which is in its 35th season of existence. • The Wildcats own a 14-4 record at home this season and tied the longest home-court winning streak in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era to open the season with nine wins. • This is the 32nd time in program history that the Wildcats reached double figures in home victories. It marked the 24th season K-State has won 10 or more games in Bramlage. • Over the last two seasons, K-State is 28-7 in home contests. The 28 wins are tied for the most in the Mittie era over a two-season span. • In the 2021-22 season K-State finished with a 14-3 (.824) mark at home. The 14 home wins were the most since the 2016-17 season (14-4). The winning percentage of .824 was the highest since the 2010-11 season (.867; 13-2). • In his career in games played in his home venue, Mittie is 382-111 (.775) including an 109-46 (.703) record at K-State. • Kansas State has protected Bramlage Coliseum with determination against non-conference foes with a record of 220-29 (.884) with an active 20-game winning streak against non-con opponents. Mittie is 66-8 (.892) in non-conference games in Bramlage Coliseum. Halftime Lead = K-State 'W' • Since the 2001-02 season, K-State is 354-49 (.878) when leading at the break, including an 15-0 record this season. • K-State is 128-16 (.889) when leading at the break under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>. • Since the start of the 2007-08 season, K-State is 259-17 (.938) when leading with five minutes to play including a 143-6 (.960) record under Mittie. Magic Number is 70 Points • Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 91-18 (.835) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. • K-State is averaging 70.7 points per game this season on a .404 field goal percentage. The 70.7 points per game this season is the highest since K-State averaged 71.4 in the 2004-05 season. • K-State's points per 100 possessions this season stands at 95.2, is the fourth-highest for the program since the 2009-10 season. • The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in a game 20 times (15-5) including a season-high 93 against Northern Arizona on Nov. 25 during the Paradise Jam.&nbsp; • The 20 games with 70 or more points scored are the most in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era and the highest since the 2003-04 season when the Wildcats registered 20 games with 70 or more points. • Kansas State opened the 2022-23 season with seven straight games of 70 or more points for the first time in program history. Gregory, Sundell Potent Tandem • K-State's duo of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;(608) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;(471) have combined for 1,079 points this season. • Gregory and Sundell are the 10th tandem in school history to combine to score 1,000 or more points in a season (min. 400+ points by each player) and ranks eighth overall. • Gregory and Sundell are responsible for 44.9 percent of K-State's point total this season and lead the Big 12 for responsibility of total points. Wildcats Solid From the Arc • K-State is firing away from beyond the arc, as they have tallied a 252-of-859 (.293) effort from long range. The Wildcats are receiving 31.4 percent of its points from 3-point range, which ranks fourth in the Big 12 and ninth among Power 5 schools. • The Wildcats have made 252 three-point field goals, surpassing the 250-mark for the third time in program history and the first time in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era. K-State's 252 three-point field goals made are the third-most in school history and the most since the 2012-13 season when K-State made a school record 325. • With its 859 three-point attempts this season, K-State ranks second in school history for 3-point attempts in a season. This is the third season in school history with 700 or more three-point attempts and the first in the Mittie era. • K-State's 7.41 three-point field goals made per game ranks fourth in the Big 12 this season and is the third-highest per game average for a single-season in school history. • The Wildcats made a season-high 12 three-pointers twice this season: against Clemson on Nov. 24 (12-of-28, .429) and at Kansas on Jan. 29 (12-of-34, .353). The 12 connections were the most since making 12 at West Virginia on Jan. 8, 2022. • Against Wisconsin on Nov. 11, K-State was 10-of-38 (.263) from beyond the arc. The 38 attempts were the most in a game during the Mittie era and the most since the Wildcats attempted 41 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, 2013. • In the Mittie era, the Wildcats have made five or more 3-pointers in a game 203 times in 289 total games including 32 games with 10 or more connections (28-4) from deep. • In the nine seasons under Mittie, K-State has buried 1,743 three-pointers which is 6.03 per game. Glenn Finds the Range&nbsp; •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;continues to be a perimeter threat for K-State. • The guard from Kansas City, Missouri, is shooting 70-of-192 (.365) from 3-point range this season. Her 70 three-point field goals made this season are a personal single-season high and are the fifth-most in a sophomore season in program history. • Glenn is one of 10 sophomores in the nation this season with 70 or more connections from 3-point range, including one of three in a Power 5 conference. • This season, she has a career-best 23 games with two or more connections from long range, including a season-high four against Northern Arizona on Nov. 25, at Iowa State on Jan. 11 and at West Virginia on Feb. 25. • She ranks ninth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.06). • Glenn is unique nationally, as she is the only player currently in NCAA Division I with 70 or more 3-point field goals made and 80 or more steals. • Glenn is the eighth player in program history and the second in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era (Kindred Wesemann) to tally 100 or more career 3-point field goals made and 125 or more career steals. • In her career, Glenn is 112-of-331 (.338) from long range. She has 34 career games with two or more connections from 3-point range including five games with four or more. Glow of Sundell •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;owns the most diverse stat line in the Big 12 in the 2022-23 season. • Sundell is the only player in the Big 12 and one of three in the nation (Tishara Morehouse, Florida Gulf Coast; Kaylynne Truong, Gonzaga) this season with 450 or more points, 150 or more assists and 50 or more steals. When including her 152 free throws made, Sundell is the only player in the nation with 450 or more points, 150 or more assists, 125 or more free throws made and 50 or more steals. • Since 2009-10, she is the second Wildcat to achieve these marks in a single-season (Kayla Goth, 2017-18). • The guard from Maryville, Missouri, has achieved career-highs in scoring, field goals made, field goal percentage, free throws made and attempted, rebounds and steals. Sundell Sets the Table •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;has established herself at the point for K-State with her distribution skills. • In the 2022-23 season, Sundell has handed out 175 assists (5.15 apg) including a season-high 10 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 4. • Sundell ranks fourth in the Big 12 in assists per game and eighth in assist to turnover ratio (1.55). In Big 12 action, Sundell averaged 5.06 assists and ranked fourth in the category. • Sundell's 175 assists this season ranks second in program history for assists in a sophomore season. • She has 41 career games with five or more assists including three games with 10 or more assists with a career-high of 11 assists. • Sundell's career total stands at 351 and ranks 12th on the K-State career assists list. She is the 12th player in program history with 350 or more career assists. Sundell is the second player in program history (Shalee Lehning, 368) with 350 or more assists by the conclusion of their sophomore season. • Her career assist to turnover ratio of 1.69 is fifth in program history (min. 100 career assists). • The 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient handed out 176 assists (5.3 apg) and had a 1.85 assist to turnover ratio in her freshman season in 2021-22.&nbsp; • Sundell's total of 176 assists ranked seventh in school history for a single season. Sundell was responsible for 32.3 percent of K-State's assists last season. • Sundell was the second freshman in program history with 175 or more assists in their debut season and her total of 176 ranked second among K-State freshmen behind Shalee Lehning's school record of 189 in 2005-06.&nbsp; • Among the nation's freshmen, Sundell was second in total assists and assists per game.&nbsp; • Against Iowa State on Jan. 11, Sundell tallied a career-high 11 assists. This was the 15th time a K-State player handed out 11 assists in a game and was the most assists by a Wildcat since Kayla Goth tied the school record with 13 against West Virginia on March 9, 2019. Gregory's Stat Line Amongst Best in Nation • K-State senior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;has registered her first career season with 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws made and 75 or more 3-point field goals made. • Gregory is one of four players in the nation this season with 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws made and 75 or more 3-point field goals made (Caitlin Clark, Iowa; Destiny Leo, Cleveland State; Ashley Joens, Iowa State). • Gregory is the only player in program history to reach these marks in a season. • According to HerHoopsStats.com, Gregory is the fourth player in the Big 12 (fifth time) since the 2009-10 season to register 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws and 75 or more 3-point field goals made in a season. Gregory From Long Range • Guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;has established a new career-best from 3-point range this season and has been a 3-point threat over the course of her career. • This season, Gregory leads the Wildcats and is fifth in the Big 12 with 77 connections and is seventh in the league with 2.33 three-point field goals made per game. She ranks 44th in the nation for 3-point field goals made. • Gregory's 77 threes this season are fifth in school history in a senior season. Her 244 attempts this season ranks eighth in school history for a single season. • Gregory has achieved a new personal single-season career-high for 3-point field goals made in a season with 77. Her 77 connections are the most by a Wildcat since Kindred Wesemann made 90 in the 2016-17 season. • Against Utah Tech on Nov. 20 and the following game against Clemson on Nov. 24, Gregory tied her career-high with six 3-pointers made. Over the two games, Gregory was 12-of-25 (.480) from 3-point range. • In her career, Gregory is 174-of-537 (.324) from long range. She has made two or more 3-point field goals in a game 52 times and has 11 games with four or more connections. She has made a career-high six 3-pointers in a game three times, twice at K-State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;K-State (18-16) will continue its Postseason WNIT journey on Tuesday, as the Wildcats host Wyoming (23-10) in the second round at 6 p.m., in Bramlage Coliseum. • Tuesday's game airs on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Missy Heidrick (analyst) and Jazsmin Halliburton (sideline) will have the call. Starting 5 Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State WBB 1. Wildcats in the WNIT • K-State is 17-5 in its seven appearances in the Postseason WNIT. The Wildcats have reached the semifinals of the Postseason WNIT three times, which included winning the title in 2006. 2. 500 Free Throws/250 Three-Pointers&nbsp; • K-State is one of three teams in the nation (Arkansas &amp; Middle Tennessee) this season with 500 or more free throws made and 250 or more 3-point field goals made. This is the sixth time since 2009-10 in which a Big 12 school achieved these numbers in a season. 3. K-State Sets Free Throw Record • The Wildcats have set the school record for free throws made in a season with 547. K-State is one of eight teams in the nation with 500 or more made free throws this season and ranks second. 4. 20x5 From Long Range • K-State has registered the third season in program history with five or more Wildcats with 20 or more 3-point field goals made in a season (2002-03 &amp; 2009-10). 5. Glenn Sees Double-Double • Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;became the sixth Wildcat to register a double-double in a Postseason WNIT game, as she notched 13 points and 11 rebounds against Wichita State. This was Glenn's third double-double of the season and tied her career-high for rebounds. Number to Know 2,405 • K-State has recorded 2,405 points this season, the sixth time in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era in which the Wildcats scored 2,000 or more points in a season.&nbsp; • K-State's point total this season ranks 11th in program history and the most under Mittie. • The 2,405 points this season marks the first time since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons in which K-State tallied consecutive seasons with 2,000 or more points. At a Glance: Wyoming • Wyoming (23-10, 13-5 Mountain West) enters Thursday's Potseason WNIT second round game following a 75-41 win over Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi. • Wyoming is guided on the sideline by first-year head coach Heather Ezell. The 2009 graduate of Iowa State had spent the past seven seasons with the Cowgirl coaching staff, including the last three as the associate head coach. • The Cowgirls feature three players averaging double figures led by the by sophomore center Allyson Fertig and graduate student guard Quinn Weidemann. • Fertig, a 2023 All-Mountain West Conference Team selection, is averaging 13.4 points per game and 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks this season. • Weidemann, also a 2023 All-MWC recipient and MWC All-Defensive Team member, is averaging 11.2 points and 2.4 assists.&nbsp; Last Time Out at K-State 90, Wichita State 56 (March 16, 2023; Manhattan, Kan.) • K-State opened its 2023 Postseason WNIT by setting the school record for points scored and margin of victory (34). • The Wildcats improved to 17-5 all-time in the WNIT. • Four Wildcats reached double figures led by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;with 16 points and seven assists while sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;achieved her third career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. K-State Top-20 in NCAA History for Wins • K-State is in its 55th season of action and ranks among the top programs in NCAA history for all-time wins. • K-State's all-time record stands at 1,016-655 (.608) and the Wildcats entered the 2022-23 season ranked 19th in NCAA Division I women's basketball history for program wins. The Wildcats were the 19th program in NCAA Division I history to reach 1,000 or more wins as a program and the third among the Big 12 (Texas, Baylor). K-State is averaging 18.5 wins per season. • Kansas State is one of four teams in the nation to be guided by an active head coach with 600 or more career wins and the program has surpassed the 1,000-win mark (Stanford, UConn, NC State).&nbsp; • The Wildcats have accumulated 26 20-win seasons and have secured 379 victories inside Bramlage Coliseum.&nbsp; • K-State has 219 wins in the Big 12 Conference. • Kansas State has registered 226 victories when they were ranked in the Associated Press top-25 poll and achieved 87 wins against teams ranked in the AP poll. Wildcats With 375+ Wins in Bramlage • K-State is 379-154 (.711) all-time inside Bramlage Coliseum, which is in its 35th season of existence. • The Wildcats own a 14-4 record at home this season and tied the longest home-court winning streak in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era to open the season with nine wins. • This is the 32nd time in program history that the Wildcats reached double figures in home victories. It marked the 24th season K-State has won 10 or more games in Bramlage. • Over the last two seasons, K-State is 28-7 in home contests. The 28 wins are tied for the most in the Mittie era over a two-season span. • In the 2021-22 season K-State finished with a 14-3 (.824) mark at home. The 14 home wins were the most since the 2016-17 season (14-4). The winning percentage of .824 was the highest since the 2010-11 season (.867; 13-2). • In his career in games played in his home venue, Mittie is 382-111 (.775) including an 109-46 (.703) record at K-State. • Kansas State has protected Bramlage Coliseum with determination against non-conference foes with a record of 220-29 (.884) with an active 20-game winning streak against non-con opponents. Mittie is 66-8 (.892) in non-conference games in Bramlage Coliseum. Halftime Lead = K-State 'W' • Since the 2001-02 season, K-State is 354-49 (.878) when leading at the break, including an 15-0 record this season. • K-State is 128-16 (.889) when leading at the break under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>. • Since the start of the 2007-08 season, K-State is 259-17 (.938) when leading with five minutes to play including a 143-6 (.960) record under Mittie. Magic Number is 70 Points • Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 91-18 (.835) when scoring 70 or more points in a game. • K-State is averaging 70.7 points per game this season on a .404 field goal percentage. The 70.7 points per game this season is the highest since K-State averaged 71.4 in the 2004-05 season. • K-State's points per 100 possessions this season stands at 95.2, is the fourth-highest for the program since the 2009-10 season. • The Wildcats have scored 70 or more points in a game 20 times (15-5) including a season-high 93 against Northern Arizona on Nov. 25 during the Paradise Jam.&nbsp; • The 20 games with 70 or more points scored are the most in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era and the highest since the 2003-04 season when the Wildcats registered 20 games with 70 or more points. • Kansas State opened the 2022-23 season with seven straight games of 70 or more points for the first time in program history. Gregory, Sundell Potent Tandem • K-State's duo of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;(608) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;(471) have combined for 1,079 points this season. • Gregory and Sundell are the 10th tandem in school history to combine to score 1,000 or more points in a season (min. 400+ points by each player) and ranks eighth overall. • Gregory and Sundell are responsible for 44.9 percent of K-State's point total this season and lead the Big 12 for responsibility of total points. Wildcats Solid From the Arc • K-State is firing away from beyond the arc, as they have tallied a 252-of-859 (.293) effort from long range. The Wildcats are receiving 31.4 percent of its points from 3-point range, which ranks fourth in the Big 12 and ninth among Power 5 schools. • The Wildcats have made 252 three-point field goals, surpassing the 250-mark for the third time in program history and the first time in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era. K-State's 252 three-point field goals made are the third-most in school history and the most since the 2012-13 season when K-State made a school record 325. • With its 859 three-point attempts this season, K-State ranks second in school history for 3-point attempts in a season. This is the third season in school history with 700 or more three-point attempts and the first in the Mittie era. • K-State's 7.41 three-point field goals made per game ranks fourth in the Big 12 this season and is the third-highest per game average for a single-season in school history. • The Wildcats made a season-high 12 three-pointers twice this season: against Clemson on Nov. 24 (12-of-28, .429) and at Kansas on Jan. 29 (12-of-34, .353). The 12 connections were the most since making 12 at West Virginia on Jan. 8, 2022. • Against Wisconsin on Nov. 11, K-State was 10-of-38 (.263) from beyond the arc. The 38 attempts were the most in a game during the Mittie era and the most since the Wildcats attempted 41 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, 2013. • In the Mittie era, the Wildcats have made five or more 3-pointers in a game 203 times in 289 total games including 32 games with 10 or more connections (28-4) from deep. • In the nine seasons under Mittie, K-State has buried 1,743 three-pointers which is 6.03 per game. Glenn Finds the Range&nbsp; •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/8607">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;continues to be a perimeter threat for K-State. • The guard from Kansas City, Missouri, is shooting 70-of-192 (.365) from 3-point range this season. Her 70 three-point field goals made this season are a personal single-season high and are the fifth-most in a sophomore season in program history. • Glenn is one of 10 sophomores in the nation this season with 70 or more connections from 3-point range, including one of three in a Power 5 conference. • This season, she has a career-best 23 games with two or more connections from long range, including a season-high four against Northern Arizona on Nov. 25, at Iowa State on Jan. 11 and at West Virginia on Feb. 25. • She ranks ninth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (2.06). • Glenn is unique nationally, as she is the only player currently in NCAA Division I with 70 or more 3-point field goals made and 80 or more steals. • Glenn is the eighth player in program history and the second in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/1817">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era (Kindred Wesemann) to tally 100 or more career 3-point field goals made and 125 or more career steals. • In her career, Glenn is 112-of-331 (.338) from long range. She has 34 career games with two or more connections from 3-point range including five games with four or more. Glow of Sundell •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;owns the most diverse stat line in the Big 12 in the 2022-23 season. • Sundell is the only player in the Big 12 and one of three in the nation (Tishara Morehouse, Florida Gulf Coast; Kaylynne Truong, Gonzaga) this season with 450 or more points, 150 or more assists and 50 or more steals. When including her 152 free throws made, Sundell is the only player in the nation with 450 or more points, 150 or more assists, 125 or more free throws made and 50 or more steals. • Since 2009-10, she is the second Wildcat to achieve these marks in a single-season (Kayla Goth, 2017-18). • The guard from Maryville, Missouri, has achieved career-highs in scoring, field goals made, field goal percentage, free throws made and attempted, rebounds and steals. Sundell Sets the Table •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/8612">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;has established herself at the point for K-State with her distribution skills. • In the 2022-23 season, Sundell has handed out 175 assists (5.15 apg) including a season-high 10 against Oklahoma State on Jan. 4. • Sundell ranks fourth in the Big 12 in assists per game and eighth in assist to turnover ratio (1.55). In Big 12 action, Sundell averaged 5.06 assists and ranked fourth in the category. • Sundell's 175 assists this season ranks second in program history for assists in a sophomore season. • She has 41 career games with five or more assists including three games with 10 or more assists with a career-high of 11 assists. • Sundell's career total stands at 351 and ranks 12th on the K-State career assists list. She is the 12th player in program history with 350 or more career assists. Sundell is the second player in program history (Shalee Lehning, 368) with 350 or more assists by the conclusion of their sophomore season. • Her career assist to turnover ratio of 1.69 is fifth in program history (min. 100 career assists). • The 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient handed out 176 assists (5.3 apg) and had a 1.85 assist to turnover ratio in her freshman season in 2021-22.&nbsp; • Sundell's total of 176 assists ranked seventh in school history for a single season. Sundell was responsible for 32.3 percent of K-State's assists last season. • Sundell was the second freshman in program history with 175 or more assists in their debut season and her total of 176 ranked second among K-State freshmen behind Shalee Lehning's school record of 189 in 2005-06.&nbsp; • Among the nation's freshmen, Sundell was second in total assists and assists per game.&nbsp; • Against Iowa State on Jan. 11, Sundell tallied a career-high 11 assists. This was the 15th time a K-State player handed out 11 assists in a game and was the most assists by a Wildcat since Kayla Goth tied the school record with 13 against West Virginia on March 9, 2019. Gregory's Stat Line Amongst Best in Nation • K-State senior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;has registered her first career season with 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws made and 75 or more 3-point field goals made. • Gregory is one of four players in the nation this season with 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws made and 75 or more 3-point field goals made (Caitlin Clark, Iowa; Destiny Leo, Cleveland State; Ashley Joens, Iowa State). • Gregory is the only player in program history to reach these marks in a season. • According to HerHoopsStats.com, Gregory is the fourth player in the Big 12 (fifth time) since the 2009-10 season to register 600 or more points, 150 or more free throws and 75 or more 3-point field goals made in a season. Gregory From Long Range • Guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/8613">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;has established a new career-best from 3-point range this season and has been a 3-point threat over the course of her career. • This season, Gregory leads the Wildcats and is fifth in the Big 12 with 77 connections and is seventh in the league with 2.33 three-point field goals made per game. She ranks 44th in the nation for 3-point field goals made. • Gregory's 77 threes this season are fifth in school history in a senior season. Her 244 attempts this season ranks eighth in school history for a single season. • Gregory has achieved a new personal single-season career-high for 3-point field goals made in a season with 77. Her 77 connections are the most by a Wildcat since Kindred Wesemann made 90 in the 2016-17 season. • Against Utah Tech on Nov. 20 and the following game against Clemson on Nov. 24, Gregory tied her career-high with six 3-pointers made. Over the two games, Gregory was 12-of-25 (.480) from 3-point range. • In her career, Gregory is 174-of-537 (.324) from long range. She has made two or more 3-point field goals in a game 52 times and has 11 games with four or more connections. She has made a career-high six 3-pointers in a game three times, twice at K-State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 WBB: K-State host Wyoming in second round of WNIT

GREENSBORO, N.C.&nbsp;– Clutch 3-pointers by junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ismael-massoud/9647">Ismael Massoud</a>&nbsp;and senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;in the last 2:21 helped lift No. 15/13 Kansas State to a trip to New York City for the Sweet 16 with a 75-69 win over Kentucky on Sunday in the second round of the East Regional before 16,517 fans at the Greensboro Coliseum. State (25-9) advances to the East Regional Semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the Wildcats will play No. 7 seed Michigan State (21-12) on Thursday, March 23 at a time to be determined. The Spartans defeated No. 2 seed Marquette, 69-60, also on Sunday. It will be the 18th&nbsp;trip to the Sweet 16 for the Wildcats, including the first since 2018. The win was the 25th&nbsp;of the season, as they became the eighth team in school history and the first since 2018-19 to collect a 25-win season. "I thought that we could be an NCAA Tournament team," said Tang. "That was my goal. Quis (<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>) and I went to lunch one day, and I said, 'Quis, I'm going to do everything in my power to put a team together to get to the NCAA Tournament.' He said, 'Coach, I don't care if we have five dudes. We're going to the tournament because Kemba Walker won a national championship with, I think three freshmen and two sophomores. Whatever it was. But he knew, right? I was like, man, with that kind of confidence, it just inspired me to work harder and our staff to work harder. He always believed it, and he helped me believe." Down 62-61 with 2:43 to play, Massoud gave the Wildcats the lead for good with a deep 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:21 to play that was followed by another deep triple from Johnson on an offensive rebound from junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/david-n-guessan/9670">David N'Guessan</a>&nbsp;at the 1:23 mark. Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;continued the 8-0 spurt with a pair of free throws that extended the lead to 69-62 with 37 seconds. Kentucky (22-12) was able to get a basket from senior&nbsp;Oscar Tschiebwe, who posted a double-double of 25 points and 18 rebounds, to close the gap to 69-64 with 23 seconds, but Nowell and fellow senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>&nbsp;clinched the game at the free throw line with a combined 6 consecutive makes. Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by a special performance from the Harlem native Nowell, who was one assist shy of posting consecutive double-doubles in his first two NCAA Tournament games, as he finished with a game-high 27 points, 9 assists and 3 steals in playing all but 16 seconds. It was the most points by a Wildcat in an NCAA Tournament game since&nbsp;Rodney McGruder&nbsp;scored 30 points vs. Southern Miss on March 15, 2012. It was Nowell's team-leading 12th&nbsp;20-point game, while it was the 31st&nbsp;in his career and 15th&nbsp;as a Wildcat. After his 17-point, 14-assist performance in the win over 14-seed Montana State on Friday night, Nowell combined for 44 points and 23 assists in his first two NCAA Tournament. He is one of two players since 1990, along with Murray State's&nbsp;Ja Morant, to combine for 40 points and 20 assists before the Sweet 16. "It still feels surreal," said Nowell. "But I've got to give all the honor and the glory to God Himself, man. I couldn't have done it without my teammates and my coaching staff. They put together a good game plan, and we believed in it, and I'm just happy we got the victory today." Johnson recovered from a tough start to finish with 13 points, including 7 points in the second half, to go with 4 rebounds and 3 assists. He has now scored in double figures in all but one game. Junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/nae-qwan-tomlin/9662">Nae'Qwan Tomlin</a>, who led the way in the first half with 8 points, and Sills each added 12 points. After a shaking start offensively, in which, the Wildcats made just 5 of their first 16 field goal attempts, including going 0-fer on 7 3-point attempts, the team settled down to hit on 48.1 percent (26-of-54) from the field, including 63.6 percent (21-of-33) from inside the 3-point line with 40 points in the paint. They were nearly flawless from the free throw line, converting on 18 of 22 attempts, including a 10-of-11 effort from Nowell. Kentucky was led by Tshiebwe and freshman&nbsp;Cason Wallace, who combined for 46 of its 69 points. Tshiebwe scored his 25 points on 8-of-13 field goal attempts and 9-of-11 free throws to go with his game-high 18 boards, while Wallace scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting with 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Although Kentucky has a commanding lead in the all-time series (9-2), K-State has won the last 2 meetings in the NCAA Tournament (2018, 2023). HOW IT HAPPENED The teams got off to a slow start, combining to go 3 of 16 from the field, but it was Kentucky, which got consecutive baskets, that took a 6-3 lead into the first media timeout at the 15:59 mark. Despite its shooting woes, K-State got to within a possession twice, including 9-7 at a layup by junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/nae-qwan-tomlin/9662">Nae'Qwan Tomlin</a>, but point guard&nbsp;Cason Wallace&nbsp;went on a personal 6-0 run to extend the lead to 15-7 at the 11:28 mark. Down 17-9 after a Kentucky basket, K-State was able to close the gap to 17-15 after a quick 6-0 run that was capped by a second-chance layup by Tomlin. The run started with a goaltend call on a jumper by senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;and a pair of free throws by senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>. The teams traded buckets over the next few minutes, including a 3-pointer by&nbsp;C.J. Frederick&nbsp;that pushed the lead to 20-15, but a layup by senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;once again got K-State to within a possession at 22-19 with 5:17 before halftime. K-State was able to close the half on a 12-4 run to take a 29-26 advantage into the break. The run was started by a dunk and 2 free throws by Johnson and included a basket by Tomlin. After a driving layup by Nowell, Tomlin ended the half with an alley-oop dunk on a feed by Nowell as the clock expired. K-State extended its lead to 31-26 on the first possession of the second half on a layup by Tomlin from Johnson, but Kentucky responded with 9 straight points to retake the lead at 35-31 and force head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a>&nbsp;to call his first timeout with 17:27 to play. The timeout didn't seem to help the K-State cause, as the run grew to 13-0 for a 39-31 advantage. A driving layup by Sills finally ended the spurt right before the media timeout. The Sills layup sparked an 8-0 run by K-State, as the Wildcats knotted the score at 39-all after the team's first 3-pointer of the game from Nowell. The teams traded points over the next few minutes and stood at 43-all at the second media timeout with 11:52 remaining. Layups by Johnson and Nowell gave K-State a 47-43 lead and forced a timeout by head coach&nbsp;John Calipari&nbsp;near the midway point of the half. The timeout sparked Kentucky as the Wildcats scored 7 of the next 9 points to retake the lead at 50-49. A layup by Nowell returned the lead to K-State at 51-50 at the third media timeout with 7:20 to play. Two free throws and a basket gave Kentucky a 54-51 before Nowell tied it with a long distance 3-pointer. Kentucky was able to use a 6-2 run to take a 60-56 lead with just under 4 remaining but Nowell knocked down his third triple of the day to pull K-State to within 60-59 right before the last media timeout with 3:20 left then gave the Wildcats a lead at 61-60 with a pair of free throws. After&nbsp;Cason Wallace's&nbsp;layup returned the lead to Kentucky with 2:43 to play, 3-pointers by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ismael-massoud/9647">Ismael Massoud</a>&nbsp;and Johnson ignited an 8-0 run that gave K-State the lead for good at 69-62 lead with 39 seconds remaining. Tshiebwe broke the run with a dunk to close the gap to 69-64 but Nowell and Sills were able to salt away the game at the line, making 6 consecutive free throws. IN THEIR WORDS Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a> On the game... "First and foremost, I would just like to thank the good Lord for this opportunity and the blessings that he has given us. I want to thank my wife. She just puts up with so much, and these young men across here, we've asked a lot of them, and every time they've delivered. I'm so proud of them. So proud to represent Kansas State. I'm so proud to be a part of the community of Manhattan. I'm just blessed, man. I'm so blessed." On having just eight turnovers… "They've heard it from me enough. We've sorted through it. To start the half, we had three quick turnovers, right? I don't think we turned it over again the rest of the way. So, it was huge. If we get shots up, we're hard to beat. As long as we don't give the other team the ball. We defended today, right? We knew that Oscar was going to get his, but we had to control everybody else. Cason Wallace had an unbelievable game, did a great job, but we felt we did a good job on the three-point shooters, and I think that was the difference in the game." On players making big time plays in big time moments… "Dudes. We got dudes. That's what it takes. I mean, people get all caught up in the coaching and all of that stuff. It's dudes. You got to have players, and these dudes, they work. They've put in the time. We talked about it before this game. We're going to trust our work, and we've won really good games against really good teams in really tough environments before, so we were prepared for this. I expected them to play great, and every time they shot it I thought it was going in, and so it's just -- they believe in themselves, but they don't just do it -- it's not fake confidence, right? It's the work that they put in, the hours they spend in the gym. All of them. I knew Ish was going to make that shot because he wants to go to New York." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a> On how it feels to be going back home to New York and Madison Square Garden… "It still feels surreal, but I've got to give all the honor and the glory to God Himself, man. Man, I mean, I couldn't have done it without my teammates and my coaching staff. They put together a good game plan, and we believed in it, and I'm just happy we got the victory today." On looking up to Kemba Walker then having a Kemba Walker-esque moment… "I was just in attack mode the second half because I saw how they were playing me. They were playing me for the pass because I dropped a lot of dimes in the first half. I tried to look for my own shot a little bit more and be more aggressive, and I wanted to go to New York." On resetting after going 0-of-12 from 3-point range in the first half… "We just told each other -- we stayed positive in the locker room when things weren't falling. We just said that second half we were going to start hitting some shots, and we did. But it was just nothing but positive vibes going into the locker room." Junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ismael-massoud/9647">Ismael Massoud</a> On hitting the 3-pointer that ignited the key run… "The whole game I was just trying to do my part. Today I felt like it was a threat in the post and match the physicality of obviously Oscar and stuff like that, but I knew there would come a time, especially when we weren't shooting the ball that well -- I knew there would be a time when I would get an opportunity to make a shot, and I just had to make sure I was ready. And Quis found me, and I just let it go with no hesitation. I didn't really think much of it until after I hit it, but just grateful Quis had trust in me to pass that ball." On resetting after missing the first 12 attempts from 3-point range… "Even though the shots weren't falling in the first half, our defense was where it needed to be. We knew if we kept defending like we were, the shots were going to fall because in the first half we got a lot of really good looks that we were all happy with, and we all have belief in each other, so we knew it was going to fall." On his emotions after the win… "A lot of happiness and emotion because it took a lot for all of us to get here. From being picked last to all the workouts in the summer and for me to have that moment, it meant a lot because, you know, you never know when you have another opportunity like this. For me to be able to play my role for this team and help this team and help us accomplish our goals, it just was so much emotion that I just couldn't contain other than crying." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a> On his emotions after the win… "I mean, it's really a blessing just being out here. I got emotional with my dad, everything that I've been through. I finally just got past that and made it to the Sweet 16. Just grateful for having the right guys around me. Quis challenged me during the game, and it was just -- Ish knocking down a big three. Just shows how much we love each other and just how much freedom we have and how much we have each other." BEYOND THE BOXSCORE Team Notes

WHAT'S NEXT 3-seed K-State (25-9) will play 7-seed Michigan State (21-11) on Thursday at a time to be announced in the East Regional Semifinal at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It will be the eighth all-time meeting with the Spartans, including the first in the NCAA Tournament and the first overall since 1996.

 🏀MBB: K-State advances to Sweet 16 with win over Kentucky

UNDATED (AP) — Underdogs have blown up every bracket in the country in what may be the maddest March ever. Defending national champion Kansas and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue are gone. The Sweet 16 will be without blue bloods Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina for the second time in the past three NCAA Tournaments. Before the 2021 bracket, that last happened in 1979. Still in are upstarts like Princeton, Florida Atlantic and a team picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference. And, this being March, of course there’s Tom Izzo and Michigan State.

MIAMI (AP) — That matchup between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic may not happen. Japan rallied in the ninth inning to beat Mexico and advance to Tuesday night’s championship game against the United States, but Shota Imanaga will start on the mound for the Samurai Warriors. If Trout is to bat against his Los Angeles Angels teammate, it would only be if Ohtani makes a rare relief appearance. Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said he likely will use the same starting lineup as he did in the semifinal Monday night against Mexico, when Ohtani was the designated hitter and doubled to start the ninth-inning comeback.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rick Pitino is back in the Big East Conference. St. John’s has hired the Hall of Fame coach to boost a storied program that's been mired in mediocrity for much of this century. The school posted the announcement on Twitter, and Pitino is expected to be formally introduced during a news conference Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Following a successful run at nearby mid-major Iona, the 70-year-old Pitino was plucked away to replace Mike Anderson, who was fired March 10 after four seasons in charge of the Red Storm without making the NCAA Tournament.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charisma Osborne scored a career high 36 points in her final game at Pauley Pavilion and fourth-seeded UCLA rallied in the fourth quarter after blowing an 18-point lead to defeat No. 5 seed Oklahoma 82-73 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Monday night. Kiki Rice added 14 points for the Bruins, who will face top-ranked South Carolina on Saturday in a Greenville 1 Regional semifinal. UCLA hung tough with the Gamecocks earlier in the season before losing 73-64. Madi Williams scored 24 points and Ana Llanusa 15 for the Sooners, who end their season 26-7.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Hailey Van Lith scored 21 points and No. 5 Louisville rolled over No. 4 Texas 73-51 on the Longhorns’ home court Monday night to send the the Cardinals to the Sweet 16 for the sixth NCAA Tournament in row. The Cardinals smothered the Longhorns and standout point guard Rori Harmon all night, stretching a 14-point halftime lead to 21 by end of the third quarter. Louisville led by as much as 27 early in the fourth. The win sends the Cardinals to the Seattle 4 Region to play No. 8-seed Mississippi, which upset No. 1 Stanford on Sunday.

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd scored 16 of her 22 points in a decisive third quarter, leading second-seeded UConn to a 77-58 win over No. 7 seed Baylor and into a 29th straight Sweet 16. Aaliyah Edwards added 19 points and Nika Muhl had 10 assists for the Huskies (31-5). Dorka Juhasz chipped in with 11 points and Caroline Ducharme added 10. Ja’mee Asberry scored 15 points and Jaden Owens had 14 for Baylor, which finishes its season 20-13. Bella Fontleroy scored 12 points for the Bears, who made 12 3-pointers after making 14 in their first-round win over Alabama. But the Huskies dominated inside, outscoring the Bears 36-12 in the paint and outrebounding Baylor 42-31.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An event that would have been unthinkable not even a decade ago is coming to Las Vegas this week. That's March Madness. The NCAA Tournament avoided the city for many years because sports betting is legal in it. The governing body for collegiate athletics even had a policy in place of not allowing its championship events to be played in Nevada. But now, with sports betting abound, the NCAA has no qualms about playing in the state. The West Region games to be held this week at T-Mobile Arena are among the many championship events the NCAA has awarded to the city.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Tournament is heading to the Sweet 16 in the battle for the national championship in men’s basketball. Top seeds Purdue and defending champion Kansas did not make it. Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Final Four is in Houston. The semifinals are on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.

UNDATED (AP) — The women’s college basketball Sweet 16 features a new format and a bit of history when it begins later this week. The NCAA changed its setup this season, going away from the traditional four sites to two. Greenville, South Carolina, and Seattle will each host eight teams before sending the winners on to Dallas for the Final Four. This weekend will also feature the second time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams that two of the No. 1 seeds didn’t reach the regional semifinals after Stanford and Indiana were knocked out.

UNDATED (AP) — Underdogs have blown up every bracket in the country in what may be the maddest March ever. Defending national champion Kansas and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue are gone. The Sweet 16 will be without blue bloods Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina for the second time in the past three NCAA Tournaments. Before the 2021 bracket, that last happened in 1979. Still in are upstarts like Princeton, Florida Atlantic and a team picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference. And, this being March, of course there’s Tom Izzo and Michigan State.MIAMI (AP) — That matchup between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic may not happen. Japan rallied in the ninth inning to beat Mexico and advance to Tuesday night’s championship game against the United States, but Shota Imanaga will start on the mound for the Samurai Warriors. If Trout is to bat against his Los Angeles Angels teammate, it would only be if Ohtani makes a rare relief appearance. Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said he likely will use the same starting lineup as he did in the semifinal Monday night against Mexico, when Ohtani was the designated hitter and doubled to start the ninth-inning comeback.NEW YORK (AP) — Rick Pitino is back in the Big East Conference. St. John’s has hired the Hall of Fame coach to boost a storied program that's been mired in mediocrity for much of this century. The school posted the announcement on Twitter, and Pitino is expected to be formally introduced during a news conference Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Following a successful run at nearby mid-major Iona, the 70-year-old Pitino was plucked away to replace Mike Anderson, who was fired March 10 after four seasons in charge of the Red Storm without making the NCAA Tournament.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charisma Osborne scored a career high 36 points in her final game at Pauley Pavilion and fourth-seeded UCLA rallied in the fourth quarter after blowing an 18-point lead to defeat No. 5 seed Oklahoma 82-73 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Monday night. Kiki Rice added 14 points for the Bruins, who will face top-ranked South Carolina on Saturday in a Greenville 1 Regional semifinal. UCLA hung tough with the Gamecocks earlier in the season before losing 73-64. Madi Williams scored 24 points and Ana Llanusa 15 for the Sooners, who end their season 26-7.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Hailey Van Lith scored 21 points and No. 5 Louisville rolled over No. 4 Texas 73-51 on the Longhorns’ home court Monday night to send the the Cardinals to the Sweet 16 for the sixth NCAA Tournament in row. The Cardinals smothered the Longhorns and standout point guard Rori Harmon all night, stretching a 14-point halftime lead to 21 by end of the third quarter. Louisville led by as much as 27 early in the fourth. The win sends the Cardinals to the Seattle 4 Region to play No. 8-seed Mississippi, which upset No. 1 Stanford on Sunday.STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd scored 16 of her 22 points in a decisive third quarter, leading second-seeded UConn to a 77-58 win over No. 7 seed Baylor and into a 29th straight Sweet 16. Aaliyah Edwards added 19 points and Nika Muhl had 10 assists for the Huskies (31-5). Dorka Juhasz chipped in with 11 points and Caroline Ducharme added 10. Ja’mee Asberry scored 15 points and Jaden Owens had 14 for Baylor, which finishes its season 20-13. Bella Fontleroy scored 12 points for the Bears, who made 12 3-pointers after making 14 in their first-round win over Alabama. But the Huskies dominated inside, outscoring the Bears 36-12 in the paint and outrebounding Baylor 42-31.LAS VEGAS (AP) — An event that would have been unthinkable not even a decade ago is coming to Las Vegas this week. That's March Madness. The NCAA Tournament avoided the city for many years because sports betting is legal in it. The governing body for collegiate athletics even had a policy in place of not allowing its championship events to be played in Nevada. But now, with sports betting abound, the NCAA has no qualms about playing in the state. The West Region games to be held this week at T-Mobile Arena are among the many championship events the NCAA has awarded to the city.UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Tournament is heading to the Sweet 16 in the battle for the national championship in men’s basketball. Top seeds Purdue and defending champion Kansas did not make it. Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Final Four is in Houston. The semifinals are on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.UNDATED (AP) — The women’s college basketball Sweet 16 features a new format and a bit of history when it begins later this week. The NCAA changed its setup this season, going away from the traditional four sites to two. Greenville, South Carolina, and Seattle will each host eight teams before sending the winners on to Dallas for the Final Four. This weekend will also feature the second time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams that two of the No. 1 seeds didn’t reach the regional semifinals after Stanford and Indiana were knocked out.MONDAY SCORESCBI QuarterfinalsFinal OT E. Kentucky 89 Indiana St. 88Final S. Utah 81 Rice 79Final Radford 67 San Jose St. 57Final Charlotte 76 Milwaukee 65INTERLEAGUEFinal Atlanta 6 Tampa Bay 5Final Pittsburgh 7 Boston 5Final Philadelphia 14 Baltimore 6Final Cincinnati 10 L.A. Angels 0Final Seattle 7 Milwaukee 2Final Arizona 7 Chicago White Sox 3AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Toronto 5 Detroit 0Final Cleveland 5 Texas 5NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal St. Louis 5 Miami 0Final Washington 3 N.Y. Mets 2Final Colorado 5 L.A. Dodgers 1NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Charlotte 115 Indiana 109Final 2OT Chicago 109 Philadelphia 105Final Minnesota 140 New York 134Final Golden State 121 Houston 108Final Memphis 112 Dallas 108Final Utah 128 Sacramento 120NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal Florida 5 Detroit 2Final Ottawa 2 Pittsburgh 1Final Colorado 5 Chicago 0Final OT Edmonton 5 San Jose 4Final Los Angeles 8 Calgary 2

Sports Headlines for Tuesday

ENID, Oklahoma – Playing in high-wind conditions, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team finds itself right in the thick of the team title chase at the Oakwood Intercollegiate.

With sustained 40 mph winds and several gusts or more than 50 mph, the Blue Dragons shot a season-high round of 312 (28 over par) on Monday at the Oakwood Country Club. Hutchinson finds itself just one stroke out of the team lead, which is shared by Southwestern Christian University and Garden City, both teams shot 327 on Monday.

The scheduled 54-hole tournament was shortened to 36 as the afternoon round on Monday was cancelled. The final round will be a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The Blue Dragons are tied for third with the Southwestern Christian “B” Team. The Blue Dragons counted rounds from Alex Lindstrom (77), Dominic Clemons (78), Blake Saffell (78) and Marco Anderson (79) on Monday. Louis Galvin carded an 81 in the opening round.

Lindstrom is the highest-ranked Blue Dragon on the individual leaderboard in a tie for 11th place.

Clemons and Saffell are tied for 15th. Anderson is tied for 21st and Galvin is tied for 47th.

Kallie Svederman is playing as an individual this week. He’s tied for 35th after an 81 on Monday.

Garden City’s Anthony DeSchutter was the only player in the field to shoot par on Monday with a 71. He has a two-stroke lead over Phillip Pakosch of Southwestern Christian.

HutchCC Sports InformationENID, Oklahoma – Playing in high-wind conditions, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team finds itself right in the thick of the team title chase at the Oakwood Intercollegiate.With sustained 40 mph winds and several gusts or more than 50 mph, the Blue Dragons shot a season-high round of 312 (28 over par) on Monday at the Oakwood Country Club. Hutchinson finds itself just one stroke out of the team lead, which is shared by Southwestern Christian University and Garden City, both teams shot 327 on Monday.The scheduled 54-hole tournament was shortened to 36 as the afternoon round on Monday was cancelled. The final round will be a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.The Blue Dragons are tied for third with the Southwestern Christian “B” Team. The Blue Dragons counted rounds from Alex Lindstrom (77), Dominic Clemons (78), Blake Saffell (78) and Marco Anderson (79) on Monday. Louis Galvin carded an 81 in the opening round.Lindstrom is the highest-ranked Blue Dragon on the individual leaderboard in a tie for 11th place.Clemons and Saffell are tied for 15th. Anderson is tied for 21st and Galvin is tied for 47th.Kallie Svederman is playing as an individual this week. He’s tied for 35th after an 81 on Monday.Garden City’s Anthony DeSchutter was the only player in the field to shoot par on Monday with a 71. He has a two-stroke lead over Phillip Pakosch of Southwestern Christian.

🏌️ Dragons in thick of Oakwood title chase after Day 1

The Hutchinson Community College softball team tied for its highest ranking since returning to Division I in 2019 on Monday as the Blue Dragons were ranked No. 15 in the latest NJCAA Division I rankings released on Monday.

Riding an eight-game winning streak, the 23-4 Blue Dragons jumped two spots in the latest rankings, their third jump up in as many weeks.

Last week, the Blue Dragons swept Northwest Tech 16-1 and 22-0, both were five-inning games. The Blue Dragons then defeated Garden City 4-0 and 12-4 on Friday at Fun Valley.

Hutchinson, which leads the KJCCC with a 9-1 overall record, is the highest ranked Jayhawk Conference team this week. Butler dropped four spots to No. 19.

The No. 15 ranking matches the No. 15 rank the 2022 Blue Dragons finished with after a 41-8 season.

The ranking matches the highest Division I ranking the Dragons have had since the 1988 season when they finished the year at No. 7. The highest Division I ranking in Blue Dragon history is No. 5, which was achieved in 1987.

The Blue Dragons travel to Seward County on Wednesday and to Pratt on Saturday.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Record&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Points&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last Week

1. Northwest Florida State (8)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;35-3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;160&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2

2. Florida SouthWestern&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;29-3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3

3. Grayson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;126&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1

4. Walters State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26-0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;119&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5

5. Wallace State-Hanceville&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;112&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6

6. Odessa&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;105&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4

7. Seminole State (OK)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14-2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;98&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7

8. Central Florida&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31-8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;91&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9

9. Seminole State (FL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31-6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;84&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10

10. Chattanooga State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;77&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12

11. McLennan&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20-8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;70&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8

12. Galveston&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;63&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14

13. Volunteer State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19-5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;56&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15

14. Lake Land&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16

15. Hutchinson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;42&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17

16. Salt Lake&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;35&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;RV

17. Southern Idaho&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-9&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11

18. Indian River State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;29-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18

19. Butler&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13

20. Weatherford&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Receiving Votes: Pensacola State, Temple, San Jacinto, Utah State Eastern, Eastern Arizona

HutchCC Sports InformationThe Hutchinson Community College softball team tied for its highest ranking since returning to Division I in 2019 on Monday as the Blue Dragons were ranked No. 15 in the latest NJCAA Division I rankings released on Monday.Riding an eight-game winning streak, the 23-4 Blue Dragons jumped two spots in the latest rankings, their third jump up in as many weeks.Last week, the Blue Dragons swept Northwest Tech 16-1 and 22-0, both were five-inning games. The Blue Dragons then defeated Garden City 4-0 and 12-4 on Friday at Fun Valley.Hutchinson, which leads the KJCCC with a 9-1 overall record, is the highest ranked Jayhawk Conference team this week. Butler dropped four spots to No. 19.The No. 15 ranking matches the No. 15 rank the 2022 Blue Dragons finished with after a 41-8 season.The ranking matches the highest Division I ranking the Dragons have had since the 1988 season when they finished the year at No. 7. The highest Division I ranking in Blue Dragon history is No. 5, which was achieved in 1987.The Blue Dragons travel to Seward County on Wednesday and to Pratt on Saturday.NJCAA DIV. I SOFTBALL RANKINGS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Record&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Points&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last Week1. Northwest Florida State (8)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;35-3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;160&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22. Florida SouthWestern&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;29-3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33. Grayson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;126&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. Walters State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26-0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;119&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;55. Wallace State-Hanceville&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;112&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;66. Odessa&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;105&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;47. Seminole State (OK)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14-2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;98&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;78. Central Florida&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31-8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;91&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;99. Seminole State (FL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31-6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;84&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1010. Chattanooga State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;77&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1211. McLennan&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20-8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;70&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;812. Galveston&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;63&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1413. Volunteer State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19-5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;56&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1514. Lake Land&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;49&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1615. Hutchinson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;42&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1716. Salt Lake&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;35&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;RV17. Southern Idaho&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16-9&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1118. Indian River State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;29-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1819. Butler&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1320. Weatherford&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Receiving Votes: Pensacola State, Temple, San Jacinto, Utah State Eastern, Eastern Arizona

🥎 Dragon SB No. 15 this week

<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=d8cf63eafd&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Box Score</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=3a69c22cd0&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Season Stats</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks led wire-to-wire Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse and throttled Missouri 75-47 in the second round of the WNIT. The Jayhawks, who led by at least 14 points the entire second half, saw all five starters score in double figures. Zakiyah Franklin led the way with 21 points, while Wyvette Mayberry added 16 and Taiyanna Jackson finished with 14. Holly Kersgieter and Chandler Prater each posted 12 points apiece in the win. Kansas moved to 21-11 on the season and will now face Nebraska in the third round of the WNIT on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., at Allen Fieldhouse. Mizzou’s season is now finished with a record of 18-14. “I thought we played really connected and with a lot of desire,” Coach Brandon Schneider said. “We competed very hard and represented our program, school and state in a great way. It meant a lot to our team and they know they may not get to play them again. They took advantage of every opportunity, because these are the types of games they are going to tell their kids about.” Kansas opened the game on a 9-0 run and didn’t allow a Mizzou field goal until the 6:30 mark of the opening quarter when the Tigers hit a 3-pointer. When the first media timeout of the game occurred with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter, the Tigers still had not scored and were 0-for-6 from the floor and 0-for-3 from 3-point range and trailed 7-0. The Jayhawks, meanwhile, started 3-for-6 from the floor to build their early lead. Missouri answered back with a 7-0 run of its own to cut it to 9-7, but a 3-pointer from Prater extended the lead to five. The two teams went back and forth from there over the final 90 seconds of the quarter with Kansas eventually grabbing an 18-13 lead after the opening frame. The Jayhawks shot 60 percent from the floor in the first quarter and got six points from Franklin and five from Jackson. Just more than a minute into the second quarter, Missouri cut it to a two-point game at 20-18 when Haley Troup hit a 3-pointer. But the Jayhawks responded with an 8-0 run after Troup’s bucket to push the lead to 10 at 28-18. Franklin started the run with a 3-pointer, before Kersgieter scored five straight points, including a three of her own, to push the lead to 10, which forced a timeout from the visitors. The Tigers trimmed it to seven at 30-23, but the Jayhawks answered loudly to extend the lead right back to double digits. Kansas went on a 12-3 run to end the first half to take a 42-26 lead into the locker room. The 12-3 run to close out the half came courtesy of a 3-pointer from Kersgieter, a three-point play from Franklin and buckets from Jackson and Chandler Prater. Franklin closed it with a short jumper right before the halftime buzzer to give the Jayhawks a 16-point lead at the break. The lead grew to 21 to start the second half, with it again taking Missouri more than four minutes to score a bucket. The Tigers finally got on the board in the second half when Hayley Frank hit a pair of free throws to make it 49-30. But, Kansas pushed it right back to a 20-plus point lead when the Jayhawks hit back-to-back 3-pointers, thanks to Mayberry and Franklin, to make it 55-30. Kansas cruised from there, stifling the Missouri offense possession after possession. The Tigers shot just 19 of 50 from the floor and 5-for-21 from deep with a total of 15 turnovers in the loss. The Jayhawks will now get a chance to atone for a triple-overtime loss to the Cornhuskers in Lincoln earlier this season when Nebraska outlasted Kansas 85-79 in a thriller.

<figure>
 <img src="https://mcusercontent.com/3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1/images/fd49bc4f-ef20-5f65-4b10-119cfa4ac530.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of KU Sports" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of KU Sports</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=d8cf63eafd&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Box Score</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=3a69c22cd0&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Season Stats</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks led wire-to-wire Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse and throttled Missouri 75-47 in the second round of the WNIT. The Jayhawks, who led by at least 14 points the entire second half, saw all five starters score in double figures. Zakiyah Franklin led the way with 21 points, while Wyvette Mayberry added 16 and Taiyanna Jackson finished with 14. Holly Kersgieter and Chandler Prater each posted 12 points apiece in the win. Kansas moved to 21-11 on the season and will now face Nebraska in the third round of the WNIT on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., at Allen Fieldhouse. Mizzou’s season is now finished with a record of 18-14. “I thought we played really connected and with a lot of desire,” Coach Brandon Schneider said. “We competed very hard and represented our program, school and state in a great way. It meant a lot to our team and they know they may not get to play them again. They took advantage of every opportunity, because these are the types of games they are going to tell their kids about.” Kansas opened the game on a 9-0 run and didn’t allow a Mizzou field goal until the 6:30 mark of the opening quarter when the Tigers hit a 3-pointer. When the first media timeout of the game occurred with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter, the Tigers still had not scored and were 0-for-6 from the floor and 0-for-3 from 3-point range and trailed 7-0. The Jayhawks, meanwhile, started 3-for-6 from the floor to build their early lead. Missouri answered back with a 7-0 run of its own to cut it to 9-7, but a 3-pointer from Prater extended the lead to five. The two teams went back and forth from there over the final 90 seconds of the quarter with Kansas eventually grabbing an 18-13 lead after the opening frame. The Jayhawks shot 60 percent from the floor in the first quarter and got six points from Franklin and five from Jackson. Just more than a minute into the second quarter, Missouri cut it to a two-point game at 20-18 when Haley Troup hit a 3-pointer. But the Jayhawks responded with an 8-0 run after Troup’s bucket to push the lead to 10 at 28-18. Franklin started the run with a 3-pointer, before Kersgieter scored five straight points, including a three of her own, to push the lead to 10, which forced a timeout from the visitors. The Tigers trimmed it to seven at 30-23, but the Jayhawks answered loudly to extend the lead right back to double digits. Kansas went on a 12-3 run to end the first half to take a 42-26 lead into the locker room. The 12-3 run to close out the half came courtesy of a 3-pointer from Kersgieter, a three-point play from Franklin and buckets from Jackson and Chandler Prater. Franklin closed it with a short jumper right before the halftime buzzer to give the Jayhawks a 16-point lead at the break. The lead grew to 21 to start the second half, with it again taking Missouri more than four minutes to score a bucket. The Tigers finally got on the board in the second half when Hayley Frank hit a pair of free throws to make it 49-30. But, Kansas pushed it right back to a 20-plus point lead when the Jayhawks hit back-to-back 3-pointers, thanks to Mayberry and Franklin, to make it 55-30. Kansas cruised from there, stifling the Missouri offense possession after possession. The Tigers shot just 19 of 50 from the floor and 5-for-21 from deep with a total of 15 turnovers in the loss. The Jayhawks will now get a chance to atone for a triple-overtime loss to the Cornhuskers in Lincoln earlier this season when Nebraska outlasted Kansas 85-79 in a thriller.

🏀 WBB: Jayhawks Take Down Tigers in Postseason Border Showdown

HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 12 Tallahassee (Fla.) Eagles mounted a second half comeback to top Trinidad State (Colo.) 78-75 in the first round of the NJCAA Tournament on Monday in the Sports Arena.

The Eagles found themselves down 44-34 at halftime before flipping the script and outscoring the Trojans 44-31 in the second half to secure the opening round victory.

Malachi Davis led the way for the Eagles with 31 points on 13 of 25 from the floor. Dejour Reaves had 28 for the Trojans in the losing effort on 12 of 17 shooting. The Eagles forced the Trojans into 26 turnovers, resulting in 25 points.

Tallahassee will now face No. 5 Salt Lake (Utah) in the second round on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679391309627.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of NJCAA" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of NJCAA</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 12 Tallahassee (Fla.) Eagles mounted a second half comeback to top Trinidad State (Colo.) 78-75 in the first round of the NJCAA Tournament on Monday in the Sports Arena.The Eagles found themselves down 44-34 at halftime before flipping the script and outscoring the Trojans 44-31 in the second half to secure the opening round victory.Malachi Davis led the way for the Eagles with 31 points on 13 of 25 from the floor. Dejour Reaves had 28 for the Trojans in the losing effort on 12 of 17 shooting. The Eagles forced the Trojans into 26 turnovers, resulting in 25 points.Tallahassee will now face No. 5 Salt Lake (Utah) in the second round on Wednesday at 2 p.m.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Tallahassee advances with narrow win over Trinidad State

HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 13 Dodge City Conquistadors used a strong second half to overpower Meridian (Miss.) 83-63 in the first round of the NJCAA Tournament on Monday in the Sports Arena.

The Conquistadors held a slim 30-27 halftime lead before outscoring the Eagles 53-36 in the second half to punch their ticket into the second round for the second straight year.

Dodge City was led by 26 points from Jason Edwards on 11 of 17 shooting, while also collecting 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. Tuscan Onuoha added 11 points off the bench.

The Conqs will play No. 4 Moberly (Mo.) on Wednesday at 12 p.m. after the Greyhounds received a first round bye.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679390573236.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The No. 13 Dodge City Conquistadors used a strong second half to overpower Meridian (Miss.) 83-63 in the first round of the NJCAA Tournament on Monday in the Sports Arena.The Conquistadors held a slim 30-27 halftime lead before outscoring the Eagles 53-36 in the second half to punch their ticket into the second round for the second straight year.Dodge City was led by 26 points from Jason Edwards on 11 of 17 shooting, while also collecting 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. Tuscan Onuoha added 11 points off the bench.The Conqs will play No. 4 Moberly (Mo.) on Wednesday at 12 p.m. after the Greyhounds received a first round bye.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Dodge City surges past Meridian with strong second half

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The No. 15 seed Vincennes University Trailblazers began their NJCAA record 37th trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament off Monday afternoon with an opening round 70-57 win over No. 18 seed Trinity Valley.

The Trailblazers got off to an impressive start on the defensive end, but struggled on the offensive end of the floor early.

VU held the Cardinals without a made basket for the first eight and a half minutes of the game Monday, with Trinity Valley only able to get some points at the free throw line early.

Vincennes would use this defensive stand to open up an early six-point lead at 14-8 midway through the opening period.

Trinity Valley would finally get going offensively and answered back with a 7-0 scoring run to take the lead.

VU responded back with a 6-0 run to regain the lead and would hold onto this lead for the remainder of the game.

The Blazers closed out the first half strong and went into the locker room holding a 24-19 advantage over the Mid-South District Champions.

Vincennes would come out of the locker room looking to expand on this first half lead and would grow their lead to 11 points at 46-35 early in the second half.

VU would later use a 7-0 scoring run to build a 20-point advantage over Trinity Valley, the largest lead of the game.

Trinity Valley would look to hit some shots late and battle their way back into the game before the Trailblazers closed out the game at the free throw line, hitting 14 of their 16 shots from the line in the second half to come away with the opening round 70-57 win.

"Defensively we were pretty spot on most of the game," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "Of course, they helped by missing some shots. Anytime you are shutting guys down at this level that way, they are helping you some. But when we are getting down, focused in and locked in, we're a pretty good defensive team and I thought we showed that. I thought we also showed that we are a really good rebounding team."

"We outrebounded them by 20 rebounds today," Franklin added. "Anytime you do that, especially a Texas team, at the National Tournament and get 17 offensive rebounds, for one it means that you missed some shots, but you still went and got them. That's a trait for us, that's not an accident. That's who we are. When we make some shots, which we are capable of doing, we are really hard to deal with. We didn't do that most of the night, but we made enough and hopefully tomorrow we will get relaxed and confident. Plus, we just played for the first time in a week and a half. Which is hard to do no matter when you do it."

"You travel out here, your schedule gets a little off from normal," Franklin said. "It's the first game. There are some obvious jitters and you are playing a good team. So, it's not unusual. When we won in 2019, first day Keith Clemons completely whiffed. Then he got his legs under him and he was good from that point on. That's a normal thing coming out here and you hope it doesn't happen but if it does, you hope to find a way through it. We did today. We'll see tomorrow if we can come out with some real bounce and stick the ball in the basket."

"But we did a lot of good things today too," Franklin added. "When you only have nine turnovers at this level and you have a plus-20 rebounding advantage, you hold the team down to 57 points and a lot of those were late, it's a pretty good effort. You can't complain about that. You beat a Texas District Champion. Those are all good things on a Monday."

VU was led offensively by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;(N. Preston, Nova Scotia) who overcame an early slow start to lead the Blazers with 19 points, while also adding six rebounds and a pair of assists.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;(Columbus, Ohio) got the scoring going early, leading the Blazers with seven points at the half and finishing the game with 15. Cook also helped control the boards, ending with seven rebounds and dished out four assists on the day.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;(Washington, D.C.) came off the bench and played some big minutes in the second half to help put the game away, finishing with 15 points, all coming in the second half, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;(Bolingbrook, Ill.) also had a difficult time scoring in the first half, but was able to get on the board in the second half and finish with eight points and eight rebounds.

"Michael stepped up late after missing some easy shots," Franklin said. "He got some good offensive rebounds but missed some easy shots, then he got into foul trouble. I thought he was a little tight. He was tight early. His body wasn't moving very good because he was tight and he got a couple of fouls. But he got some things done late, which is important for us. He got some buckets late and he hit some free throws, which is great. Hopefully he got through the first half things that go bad and now he'll be ready to go for tomorrow night."

"Ryan did some good things," Franklin added. "I just think Ryan has to get more confident and prepared on his shot because the opportunities were there. I think they are going to be there if we work hard and people try to take away what they perceive as our strengths. Somebody has got to hit those shots and Ryan is a candidate, but he's got to be ready."

"Caleb has got to be ready," Franklin said. "He finally shot one later in the game when he was ready on the catch on an inside-out and in not such a coincidence, he stroked it. It's really that simple. But it's hard. These things are really difficult. That's why it's hard to be a champion. That's why the most any school has ever won at this level is four National Championships. It's incredibly hard. These guys have had a great season, we've done great things and we are going to have to go over that final hump, but I think if we get over that final hump and guys like&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;have got to be key."

"Shilo has got to step up," Franklin added. "Shilo, I thought, did step up in the Region finals and he kind of regressed today. He's got to go look in the mirror tonight and say 'this is who I can be, this is who I am' and we need him tomorrow. Tasos did some good things but we are going to need him to finish that thing off. All of that to get over this last little hump and we've got this week to get it done. But I believe we can and if we do, everything is out there for this team. It's going to be a tremendous effort tomorrow night."

"Southern Idaho has obviously been one of the two best teams all year," Franklin said. "They were No. 1 pretty much the whole year. I thought Logan was playing like it from December on and have now past them to be the No. 1 seed because Southern Idaho finally lost a game late to go 29-1. But we are now well versed in playing the top-two teams in the country after tomorrow night. But I think our team has got every chance tomorrow night. I am hoping that today, as it is on many of these runs, getting through that first day, you've just got to find a way. It wasn't luck. We defended well. We rebounded well. We didn't turn the ball over and as the game went along, we got a little more confidence going offensively. So, there is no luck in that victory. It just wasn't always pretty because we just didn't shoot it or finish it great. But if we can add that component tomorrow to the others, then I think we have a chance to get a big win and be around here until Thursday when it gets down to the quarterfinals."

VU now advances to the Round of 16, where they will face off against No. 2 seed College of Southern Idaho, Tuesday, March 21. This game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. eastern.

"We've been racing that clock all year," Franklin said about his team getting their first experiences at the National Tournament. "We've just been trying to learn on the fly. That's just what this team is. It doesn't have the guys that have gotten it done and have gone to Hutch before and have been through these things. We don't have that. So, we've put together a heck of a year while learning. But the key to us getting across that line is have we learned enough. Then, if we have learned enough, we have to apply it and now's the time where we have to apply it."

"I think we've been through a lot of things as a team," Franklin added. "I think we've seen a very high level of competition. I think our District is tremendously disrespected. You come out here and watch these teams that are here, it's tremendously disrespected. Our team has seen a high level of competition and has been through some things and we've been successful most all of the time and when we've come up short it's because we haven't been through it before against the good teams or in some bad situations."

"We don't have any bad losses this year," Franklin said. "Our five losses are all in games where pretty much everybody else is going to lose too and we've taken No. 1 to the mat. We lost at SWIC but came back and beat them the next two times we faced them. We lost at Wabash Valley on sophomore day and they are really talented. They are comparable talent-wise to the guys that we are seeing out here. So, the times we've fallen short, we've been right there. We've been right there and if we can learn to get over that last hump that's where we are at. Tomorrow we will see if we've accumulated enough that we can then use that and if we've hardened up enough, got grizzled enough that we can punch through. We'll need it tomorrow night, but if we can take that next step, I believe we have a chance to get this thing done."

VINCENNES (70):&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;6-13 1-1 15,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;1-4 0-0 3,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;7-13 4-5 19,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;3-7 2-2 8,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;0-2 2-2 2,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;4-9 7-8 15,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/oliver_ryan_wcqh">Ryan Oliver</a>&nbsp;2-6 0-0 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kent_23kx">Kent King</a>&nbsp;1-6 1-2 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/lado_victor_0mo1">Victor Lado</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/dixon_kayriek_m2pl">Karyiek Dixon</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0, Team 24-61 17-20 70.

Trinity Valley – 19 &nbsp;&nbsp;38 – 57

VU (29-5, 16-5) – 24 &nbsp;&nbsp;46 – 70

Three-point goals: VU 5 (Cook 2, T. Johnson, Ke. King, C. Johnson). Rebounds: VU 46 (Kr. King 8, Osei-Bonsu 8, Jackson 8). Assists: VU 17 (Cook 4, Oliver 4). Steals: VU 6 (Kr. King 2, Jackson 2). Blocked Shots: VU 5 (Cook 2). Turnovers: VU 8. Personal Fouls: VU 21. Fouled out: Cook.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679371765356.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of NJCAA" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of NJCAA</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The No. 15 seed Vincennes University Trailblazers began their NJCAA record 37th trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament off Monday afternoon with an opening round 70-57 win over No. 18 seed Trinity Valley.The Trailblazers got off to an impressive start on the defensive end, but struggled on the offensive end of the floor early.VU held the Cardinals without a made basket for the first eight and a half minutes of the game Monday, with Trinity Valley only able to get some points at the free throw line early.Vincennes would use this defensive stand to open up an early six-point lead at 14-8 midway through the opening period.Trinity Valley would finally get going offensively and answered back with a 7-0 scoring run to take the lead.VU responded back with a 6-0 run to regain the lead and would hold onto this lead for the remainder of the game.The Blazers closed out the first half strong and went into the locker room holding a 24-19 advantage over the Mid-South District Champions.Vincennes would come out of the locker room looking to expand on this first half lead and would grow their lead to 11 points at 46-35 early in the second half.VU would later use a 7-0 scoring run to build a 20-point advantage over Trinity Valley, the largest lead of the game.Trinity Valley would look to hit some shots late and battle their way back into the game before the Trailblazers closed out the game at the free throw line, hitting 14 of their 16 shots from the line in the second half to come away with the opening round 70-57 win."Defensively we were pretty spot on most of the game," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "Of course, they helped by missing some shots. Anytime you are shutting guys down at this level that way, they are helping you some. But when we are getting down, focused in and locked in, we're a pretty good defensive team and I thought we showed that. I thought we also showed that we are a really good rebounding team.""We outrebounded them by 20 rebounds today," Franklin added. "Anytime you do that, especially a Texas team, at the National Tournament and get 17 offensive rebounds, for one it means that you missed some shots, but you still went and got them. That's a trait for us, that's not an accident. That's who we are. When we make some shots, which we are capable of doing, we are really hard to deal with. We didn't do that most of the night, but we made enough and hopefully tomorrow we will get relaxed and confident. Plus, we just played for the first time in a week and a half. Which is hard to do no matter when you do it.""You travel out here, your schedule gets a little off from normal," Franklin said. "It's the first game. There are some obvious jitters and you are playing a good team. So, it's not unusual. When we won in 2019, first day Keith Clemons completely whiffed. Then he got his legs under him and he was good from that point on. That's a normal thing coming out here and you hope it doesn't happen but if it does, you hope to find a way through it. We did today. We'll see tomorrow if we can come out with some real bounce and stick the ball in the basket.""But we did a lot of good things today too," Franklin added. "When you only have nine turnovers at this level and you have a plus-20 rebounding advantage, you hold the team down to 57 points and a lot of those were late, it's a pretty good effort. You can't complain about that. You beat a Texas District Champion. Those are all good things on a Monday."VU was led offensively by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;(N. Preston, Nova Scotia) who overcame an early slow start to lead the Blazers with 19 points, while also adding six rebounds and a pair of assists.Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;(Columbus, Ohio) got the scoring going early, leading the Blazers with seven points at the half and finishing the game with 15. Cook also helped control the boards, ending with seven rebounds and dished out four assists on the day.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;(Washington, D.C.) came off the bench and played some big minutes in the second half to help put the game away, finishing with 15 points, all coming in the second half, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;(Bolingbrook, Ill.) also had a difficult time scoring in the first half, but was able to get on the board in the second half and finish with eight points and eight rebounds."Michael stepped up late after missing some easy shots," Franklin said. "He got some good offensive rebounds but missed some easy shots, then he got into foul trouble. I thought he was a little tight. He was tight early. His body wasn't moving very good because he was tight and he got a couple of fouls. But he got some things done late, which is important for us. He got some buckets late and he hit some free throws, which is great. Hopefully he got through the first half things that go bad and now he'll be ready to go for tomorrow night.""Ryan did some good things," Franklin added. "I just think Ryan has to get more confident and prepared on his shot because the opportunities were there. I think they are going to be there if we work hard and people try to take away what they perceive as our strengths. Somebody has got to hit those shots and Ryan is a candidate, but he's got to be ready.""Caleb has got to be ready," Franklin said. "He finally shot one later in the game when he was ready on the catch on an inside-out and in not such a coincidence, he stroked it. It's really that simple. But it's hard. These things are really difficult. That's why it's hard to be a champion. That's why the most any school has ever won at this level is four National Championships. It's incredibly hard. These guys have had a great season, we've done great things and we are going to have to go over that final hump, but I think if we get over that final hump and guys like&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;have got to be key.""Shilo has got to step up," Franklin added. "Shilo, I thought, did step up in the Region finals and he kind of regressed today. He's got to go look in the mirror tonight and say 'this is who I can be, this is who I am' and we need him tomorrow. Tasos did some good things but we are going to need him to finish that thing off. All of that to get over this last little hump and we've got this week to get it done. But I believe we can and if we do, everything is out there for this team. It's going to be a tremendous effort tomorrow night.""Southern Idaho has obviously been one of the two best teams all year," Franklin said. "They were No. 1 pretty much the whole year. I thought Logan was playing like it from December on and have now past them to be the No. 1 seed because Southern Idaho finally lost a game late to go 29-1. But we are now well versed in playing the top-two teams in the country after tomorrow night. But I think our team has got every chance tomorrow night. I am hoping that today, as it is on many of these runs, getting through that first day, you've just got to find a way. It wasn't luck. We defended well. We rebounded well. We didn't turn the ball over and as the game went along, we got a little more confidence going offensively. So, there is no luck in that victory. It just wasn't always pretty because we just didn't shoot it or finish it great. But if we can add that component tomorrow to the others, then I think we have a chance to get a big win and be around here until Thursday when it gets down to the quarterfinals."VU now advances to the Round of 16, where they will face off against No. 2 seed College of Southern Idaho, Tuesday, March 21. This game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. eastern."We've been racing that clock all year," Franklin said about his team getting their first experiences at the National Tournament. "We've just been trying to learn on the fly. That's just what this team is. It doesn't have the guys that have gotten it done and have gone to Hutch before and have been through these things. We don't have that. So, we've put together a heck of a year while learning. But the key to us getting across that line is have we learned enough. Then, if we have learned enough, we have to apply it and now's the time where we have to apply it.""I think we've been through a lot of things as a team," Franklin added. "I think we've seen a very high level of competition. I think our District is tremendously disrespected. You come out here and watch these teams that are here, it's tremendously disrespected. Our team has seen a high level of competition and has been through some things and we've been successful most all of the time and when we've come up short it's because we haven't been through it before against the good teams or in some bad situations.""We don't have any bad losses this year," Franklin said. "Our five losses are all in games where pretty much everybody else is going to lose too and we've taken No. 1 to the mat. We lost at SWIC but came back and beat them the next two times we faced them. We lost at Wabash Valley on sophomore day and they are really talented. They are comparable talent-wise to the guys that we are seeing out here. So, the times we've fallen short, we've been right there. We've been right there and if we can learn to get over that last hump that's where we are at. Tomorrow we will see if we've accumulated enough that we can then use that and if we've hardened up enough, got grizzled enough that we can punch through. We'll need it tomorrow night, but if we can take that next step, I believe we have a chance to get this thing done."VINCENNES BOX SCOREVINCENNES (70):&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;6-13 1-1 15,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;1-4 0-0 3,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;7-13 4-5 19,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;3-7 2-2 8,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;0-2 2-2 2,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;4-9 7-8 15,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/oliver_ryan_wcqh">Ryan Oliver</a>&nbsp;2-6 0-0 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kent_23kx">Kent King</a>&nbsp;1-6 1-2 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/lado_victor_0mo1">Victor Lado</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/dixon_kayriek_m2pl">Karyiek Dixon</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0, Team 24-61 17-20 70.Trinity Valley – 19 &nbsp;&nbsp;38 – 57VU (29-5, 16-5) – 24 &nbsp;&nbsp;46 – 70Three-point goals: VU 5 (Cook 2, T. Johnson, Ke. King, C. Johnson). Rebounds: VU 46 (Kr. King 8, Osei-Bonsu 8, Jackson 8). Assists: VU 17 (Cook 4, Oliver 4). Steals: VU 6 (Kr. King 2, Jackson 2). Blocked Shots: VU 5 (Cook 2). Turnovers: VU 8. Personal Fouls: VU 21. Fouled out: Cook.

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Vincennes advances after opening round win over Trinity Valley

HUTCHINSON, Kan.-For the second straight year, the Dodge City men's basketball team stepped on the court in Hutchinson for the NJCAA Division I National Tournament and competed in the first round this year taking down Meridian 83-63 to move into the Sweet Sixteen.&nbsp; The Conquistadors with the win improved to 24-9 on the season and continue their season moving into the Sweet Sixteen where they will play the #4 seed Moberly Area Community College at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 22nd.&nbsp; It was a sluggish start to the contest for the Conqs as they fell behind 7-2 over the first two and half minutes of the contest. Meridian continued to hold the lead until a&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/shawn-warrior/5671">Shawn Warrior</a>&nbsp;dunk with 10:14 left to go in the first half when the Conqs would take a 12-11 lead. The lead would remain in the Conqs' favor most of the first half outside of 25-24 with 1:46 left in the half, but a 6-2 run by the Conqs to cap the first half had them up 30-27 at halftime. To open the second half&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jason-edwards/5670">Jason Edwards</a>&nbsp;and the Conqs went on an 11-0 run to start the half with all 11 points coming from Edwards on a layup and three three-pointers growing the lead to 41-27. The lead would continue to blossom for the Conqs working its way to 20 points in the second half the Conqs would cruise to the 83-63 win after controlling the second half.&nbsp; The Conqs shot 45.2% in the contest while holding Meridian to 35.3% shooting and only 5-25 from three-point range. Conqs dominated the boards outrebounding Meridian 56-30 in the win.&nbsp; Edwards tallied a double-double with 26 points on 11-17 shooting including 4-7 from three-point range while grabbing 10 rebounds. Warrior added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tuscan-onuoha/5681">Tuscan Onuoha</a>&nbsp;was strong off the bench also recording 11 points on 5-7 shooting with four rebounds.&nbsp; Up next the Conqs continue action in the NJCAA DI National Tournament when they take on the #4 seed Moberly in the Sweet Sixteen at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 22nd

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679453624137.jpeg" alt="Dodge City Sports" />
 <figcaption>Dodge City Sports</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.-For the second straight year, the Dodge City men's basketball team stepped on the court in Hutchinson for the NJCAA Division I National Tournament and competed in the first round this year taking down Meridian 83-63 to move into the Sweet Sixteen.&nbsp; The Conquistadors with the win improved to 24-9 on the season and continue their season moving into the Sweet Sixteen where they will play the #4 seed Moberly Area Community College at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 22nd.&nbsp; It was a sluggish start to the contest for the Conqs as they fell behind 7-2 over the first two and half minutes of the contest. Meridian continued to hold the lead until a&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/shawn-warrior/5671">Shawn Warrior</a>&nbsp;dunk with 10:14 left to go in the first half when the Conqs would take a 12-11 lead. The lead would remain in the Conqs' favor most of the first half outside of 25-24 with 1:46 left in the half, but a 6-2 run by the Conqs to cap the first half had them up 30-27 at halftime. To open the second half&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jason-edwards/5670">Jason Edwards</a>&nbsp;and the Conqs went on an 11-0 run to start the half with all 11 points coming from Edwards on a layup and three three-pointers growing the lead to 41-27. The lead would continue to blossom for the Conqs working its way to 20 points in the second half the Conqs would cruise to the 83-63 win after controlling the second half.&nbsp; The Conqs shot 45.2% in the contest while holding Meridian to 35.3% shooting and only 5-25 from three-point range. Conqs dominated the boards outrebounding Meridian 56-30 in the win.&nbsp; Edwards tallied a double-double with 26 points on 11-17 shooting including 4-7 from three-point range while grabbing 10 rebounds. Warrior added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and&nbsp;<a href="https://goconqs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tuscan-onuoha/5681">Tuscan Onuoha</a>&nbsp;was strong off the bench also recording 11 points on 5-7 shooting with four rebounds.&nbsp; Up next the Conqs continue action in the NJCAA DI National Tournament when they take on the #4 seed Moberly in the Sweet Sixteen at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 22nd

MBB: Basketball Uses Strong Second Half to Beat Meridian in First Round of NJCAA DI Tournament

Story courtesy of &nbsp;Wyatt Ebersole&nbsp;

In their first national tournament appearance in eight years, the Butler Men largely dominated in their opening round win over the Roane State Community College Raiders out of Tennessee. The win for the Grizzlies in their fifth straight and improves them to 26-8 on the season. This is the first time the Grizzlies have had more than 25 wins in a season since the 2014-15 year when the Grizzlies won 29. The loss for Roane State ends their season at 23-6.

The Grizzlies started the game on a big run, dominating the paint early led by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ondekane_isaac_4nwy">Isaac Ondekane</a>&nbsp;who scored six early points to put the Grizzlies up 12-3 in the first four minutes of the half. The Grizzlies extended their lead to double digits for the first time at 15:30 mark of the half at 15-5 after a top of the key three by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/grant_javon_611a">Javon Grant</a>. The Grizzlies fired away from three-point range early making their first six attempts to jump out to a huge, early 29-8 lead with 11:42 left in the half. After a quick 7-0 run by Roane State, the Grizzlies got back four points and a nothing but net three from&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;brough the lead back to 18 points at 35-17 with 5:54 left to go in the half. The Grizzlies lead in the half grew to as big as 22 at the 3:31 mark of the half at 43-21 after a nice tip-in by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/mcclennahan_charles_efz2">Charles McClennahan</a>. The Grizzlies carried their early hot shooting into a big lead at the half, leading 47-27 after the first twenty minutes. The Butler Men were on fire in the first half, shooting 17/29 from the field and finishing 7/10 from behind the arc.&nbsp;

Roane State showed some major fight in the second half cutting the lead down to eleven points at 50-39 with 14:19 left to play. The Raiders kept rolling, cutting the Grizzly lead all the way down to just six points before&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/richardson_christian_xg3v">Christian Richardson</a>&nbsp;found an nice putback, and-1 layup to swing some momentum back to the Grizzlies. Roane State continued to fight back and made it a one possession game with still 9:57 left in the half. The Grizzlies found some fire out of the media timeout.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;found a tough layup inside, a follow up and-1 from&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>, and a fast break layup by Golden made it a double-digit lead for the Grizzlies again, taking a 63-53 lead with eight minutes left to play. The Grizzlies maintained a double-digit advantage into the under-five minute media timeout, needing just a few more buckets and stops to salt the game away.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/payne_treylon_wx3q">Treylon Payne</a>&nbsp;delivered a monster jam with 3:30 left to play, then he followed that up with an impressive acrobatic layup that grew the Grizzlies lead back out to fourteen points with just over two minutes to go.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>&nbsp;made two free throws, then Ondekane found an easy basket down low, and then&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/williams_isaiah_g7fk">Isaiah Williams</a>&nbsp;scored on a backdoor layup to make it a 19-point Grizzly lead and the Grizzlies had put the game away, picking up the opening round win over #23 seeded Roane State 85-66.

<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>&nbsp;had a huge game, leading all scorers with 21 points, shooting 7/12 from the field and a perfect 2/2 from three.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ondekane_isaac_4nwy">Isaac Ondekane</a>&nbsp;nearly put a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling in nine rebounds.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/payne_treylon_wx3q">Treylon Payne</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/grant_javon_611a">Javon Grant</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;all broke into double figures scoring 12, 11, and 10 points each.&nbsp;

Interestingly, the Grizzlies did not make a three in the second half, going 0/8 from behind the arc after going 7/10 from three in the first half.

The Grizzlies advance and will face #7 NW Florida State tomorrow night at 8:30 PM.

NOTES:&nbsp;Butler wins the first ever meeting with Roane State…This Butler's first win at the national tournament since 1996 when they beat Connors State in the third-place game…Butler breaks their three-game losing streak at the national tournament

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679371946609.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of Butler Sports" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Butler Sports</figcaption>
 </figure>Story courtesy of &nbsp;Wyatt Ebersole&nbsp;In their first national tournament appearance in eight years, the Butler Men largely dominated in their opening round win over the Roane State Community College Raiders out of Tennessee. The win for the Grizzlies in their fifth straight and improves them to 26-8 on the season. This is the first time the Grizzlies have had more than 25 wins in a season since the 2014-15 year when the Grizzlies won 29. The loss for Roane State ends their season at 23-6.The Grizzlies started the game on a big run, dominating the paint early led by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ondekane_isaac_4nwy">Isaac Ondekane</a>&nbsp;who scored six early points to put the Grizzlies up 12-3 in the first four minutes of the half. The Grizzlies extended their lead to double digits for the first time at 15:30 mark of the half at 15-5 after a top of the key three by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/grant_javon_611a">Javon Grant</a>. The Grizzlies fired away from three-point range early making their first six attempts to jump out to a huge, early 29-8 lead with 11:42 left in the half. After a quick 7-0 run by Roane State, the Grizzlies got back four points and a nothing but net three from&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;brough the lead back to 18 points at 35-17 with 5:54 left to go in the half. The Grizzlies lead in the half grew to as big as 22 at the 3:31 mark of the half at 43-21 after a nice tip-in by&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/mcclennahan_charles_efz2">Charles McClennahan</a>. The Grizzlies carried their early hot shooting into a big lead at the half, leading 47-27 after the first twenty minutes. The Butler Men were on fire in the first half, shooting 17/29 from the field and finishing 7/10 from behind the arc.&nbsp;Roane State showed some major fight in the second half cutting the lead down to eleven points at 50-39 with 14:19 left to play. The Raiders kept rolling, cutting the Grizzly lead all the way down to just six points before&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/richardson_christian_xg3v">Christian Richardson</a>&nbsp;found an nice putback, and-1 layup to swing some momentum back to the Grizzlies. Roane State continued to fight back and made it a one possession game with still 9:57 left in the half. The Grizzlies found some fire out of the media timeout.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;found a tough layup inside, a follow up and-1 from&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>, and a fast break layup by Golden made it a double-digit lead for the Grizzlies again, taking a 63-53 lead with eight minutes left to play. The Grizzlies maintained a double-digit advantage into the under-five minute media timeout, needing just a few more buckets and stops to salt the game away.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/payne_treylon_wx3q">Treylon Payne</a>&nbsp;delivered a monster jam with 3:30 left to play, then he followed that up with an impressive acrobatic layup that grew the Grizzlies lead back out to fourteen points with just over two minutes to go.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>&nbsp;made two free throws, then Ondekane found an easy basket down low, and then&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/williams_isaiah_g7fk">Isaiah Williams</a>&nbsp;scored on a backdoor layup to make it a 19-point Grizzly lead and the Grizzlies had put the game away, picking up the opening round win over #23 seeded Roane State 85-66.<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hill_tahjae_l8op">Tahjae Hill</a>&nbsp;had a huge game, leading all scorers with 21 points, shooting 7/12 from the field and a perfect 2/2 from three.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ondekane_isaac_4nwy">Isaac Ondekane</a>&nbsp;nearly put a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling in nine rebounds.&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/payne_treylon_wx3q">Treylon Payne</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/grant_javon_611a">Javon Grant</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://butlercc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/golden_caleb_ulww">Caleb Golden</a>&nbsp;all broke into double figures scoring 12, 11, and 10 points each.&nbsp;Interestingly, the Grizzlies did not make a three in the second half, going 0/8 from behind the arc after going 7/10 from three in the first half.The Grizzlies advance and will face #7 NW Florida State tomorrow night at 8:30 PM.NOTES:&nbsp;Butler wins the first ever meeting with Roane State…This Butler's first win at the national tournament since 1996 when they beat Connors State in the third-place game…Butler breaks their three-game losing streak at the national tournament