Hutchinson, KS – For the 19th time in program history, the Indian Hills Men's Basketball team is set to tip-off at the Hutchinson Sports Arena for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Basketball National Tournament.
DETAILS: 2024 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball National Tournament
#10 (5) Indian Hills vs. (21) Wallace State
Tuesday, March 26 | 2:15 PM (CDT)
Hutchinson, KS | Hutchinson Sports Arena
WATCH LIVE: ESPN+
WHERE TO WATCH IN OTTUMWA: Godfrey's Ale House | Warehouse BBQ | Courtside Bar & Grill
LIVE AUDIO: GoHillsTV | 96.7 KIIC
TICKETS: Buy Online
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: 2024 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship
BRACKET: 2024 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball National Tournament
LIVE STATS: Indian Hills vs. Wallace State
WARRIOR RALLY: Monday, March 25 at 6:30 PM on GoHillsTV | AJ's Sports Grill (Hutchinson, KS)
STARTING FIVE
- The Warriors will head to Hutchinson, KS with a double-digit winning streak for the 10th time in program history.
- The Warriors cleaned up the postseason awards as head coach Josh Sash was named the ICCAC Coach of the Year, Trevion LaBeaux was named the ICCAC Player of the Year, and in total, seven individuals were named to the NJCAA All-Region 11 team.
- The public is welcome to attend a number of watch parties at local establishments in Ottumwa for Tuesday's contest - Warehouse BBQ & Brewhouse, Godfey's Ale House, and Courtside Bar & Grill will air all Indian Hills games throughout the week.
- The duration of the tournament can be seen live only on ESPN+ with the championship game to air on ESPN U on Saturday afternoon. All Indian Hills contests can be heard live on GoHillsTV platforms along with a simulcast on KIIC 96.7 FM.
- Head coach Josh Sash will be making his fourth all-time trip to the national tournament, but first as a head coach. Sash was previously a part of two Indian Hills teams to compete in Hutchinson in 2016 and 2017 along with a trip as an assistant at State Fair Community College (MO) in 2014.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The Warriors earned a first-round bye at the NJCAA National Tournament after securing both the NJCAA Region 11 and NJCAA North Central District Championship.
- Under first-year head coach Josh Sash, the Warriors posted a 27-5 record on the year, including a 4-0 mark in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC).
- The Warriors have won 11 consecutive contests, including three wins over nationally ranked opponents.
- Indian Hills won a program-best 14 games against ranked opponents this year and secured 22 NJCAA DI victories.
WARRIORS AT HUTCH
2024 marks the Warriors' 19th all-time trip to the Hutchinson Sports Arena, third in a row, and 11th berth in the last 13 years (including the COVID-19 cancelled season).
- The Warriors earned the No. 5 overall seed, the team's fifth top-five seed since the field expanded to a seeded-format in 2013.
- Indian Hills is 29-19 all-time in the national tournament while the team's 19 all-time appearances are tied for sixth-most in NJCAA history.
- Indian Hills placed third overall in the 2023 tournament after making a run to the semifinals, the team's best finish since a runner-up finish in 2014.
- The Warriors remain the only team in NJCAA history to win three consecutive national championships - 1997, 1998, and 1999.
- The first all-time appearance at the national tournament for the Warriors came in 1993 where the program placed fourth overall.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Winners of the NJCAA Region 23 / ACCC championship, Wallace State (26-8, 8-6 ACCC) is making its first trip to the national tournament since 2014 and fourth appearance overall.
- The Lions, seeded 21st in the tournament, secured an upset in the first round on Sunday night, knocking off No. 12 Lee College (TX) 76-64 to advance.
- Wallace State, who previously earned trips to the touranment in 2014, 2012, and 2010, are 5-4 all-time at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, including a fifth-place finish in 2010.
- Freshman Jimmie Williams, the team's leading scorer on the year, poured in 22 points Sunday night, the guard's 12th consecutive game of at least 20 points. Williams is averaging 22.8 points per game this season.
- The Lions rank ninth in the nation this season in three-point field goal percentage with a 39.0 percent mark.
- Wallace State is committing just 11.0 turnovers per game, 12th-lowest in the nation this year.
SERIES HISTORY
Tuesday's matchup vs. the Lions will be the first meeting between the two programs.
- The two teams have previously appeared in the same national tournament in both 2014 and 2012.
- Tuesday's contest marks the Warriors' second opponent from the state of Alabama this year after playing at Coastal Alabama-North on November 15.
- Wallace State will be just the third opponent from the state of Alabama all-time for the Warriors, joining Coastal Alabama this year and Shelton State Community College (AL) in 2003.
WHAT'S NEXT
The winner of Tuesday's matchup will advance to the quarterfinal round of the national tournament at 5:00 PM Wednesday night. The winner will take on the winner of fourth-seeded Vincennes University (IN) and 13th-seeded Odessa College (TX) who are set to square off at 12:00 PM Tuesday. Odessa previously defeated No. 20 Trinidad State College (CO) 81-52 in the opening round on Sunday.
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