No. 4 Richland to Meet No. 7 Dutchess in National Tournament Next Wednesday
NJCAA DIII TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | BRACKET | SELECTION SHOW | BRACKET REVEAL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dallas College Richland men's basketball team earned an at-large bid to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament in Herkimer, New York. The fourth-ranked Thunderducks meet Dutchess Community College (N.Y.) in the first round 3 p.m. CT next Wednesday at Herkimer College.
The tournament runs through March 14. Games will be live streamed on the NJCAA Network, and Live Stats are available.
It will mark the Thunderducks' second straight national tournament appearance and the 10th in program history. Richland won NJCAA Division III national championships in 1999, 2009 and 2015. Last year the Thunderducks finished third.
Ranked fourth in the country, Richland (20-9) is one of three Dallas Athletic Conference teams headed to Herkimer. It is the first time in conference history the DAC will send three teams to the NJCAA Division III Tournament. The Thunderducks will be joined by No. 3 Dallas College Eastfield (20-9) and No. 6 Dallas College North Lake (22-10) in the 12-team national tournament field. Eastfield also earned an at-large bid, and North Lake won the NJCAA Division III South Central District Tournament title to punch their tickets.
The Thunderducks won the DAC regular season title, rising to No. 1 in the national poll, a ranking they held on to for a month. Richland ran off 16 straight wins from Dec. 1-Feb. 14.
Richland freshman forward Jase Tarver leads the Thunderducks in scoring (15.2 points per game) and rebounding (8.4), and is shooting 51.4 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard DJ Willis is averaging 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Sophomore guard Cedric Dent is scoring 9.4 points, and averaging 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Sophomore guard Andrew Huntley is good for 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
No. 7 Dutchess (26-4) is coming off a Northeast District title after beating Monroe University-Bronx 87-64 in the championship game Sunday. The Falcons have won their past four games.
Supreme Niles leads Dutchess in scoring (14.8), and is averaging two steals per game. Josiah Salmon is averaging 11.9 points and 6.6 rebounds, and leads the team at 2.5 blocks per game. Kameron Quinn is averaging 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
Richland has won at least 20 games for the past two years.