达拉斯,爸爸. — 菠菜网比较大的平台 men’s basketball team is heading back to the USCAA Basketball Small College National Tournament again this year. This year’s tournament kicks off Sunday, March 10, in Petersburg, Virginia. The Mountain Lions’ first matchup is against Southern Maine 社区 College, winners of the 2022 USCAA DII National Championship, 下午1点在理查德·布兰德学院.m.
在国家舞台上并不陌生, 时’s appearance in this year’s tournament is the team’s sixth straight, 其中两个结果是 赢得全国冠军 2019年和2023年的比赛.
时’s coaches and players alike have celebrated successes on the court during the regular 2023-2024 season:
- 该队排名第一. 1 in the country (USCAA DII Coaches Poll) for three weeks and stayed in the top three for nine consecutive weeks following its No. 排名1.
- 主教练 勒肖恩·哈米特获得了职业生涯的第200次胜利 12月. 18对中央宾夕法尼亚大学.
- Junior forward Jedidiah Ashton became the seventh player in program history to sink his 1,职业生涯第000点.
- Senior guard Jalen Willis got his second career triple-double as a Mountain Lion
- Three players were named to the PSUAC All-Conference Second Team: junior forward Jedidiah Ashton, senior forward/center Teequan Holley and senior guard Jalen Willis.
- The PSUAC also awarded junior guard Rashod Ballard an honorable mention and senior center Chase Monroe the John Fritz Sportsman Award.
时 still enters this year’s tournament in a unique position: as the No. 10号种子(USCAA教练投票). 去年，这支球队是世界第一. 美国大学生体育协会的第一种子.
“We are embracing being the underdogs this time,” said Hammett. “It’s been at least five years since we have been in this position [as the underdog].”
Four players on this year’s team played on last year’s national championship-winning team, which Hammett feels confident will help 时 as they head to Virginia this weekend.
“Going into the tournament, we have some experience. 经验永远是关键。.
Defense also will be key to success on the national stage. “We have to be one of the best teams in the country — defensively — to win this,” said Hammett. “我们一直在说，‘没有反弹，就没有戒指.’”
One of the returning players with a ring from last year’s national championship team is senior center Allen Ozojie. 他在PSUAC和USCAA的盖帽榜上名列前茅 Ozojie was recently named East Defensive Player of the Year in the 宾西法尼亚 State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC), 他在2023赛季也取得了同样的成绩.
“Taking the extra steps — like boxing out and crashing the boards (quick rebounds) will be key. I think if we control the rebound game and get our stops, 我们会赢 our games,” said Ozojie. “我们都是非常有能力的球员. 这就是我们在这里的原因. But I think that if we control those rebounds and the stops, ultimately frustrate our competition to give them nowhere else to go, 我们会赢.”
Winning in this arena is an experience unique to the 时 campus.
“We are the only Penn State Commonwealth Campus to have won a National Championship, 我们赢了两场. To be in a position to bring home a third is humbling,” said Hammett.
球队将于周六早些时候离开, 3月9日, to prepare for the matchup against Southern Maine on Sunday. Two players will be participating in USCAA opening competitions after their arrival to Virginia: junior guard Elijah Perez will participate in the 3-point contest, and junior forward Dennis Cash in the dunk contest.
More information about the tournament, including livestream details, can be found on the USCAA的网站.
