(Photo courtesy Cowley College)
To say it’s been awhile since the Cowley College men’s basketball team has danced in March is a bit of an understatement.
But that wait is over.
For the first time since the 1956-57 season, the Tigers were selected Monday for the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. The tournament is held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena and Cowley will be the No. 19 seed in a 24-team field.
The Tigers finished the regular season 26-6 and led the nation in scoring at 109.8 points per game, according the college. Cowley also won the Jayhawk Eastern Division title for the first time since the 2009-2010 season.
Freshman Cevin Clark, an Ark City High School graduate, received Honorable Mention all-conference recognition. Clark averaged 14.8 points per game and made the sixth most three-pointers nationally with 110.
Cowley was led by First Team All-Jayhawk East selection Dalen Ridgnal of Kansas City, Mo., who was named the Freshman of the Year. Ridgnal recorded 20 double-doubles and averaged 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
“This is a special moment for Cowley College and all of its past and present athletic directors and presidents,” Cowley head coach Tommy DeSalme said following a watch party Monday inside the Patrick J. McAtee Dining Center. “To finally get here is a special moment and to have Dr. Pat (McAtee) back for the selection show was really cool.
“I am glad it is this team that is getting this once in a lifetime opportunity because they are very competitive and want to keep playing.”
The Tigers, who had the toughest schedule in the country, will face No. 14-seed Murray State (25-6) Tuesday, March 17 at 10 a.m. in Hutchinson.
The Aggies, which hail from Tishomingo, Okla., average 81.9 points per game, while holding opponents to only 53.8 points per game.
“We want to take it one game at a time and move on,” DeSalme said. “If we bring our pressure it should be a heck of a game. I am just really proud of our sophomores and assistant coach Eric Nitsche, who does so much behind the scenes for Cowley and this program.”
The winner of next Tuesday’s game will advance to face third-seeded Clarendon Wednesday, March 18 at 6 p.m.
Cowley will be joined at the national tournament by Jayhawk Conference schools Colby Community College (11th-seed) and 15th-seeded Coffeyville Community College. Pearl River (28-0) earned the top-seed at the national tournament.
