NAIA National Tournament Preview: Crestview Hills Bracket A

Teams Inside the Pod

#1 Shawnee State

26-2 Overall

Mid-South Conference Regular Season Champions

Mid-South Conference Tournament Champions

#6 Overall Seed

Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Blocks per Game (5.750)

Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Total Blocks (161)

Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (32.679)

Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Field Goal Pct Defense (0.372)

Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Total Total Rebound Offense (1263)

Ranks Number 4 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (45.107)

Ranks Number 6 in Division I in Total Rebound Margin (11.250)

Ranks Number 6 in Division I in Total Assists (466)

Ranks Number 8 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct Defense (0.290)

Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Total Scoring Offense (2363)

Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Scoring Margin (14.536)

Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (254)

Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Assists per Game (16.643)

Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (12.429)

Ranks Number 24 in Division I in Total Steals (195)

#2 Rochester

13-3 Overall

WHAC Regular Season Champions

WHAC Tournament Runners-Up

#36 Overall Seed

Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Scoring
Defense per Game (65.563)

Ranks Number 31 in Division I in Total
Rebound Defense (32.625)

Ranks Number 33 in Division I in Turnover
Margin (2.563)

Ranks Number 45 in Division I in Assists
per Game (15.375)

#3 WVU Tech

12-6 Overall

River States Athletic Conference Tournament Champions

#41 Overall Seed

Ranks Number 22 in Division I in Free Throw Pct (0.748)

Ranks Number 27 in Division I in Scoring Defense per Game (69.889)

Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Blocks per Game (3.778)

Ranks Number 32 in Division I in Total Rebound Defense (32.778)

Ranks Number 40 in Division I in Assists per Game (15.556)

Ranks Number 42 in Division I in Steals per Game (7.944)

Ranks Number 50 in Division I in Scoring Margin (6.778)

Ranks Number 50 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.473)

Top Players

#35 EJ Onu 6'11 Sr. - 17.4ppg, 7.8rpg

2020-21 MSC Player of the Year

– 2x All-American

Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Blocks per Game (4.107)

Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Total Blocks (115)

Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Total Scoring (488)

Ranks Number 25 in Division I in Total Total Rebounds (219)

Ranks Number 26 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.599)

Ranks Number 49 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.453)

#2 James Jones 6'4 Sr. - 19.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 4.96apg

Ranks Number 12 in Division I in Total Assists (129)

Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Scoring (501)

Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Assists per Game (4.962)

Ranks Number 44 in Division I in Points per Game (19.269)

#21 Virgil Walker 6'7 Sr. - 16.88ppg, 9.0rpg

2020-21 WHAC Newcomer of the Year

– 2019-20 All-American (Graceland)

Ranks Number 11 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (8.000)

Ranks Number 33 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (9.000)

#1 Andre Johnson 6'0 Sr. - 14.2ppg, 3.1rpg

2020-21 2nd Team All-WHAC

No Top 50 Stats

#24 Tamon Scruggs 6'4 Sr. - 15.6ppg, 5.8rpg

2020-21 1st Team All-RSC

No Top 50 Stats

Points Per Game Leaders

1. James Jones Shawnee 19.3

2. EJ Onu Shawnee 17.4

3. Virgil Walker Jr Rochester 16.88

4. Tamon Scruggs 15.58

5. Darrin Martin WVU Tech 14.28

Rebounds Per Game Leaders

1. Virgil Walker Jr Rochester 9.0

2. EJ Onu Shawnee 7.8

3. Donovan Carlisle 6.6

4. Amier Gilmore Shawnee 6.2

T5. James Jones Shawnee 5.8

T5. Tamon Scruggs WVU Tech 5.8

Assist Per Game Leaders

1. James Jones Shawnee 4.96

2. Darrin Martin WVU Tech 4.39

3. Andrew Kline Rochester 3.69

4. Jakiel Wells Shawnee 3.11

5. Cannon Campbell Rochester 3.0

Matchups

Friday, March 12th 11am Live Video

This Rochester team comes off of losing in the WHAC Tournament Title game and haven’t played a ton of games this season, but they have made the best out of the ones they have played. 2020-21 WHAC Newcomer of the Year and 2019-20 NAIA All-American Virgil Walker Jr. has been a beast for RC. He played at Graceland in 2019-20, but transferred closer to home and has been dominant this year nearly averaging a double-double. At 13-3 this RC team hasn’t lost a ton this season, so expect them to come in with some swagger.

vs.

This WVU Tech Team won the River States Athletic Conference Tournament and enter the National Tournament with a three game win streak. It may have been an unorthodox season for all of the River States Conference teams, but James Long has them playing tough basketball.

Saturday, March 13th 11am Live Video

Winners of 22 straight games. That is more wins in a row this season then 21 teams in this field have played in total games played! This team is playing great basketball and they have their defense locked in headed into the NAIA National Tournament. This team is big, long and athletic. While EJ Onu is one of the top players in the country, it’s been the addition of James Jones that has taken the Bears to a new level of play this season!

vs.

Winner of #2 Rochester and #3 WVU Tech

We still sit on our thought that this Shawnee team is as good as anyone in the country. They are playing as good as anyone in the country right now and don’t look like they are going to be slowed down any time soon.

This is no slight at either WVU Tech or Rochester, both should be proud of what they have accomplished this season. It’s also March, and upsets happen, so by no means are either of these teams going to show up and just hand Shawnee State the title. Heck one of Shawnee States last losses was to Rio Grande, a team that WVU Tech beat in the RSC Tournament Title game.

Shawnee State, rightfully so, will be the heavy favorite in this Pod. The duo of James Jones and EJ Onu have been crazy good and Jakiel Wells at PG has been the rock that has held this team together in the stretches the Bears haven’t played well. They play suffocating defense with shot blockers at the rim. It’s a tough puzzle to figure out and Rochester or WVU Tech will have their hands full in figuring out the winning formula!