NAIA National Tournament Preview: Omaha Bracket B

Teams Inside the Pod
#1 LSU-Shreveport

16-1 Overall
RRAC Regular Season Champions
RRAC Tournament Champions
#3 Overall Seed
Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Scoring Margin (27.200)
Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Scoring Offense per Game (98.667)
Ranks Number 3 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (45.600)
Ranks Number 6 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (31.933)
Ranks Number 6 in Division I in Turnover Margin (5.933)
Ranks Number 8 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct Defense (0.290)
Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (13.667)
Ranks Number 9 in Division I in Steals per Game (9.667)
Ranks Number 10 in Division I in Field Goal Pct Defense (0.391)
Ranks Number 12 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Made per Game (10.733)
Ranks Number 17 in Division I in Total Rebound Margin (8.000)
Ranks Number 37 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.481)
Ranks Number 39 in Division I in Assists per Game (15.600)
Ranks Number 44 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.147)
Ranks Number 45 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.368)
Ranks Number 47 in Division I in Scoring Defense per Game (71.467)
#2 Jamestown

19-8 Overall
3rd place Finish in the GPAC
#21 Overall Seed
Ranks Number 11 in Division I in Total Assists (454)
Ranks Number 11 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (272)
Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Total Rebound Defense (31.519)
Ranks Number 16 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.493)
Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Scoring Offense (2239)
Ranks Number 18 in Division I in Total Total Rebound Offense (1050)
Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Total Rebound Margin (7.370)
Ranks Number 20 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Pct (0.386)
Ranks Number 21 in Division I in 3-Pt Fg Made per Game (10.074)
Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Assists per Game (16.815)
Ranks Number 22 in Division I in Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.293)
Ranks Number 37 in Division I in Scoring Margin (8.667)
Ranks Number 38 in Division I in Scoring Offense per Game (82.926)
Ranks Number 42 in Division I in Total Blocks (75)
Ranks Number 42 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (28.778)
#3 Bellevue

20-13 Overall
NorthStar Regular Season Runners-Up
NorthStar Tournament Champions
#43 Overall Seed
Ranks Number 3 in Division I in Total Blocks (147)
Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Total Scoring Offense (2429)
Ranks Number 7 in Division I in Total Total Rebound Offense (1164)
Ranks Number 13 in Division I in Blocks per Game (4.455)
Ranks Number 15 in Division I in Total 3-Pt FG Made (265)
Ranks Number 17 in Division I in Scoring Defense per Game (68.697)
Ranks Number 17 in Division I in Total Steals (205)
Ranks Number 19 in Division I in Total Assists (410)
Ranks Number 21 in Division I in Total Rebound Defense (31.970)
Ranks Number 37 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.481)

Top Players

#5 Kadavion Evans 6'1 Sr. - 19ppg, 6.8rpg, 4.36apg
2020-21 RRAC Player of the Year
2019-20 All-American
Ranks Number 14 in Division I in Steals per Game (2.286)
Ranks Number 22 in Division I in Free Throw Pct (0.861)
Ranks Number 49 in Division I in Points per Game (19.000)

#3 Leandre Washington 6'0 Sr. -21.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.1apg
2020-21 RRAC Newcomer of the Year
Ranks Number 17 in Division I in Points per Game (21.40)

#23 Akeem White 6'7 Sr. - 14.1ppg, 6.6rpg
2020-21 RRAC Tournament MVP
2019-20 All-American (@TX Weslyean)

#33 Mason Walters 6'9 So. - 21.7ppg, 12.1rpg
2020-21 GPAC Player of the Year
Ranks Number 1 in Division I in Total Total Rebounds (326)
Ranks Number 2 in Division I in Total Rebounds per Game (12.074)
Ranks Number 5 in Division I in Defensive Rebounds per Game (8.741)
Ranks Number 5 in Division I in Total Scoring (586)
Ranks Number 14 in Division I in Points per Game (21.704)
Ranks Number 15 in Division I in Offensive Rebounds per Game (3.333)
Ranks Number 20 in Division I in Field Goal Pct (0.607)

#32 Jemeil King 6'5 Sr. - 14.4ppg,3.1rpg, 3.3apg
2020-21 1st Team All-NorthStar
2019-20 DII 2nd Team All-American
2019-20 NorthStar Player of the Year
Ranks Number 29 in Division I in Total Scoring (460)
Ranks Number 30 in Division I in Total Assists (106)
Points Per Game Leaders
1. Mason Walters UJ 21.7
2. Leondre Washington LSUS 21.4
3. Kadavion Evans LSUS 19.0
4. Jemeil King Bellvue 14.38
5. Akeem White LSUS 14.13
Rebounds Per Game Leaders
1. Mason Walters UJ 12.07
2. Jeff Boyd LSUS 7.5
3. Kadavion Evans LSUS 6.8
4. Eric Pierce Bellvue 6.7
5. Akeem White LSUS 6.6
Assist Per Game Leaders
1. Marc Kjos UJ 4.54
2. Kadavion Evans LSUS 4.36
3. Jemeil King Bellvue 3.31
4. Kelvin Henry Jr LSUS 3.27
5. Trey Johnson LSUS 2.67
Matchups

The Jimmies fluttered down the stretch a bit, but this team has some big wins under it’s belt this season and boast the GPAC Player of the Year in big man Mason Walters. Mason is a walking double-double machine in a league full of great bigs. The Jimmies have lost 3 of it’s last 4 headed into the NAIA National Tournament, but if they can figure out how to right the ship, they can win this Pod.
vs.

It was quite the year for the Bellevue Bruins. They started off the season underperforming a bit coming off of a big year. The Bruins were able to figure it out a bit though down the stretch as they won 7 of their last 9 games, including the NorthStar Tournament. Jemeil King was a superstar as a Junior as he finished the year as the NSAA Player of the Year and was a 2nd team All-American. He didn’t have quite the same year as a Senior this season, but he is very capable of having a big game and making things tough on Jamestown.

This pilot team may be a little short on depth, but they aren’t short on talent. We have discussed all year how Evans and Washington form one of the best back courts in the NAIA. Now, they see the emergence of 6’7, former All-American at Texas Wesleyan, Akeem White. White was the RRAC Tournament MVP as he showed pure dominance in the two games there. Add in Jeff Boyd to the mix and you have a group there that is very capable of leading the Pilots to a National Title.
vs.
Winner of #2 Jamestown vs #3 Bellevue
Let us start out by saying what a treat the people of Omaha are getting with the amount of star players there are in these two Pods! Joining Zaccheus Darko-Kelly and Trevion Crews from Bracket A, is Evans, Washington, White from LSUS, Mason Walters from Jamestown and Jemeil King of Bellevue. Just a special group of players all playing in 1 gym over the next two days!!
Shreveport has looked the part this season and will be tough to stop on Saturday. If Jamestown can get by Bellevue, they can pose a real threat as Shreveport hasn’t seen a big like Mason Walters this season. As much trouble as they may have with containing him, these other teams will have to figure out what they do to stop Shreveport! As long as the Pilots can stay out of foul trouble they can cause some serious issues for whoever their opponent is on Saturday!