Texan basketball fans encouraged to ‘send the team off’ Saturday at 11:45

LEVELLAND – The South Plains College Texans are scheduled to depart campus for the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. at 12 p.m. Saturday, March 15 and the SPC Athletic Department is encouraging fans to come to the Texan Dome around 11:45 a.m. to wish the team well before they leave. 

South Plains (27-5) received the ninth-seed in the tournament and will face No. 24 Cape Fear in the first round of the 24-team bracket. 

The National Tournament is comprised of the champions of each of the 16 districts around the country as well as four zone qualifiers and four teams selected as 'at-large' qualifiers to make up the 24-team single elimination field. 

The top eight seeds receive a first round bye. 

South Plains earned the best seed they could have possibly hoped for following a stunning 86-69 loss to eventual Region V Champion Hill College in the regional semifinal.  

The Texans first round opponent, Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C., defeated Brunswick Community College to win the Region X Championship and enter the National Tournament with a 19-13 record while also winning five straight. 

If the Texans are able to defeat Cape Fear, they will then face eight-seed Paris JC at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 18.  South Plains knocked off Paris 79-75 on Nov. 2, 2013. 

All NJCAA Tournament games will be streamed live over the Internet at www.njcaatv.com. 

Monday, March 17:

10 a.m. — Game 1: No. 16 New Mexico JC, NM (26-6) vs. No. 17 NE Oklahoma A&M, OK (22-10)

12 p.m. — Game 2: No. 9 South Plains, TX (27-5) vs. No. 24 Cape Fear, NC (19-13)

2 p.m. — Game 3: No. 13 Harcum, PA (29-3) vs. No. 20 Walters St., TN (20-13)

4:30 p.m. — Game 4: No. 12 Trinity Valley, TX (27-6) vs. No. 21 Pratt, KS (22-12)

6:30 p.m. — Game 5: No. 15 Wallace State, AL (27-6) vs. No. 18 Westchester, NY (28-4)

8:30 p.m. — Game 6: No. 10 Columbia St., TN (26-3) vs. No. 23 Central Georgia Tech, GA (21-12)

Tuesday, March 18:

10 a.m. — Game 7: No. 14 Shelton St. (28-5) vs. No. 19 State Fair (25-6)

12 p.m. — Game 8: No. 11 Jones County, MS (23-5) vs. No. 22 Highland, IL (27-7)

2 p.m. — Game 9: No. 1 Indian Hills, IA (31-2) vs. Game 1 winner

4:30 p.m. — Game 10: No. 8 Paris, TX (26-7) vs. Game 2 winner

6:30 p.m. — Game 11: No. 4 South Georgia Tech, GA (29-4) vs. Game 3 winner

8:30 p.m. — Game 12: No. 5 Northeastern, CO (31-3) vs. Game 4 winner

Wednesday, March 19:

12 p.m. — Game 13: No. 2 Vincennes, IN (31-2) vs. Game 5 winner

2 p.m. — Game 14: No. 7 Salt Lake (27-6) vs. Game 6 winner

6 p.m. — Game 15: No. 3 Chipola (25-5) vs. Game 7 winner

8 p.m. — Game 16: No. 6 Hill, TX (26-7) vs. Game 8 winner

Thursday, March 20:

12 p.m. — Game 17: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

2 p.m. — Game 18: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner

6 p.m. — Game 19: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner

8 p.m. — Game 20: Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner

Friday, March 21:

6 p.m. — Game 21:Game 17 winner vs. Game 18 winner

8 p.m. — Game 22: Game 19 winner vs. Game 20 winner

Saturday, March 22:

5 p.m. — Game 23 (Third Place) Game 21 loser vs. Game 22 loser

7 p.m. — Game 24 (Championship): Game 21 winner vs. Game 22 winner