ADA – For the first time in school history the East Central University men's basketball team will be competing in the NCAA Division II Central Regional.  The Tigers will be in Maryville, Mo., March 11-14 on the campus of No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri State.  ECU claimed the No. 3 seed after winning both the Great American Conference regular-season and championship tournament in the 2016-17 season.

The Tigers will first face Minnesota State Moorhead from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (No. 6) at noon, Saturday, March 11 in Bearcat Arena.  A win would put ECU against the winner of No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State and No. 7 Arkansas Tech.

The two other quarter final games at the regional with be the host Bearcats from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association against No. 8 Upper Iowa (NSIC) and No. 4 Arkansas-Monticello versus No. 5 Augustana (NSIC).

Game Notes
NCAA Central Region Tournament Page

The Tigers are currently 24-7 overall, the third most wins in school history, marking the third-straight season with a 20+ win season for ECU.

The Tigers are the third sport from ECU to advance to the DII National Tournament, with men's cross country advancing to the NCAA Nationals twice (2011/2016) and softball making the NCAA Central Region (2015).

Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students (K-College), with all seats being general admission.  If you can't make the tournament in person links to follow the games with free live stats and video and the KXFC Radio broadcast with Kenny Morrison are linked below and on the ECU Men's Basketball Schedule Page.

Saturday: Live Radio I Live Stats I Live Video

Tiger Quick Hits
    • ECU claimed the 2016-17 GAC Regular-Season & Championship titles
        • Second-straight season to earn the regular-season title
        • First GAC Championship title in school history & first trip to NCAA Tournament
        • Tigers earned No. 3 seed in the NCAA Central Region
    • Tigers have claimed their third-straight 20+ win season (2014-15: 21-10, 2015-16; 22-8, 2016-17)
        • Third time with a three-year streak of 20+ wins
            • 1995-96 (23-6); 1996-97 (22-6); 1997-98 (20-9)
            • 1948-49 (25-6); 1949-50 (33-3); 1950-51 (22-6)
        • 24 so far in 2016-17 are the third most on school history
            • 1949-50: 33; 1948-49/1988-89: 25; 1939-40/1970-71: 24
    • Senior Braxton Reeves was the first GAC men's basketball player to earn unanimous
          Player of the Year honors
    • Senior Braxton Reeves named to the Top-50 Bevo Francis Watch List
        • Became the 18th member of the 1,000 Point Club 11/19/2016 at UAM
        • Ranked No. 4 on Career Points List (1,669) at ECU & No. 1 in the GAC
        • Ranked No. 1 in the GAC Single Season Scoring List (688)
        • Also ranked in career lists: No. 1 in 3PT FG (334), No. 1 3PT FGA (784), No. 5 3PT% (.419),
            No. 2 Minutes (3,301)
    • Reeves named GAC Player of the Week for Jan. 30
        • Averaged 33.5 P, 2.5 R per game
    • Reeves named All-OSN D2 Men's Basketball Player of the Year & to All-OSN First Team
    • Havens named All-OSN D2 Men's Basketball Coach of the Year
    • Donzo named All-OSN D2 Men's Basketball Second Team
    • Reeves set the school record for points in a game with 45 against Cameron
        • Became the first Tiger to record over 40+ points in two-straight games (12/15-19/16)
        • Named GAC Player of the Week and DII National Player of the Week for Dec. 20
            • First ECU player to earn National Player of the Week honors
    • Senior Ishmael Donzo ranked in career lists: No. 10 RPG (7.9) and No. 4 Blocks (69)
        • Named GAC Player of the Week for Jan. 9 averaging a double-double
    • Tigers have two players with double-digit point totals
        • Braxton Reeves: 22.2 P, 3.4 R, .467 (206-441) FG%, .443 (117-264) 3PT%, 96 A, 14 B, 57 S
        • Ishmael Donzo: 11.5 P, 7.3 R, .571 (128-224) FG%, 30 B, 10 S
    • Tigers won 12-straight games and eight-straight in the GAC (11/25/16 to 1/19/17)
        • Longest winning streak and first in double-digits since 1988-89 season (15 wins)
    • ECU's win over No. 18 UAM was the first over a ranked opponent since 2002

Tigers in the Post Season
    • This was the fourth-straight season that ECU has advanced to the postseason
        • Highest ranking in the GAC (No. 1) tourney: No. 2 (2015-16 & 2014-15), No. 4 (2013-14)
    • ECU vs. the NCAA Central Region competition all-time
        • Northwest Missouri State: 3-1    • Minnesota State Moorhead: 0-0
        • Southwest Minnesota: 0-0        • Arkansas Tech: 15-14
        • Arkansas-Monticello: 6-7        • Upper Iowa: 0-0
        • Augustana: 0-1