Road to Hartman guide: 2024 KCAC men's basketball tournament resumes
Here's the best win, worst loss, key players, and record overview for each squad in the conference's annual postseason tournament.
When the KCAC regular season ended on Saturday, the postseason bracket was finally finalized after some late movement. The top eight teams look to each make a run through the postseason tournament for a trip to Hartman Arena for “Championship Monday” taking place on March 4 at 8 p.m.
The bracket was finalized and published through the KCAC following the conclusion of Saturday’s final matchups for the regular season:
The higher-seeded team in each matchup will host each round’s game until the final. All first-round contests will take place on Thursday with a 7 p.m. tip-off. Second-round matchups will also tip off at 7 p.m.
Tickets for each contest can be purchased at kcacsports.com/tickets. Here is a look at each team’s resume heading into quarterfinal matchups.
No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles
The fourth-ranked team in the NAIA, Oklahoma Wesleyan, heads into the KCAC postseason tournament with an overall record of 26-2 and a conference record of 20-2, locking up the top spot. The Eagles rely mostly on Jaden Lietzke, who averages 16.5 points per game, and DJ Talton Jr., who averages 15.0 per game.
The Eagles’ largest win of the season came early in the season on Nov. 29 in Leavenworth when they beat Saint Mary, a late-in-the-season contender for the postseason, 75-45. Oklahoma Wesleyan’s two losses of the season came at home against Southwestern 79-67 and in their final regular-season contest on the road at Evangel, 80-74.
The Eagles will take on Bethel in the quarterfinals, which they beat 78-66 in North Newton in their sole matchup this season. With a win, Oklahoma Wesleyan would take on No. 4 Evangel or No. 5 Saint Mary, both of which best them in the regular season.
No. 2 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes
The Coyotes of Kansas Wesleyan finished their regular-season campaign receiving votes in the NAIA poll. Kansas Wesleyan finished their conference season with a record of 18-4 and 21-7 overall. Two key players for the Coyotes are Jun Murdock, who averages 18.0 points per game, and Alex Littlejohn, who averages 17.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
Kansas Wesleyan’s best win of the season came on Jan. 6 when they took the trip south to Winfield and best Southwestern, who was no. 6 in the NAIA at the time, 96-92. Their worst loss of the season came on Feb. 14 on the road in Leavenworth, 72-57.
The Coyotes will take on Ottawa in the quarterfinals, which they beat in both matchups this season, 77-67 and 89-83 respectively. With a win, the Coyotes would take on No. 3 Southwestern or No. 6 McPherson. Kansas Wesleyan sits at 2-0 against both of those teams.
No. 3 Southwestern Moundbuilders
Southwestern rounded out their season sitting at No. 9 in the NAIA polls. The Moundbuilders finished with the same conference record as Kansas Wesleyan, at 18-4, but lost in the tiebreaker due to two losses to the Coyotes. They finished with a 23-4 overall record on the season as well. The lone leading scorer for the Moundbuilders this season has been Cevin Clark, who averages 27.0 points per game, shooting 48.1% from the field and 85.2% from the charity stripe.
The Moundbuilders most notable win of their 23-24 campaign came on Dec. 2 on the road at Oklahoma Wesleyan where they won 79-67. They would later lose to the Eagles at home on Feb. 7, 70-68.
Southwestern matches up with McPherson in the first round. The Moundbuilders lost to the Bulldogs in their first game 86-83 but later avenged that loss in the late season at home 103-68. With a victory, Southwestern would take on No. 2 Kansas Wesleyan or No. 7 Ottawa.
No. 4 Evangel Valor
Evangel found themselves taking the four-seed in the postseason with a 15-7 KCAC record and 18-9 overall. Josh Pritchett is the Valor’s leading scorer, averaging 16.1 points per game and shooting 50.9% from the field in the regular season. He also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, as well as has 50 steals on the season.
The most notable win of the Valor’s campaign came in their last regular season contest when they beat No. 4 in the NAIA in Oklahoma Wesleyan, 80-74. Their worst loss of the season came on Jan. 3 when they lost to Sterling on the road, a team who didn’t make the postseason, 87-75.
Evangel will take on Saint Mary on Thursday in the quarterfinals, who they lost to in their sole meeting of the season on the road, 87-78. With a win, the Valor would take on No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan or No. 8 Bethel on Saturday.
No. 5 Saint Mary Spires
The Spires of Saint Mary had a late run into making the postseason. They started out the conference season 2-7 but had a quick turnaround to end the season 13-9 in conference play and 17-11 overall to lock up the five-seed. Saint Mary’s keep player this season has been Deshaud St. Martin who averages 14.9 points per game while shooting 48.0% from the field, and averaging 7.5 rebounds per game.
In their slow start to conference play, the Spires picked up a loss to Friends at home on Dec. 6, who finished 12th in the conference standings, 71-57. One of their best wins late in the season came on Feb. 14 to RV Kansas Wesleyan, 72-57.
Saint Mary finds themselves traveling to Springfield, Mo. to take on Evangel on Thursday night. The Spires beat the Valor in their one meeting of the season at home, 87-78. If the Valor advances they will take on either No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan or No. 8 Bethel in the semifinals.
No. 6 McPherson Bulldogs
The Bulldogs found themselves sitting at the six-seed in the postseason after finishing 12-10 in conference play and 17-11 overall. Collin Storr leads the way for McPherson, averaging 15.3 points per game, shooting 54.2% from the field, and averaging 10.2 rebounds a game.
McPherson’s worst loss of the season came on Feb. 21 when they lost 103-68 to Southwestern, who was No. 9 in the NAIA at the time, on the road. The Bulldogs best win of the season was in Springfield on Dec. 2 when they beat Evangel 83-81.
McPherson travels down south to Winfield to take on Southwestern on Thursday, coming off a 35-point loss to them in their last match-up. With a win, the Bulldogs would take on No. 2 Kansas Wesleyan or No. 7 Ottawa.
No. 7 Ottawa Braves
Ottawa finished the regular season sitting at .500 in conference play at 11-11 and 16-12 overall. The Braves were tied in record with Bethel but earned the tiebreaker over the Threshers which would put Ottawa in the seven-seed spot. The two leading scorers for the Braves this season have been Jayden Hibbitt and Deondre Buggage, averaging 20.6 and 19.2 points per game respectively. Angok Anyang, KCAC Freshman of the Year selection, averages 9.8 rebounds for Ottawa and has stacked up 55 blocks on the season.
Ottawa’s best win of the season was on Jan. 6 on the road in Springfield when they beat Evangel 90-81. The Braves’ worst loss of the season came to Bethany, who finished last in the KCAC standings, in Lindsborg on Feb. 17, 89-86.
Ottawa takes a trip to Salina to take on Kansas Wesleyan on Thursday in quarterfinal action. The Braves went 0-2 in the regular season against the Coyotes. If they advance, the Braves would take on either No. 3 Southwestern or No. 6 McPherson.
No. 8 Bethel Threshers
The Threshers finished both .500 in conference play and overall on the season with an 11-11 KCAC record and a 14-14 overall record. They became the eight-seed due to losing both match-ups in the regular season to Ottawa. Nick Bonner leads the way for Bethel this season, averaging 13.8 points per game, while shooting 45.0% from the field and 41.9% from the arc. Another key player for the Threshers this season has been Keyaun Hoskin, who averages 13.3 points and leads the team in assists and steals with 78 and 40 respectively on the season
The Threshers’ worst loss of the season was on Feb. 17 in York against the Panthers, who finished 9th in the conference standings, when they lost 73-58. Their best win of the season came on Jan. 27 against McPherson at home, 64-58.
Bethel takes the trip to Bartlesville to take on Oklahoma Wesleyan on Thursday night for quarterfinal play in hopes of an upset. With a victory, the Threshers would take on No. 4 Evangel or No. 5 Saint Mary on Saturday.