No. 17 Eastern Arizona College will travel to Ephraim, Utah, on Saturday with a chance to secure its first NJCAA National Tournament appearance since the 2007-08 season as it faces No. 1 Snow College in the West District Championship.
The Gila Monsters enter the matchup with a 29-3 record, including 28 wins against NJCAA Division I opponents, and have been one of the top teams in the country all season. Most coaches and analysts believe Eastern Arizona has already built a strong enough resume to receive an at-large bid to the national tournament. However, the only guarantee is a victory over the Badgers, the nation’s top-ranked team and winners of 24 straight games.
Eastern Arizona extended its season with a hard-fought 66-63 victory over Arizona Western in the Region 1 Championship, securing its 14th consecutive win. Under ACCAC Coach of the Year Cameron Turner, the Gila Monsters have been dominant on both ends of the floor, averaging 83.9 points per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range. Their defense has been equally impressive, holding opponents to just 63.9 points per contest while out-rebounding them by an average of 11.4 per game.
Region 1 Tournament MVP Armari Carraway leads a balanced Eastern Arizona offense, averaging 14.1 points per game while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc. Fellow guards Tarrance Warren and Kaden Ericksen have also been key contributors, with Warren providing a major perimeter threat at 44.6 percent from three-point range and Ericksen adding steady scoring at 12.3 points per game.
Snow College, the undefeated Scenic West Athletic Conference champions, has been the most dominant team in the NJCAA this season. The Badgers enter with a 31-1 record and a perfect 15-0 mark in conference play. Led by SWAC Player of the Year Isaac Finlinson and Region 18 Tournament MVP Mark Brown Jr., Snow has excelled offensively, consistently putting teams away with a combination of transition scoring and efficient shooting.
The two teams met earlier this season, with Snow College earning a 79-60 victory on Nov. 9 in Thatcher. EAC is 0-3 all-time against Snow.
Snow College has already locked in an at-large bid to the NJCAA National Tournament, while Eastern Arizona hopes to remove all doubt with a victory. Tipoff for the West District Championship is set for 7 p.m. MT on Saturday March 15th at the Horne Activity Center in Ephraim.
