NIACC faces Kirkwood in regional semifinals

NIACC's Trey Sampson defends during Tuesday's regional tournament game against Southwestern.

March 5, 2020

CEDAR RAPIDS - The fourth-seeded NIACC men's basketball team is seeking a return trip to the NJCAA Region XI title game.

NIACC (24-6) plays at top-seed Kirkwood (24-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the regional semifinals. Last season, NIACC dropped a 84-72 decision to Kirkwood in the regional title game.

The winner of Thursday's game faces either DMACC or Iowa Lakes in Saturday's regional title game.

No. 12 NIACC moved to the regional semifinals with a 113-78 victory over Southwestern on Tuesday in the NIACC gym. Sophomore Trey Sampson led the Trojans with 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

No. 9 Kirkwood advanced to the regional final four with a 96-57 win over Little Priest Tribal College in its regional opener.

Kirkwood won both regular season meetings against NIACC. The Eagles won 89-88 in Cedar Rapids on Jan. 29 and topped the Trojans 97-84 on Feb. 22 in Mason City.

NJCAA Region XI tournament

Tuesday's results

Kirkwood 96, Little Priest Tribal College 57

NIACC 113, Southwestern 78

Iowa Lakes 101, Ellsworth 75

DMACC 86, Iowa Central 70

Thursday's games

(4) NIACC at (1) Kirkwood, 7 p.m.

(3) Iowa Lakes at (2) DMACC, 7 p.m.

Note: Saturday's 1 p.m. title game will be played at site of highest remaining seed.

NIACC'S STATISTICAL LEADERS

Scoring - Deundra Roberson 563 (20.9 ppg.), Quentin Hardrict 394 (17.1 ppg.), Wendell Matthews 493 (16.4 ppg.); Trey Sampson 414 (15.3 ppg.)

3-point goals - James Harris 44, Roberson 31, Hardrict 21, McKelary Robertson 20.

Rebounds - Matthews 237, Trey Sampson 217, Chandler Dean 164.

Assists - Hardrict 126, Harris 81, Roberson 80.

Steals - Roberson 74, Matthews 54, Harris 35.

Blocks - Sampson 54, Matthews 46, Dean 29.

KIRKWOOD'S STATISTICAL LEADERS

Scoring - Luke Appel 386 (16.1 ppg.), Devonte Thedford 367 (13.1 ppg.), DJ Purnell 336 (12.9 ppg.)

3-point goals - Griffen Clark 70, Jamal Stephenson 42, Seybian Sims 28.

Rebounds - Appel 206, Purnell 203, Sims 168.

Assists - Thedford 100, Gacoby Jones 61, Appel 54.

Steals - Jones 30, Thedford 223, Sims 21.

Blocks - Niko Gosnell 37, Sims 21, Appel 16.