NIACC faces top-seed Kirkwood in regional semifinals

MASON CITY - The fifth-seeded NIACC men's basketball team faces top-seed Kirkwood in the NJCAA Region XI tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. Sunday in the NIACC gym.

Second-seed DMACC (23-7) faces third-seed Iowa Lakes (21-9) in the first regional semifinal contest at 5 p.m. Sunday in the NIACC gym.

The championship game is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the site of the highest remaining seed.

NIACC (20-11) moved to the regional final four with a 83-77 overtime victory over fourth-seed Iowa Western Saturday night. Kirkwood (22-7) advanced to the semifinals with a 78-44 win over eight-seed Iowa Central.

In NIACC's win over Iowa Western, Myles Tucker led the Trojans with 27 points. It was the fourth time this season that Tucker scored at least 20 points in a game.

Tucker, who averages 13.2 points per game, has scored 409 points in the 2021-22 season, which ranks 67^th on the school's single-season scoring list.

Tucker has 51 3-point goals in the 2021-22 season, which is tied for 31^st on the school's single-season list with Clyde McCully, who made 51 3s in the 1999-2000 season.

Also Saturday against Iowa Western, NIACC's Jacques Kelly scored 11 points and collected a game-high 12 rebounds. It was the second career double/double for Kelly.

NIACC's Noah Rigatuso scored 14 points, including a key 3-point play in overtime.

Rigatuso has 505 career points, which is tied for 78^th on NIACC's career scoring list. NIACC's Tom Schilling, who played from 1979-81, also scored 505 career points.

NIACC's Jeffrey Skogen scored eight points and collected nine rebounds. Skogen leads the Trojans with 189 rebounds.

Skogen has 243 career rebounds.

With the win Saturday night, NIACC improved its overall record to 20-11. It is the third 20 win season in the last four seasons for the Trojans and fourth for NIACC coach Mark Mohl.

NIACC was 25-7 in 2019-20, 25-5 in 2018-19 and 20-11 in 2013-14.

No. 13 Kirkwood topped NIACC twice during the regular season. The Eagles won 95-65 on Jan. 2 in Mason City and 81-60 on Jan. 20 in Cedar Rapids.