ATLANTA - For the 14th time in program history, the Eckerd men's basketball team heads to the NCAA National Tournament as one of eight teams competing to emerge from the south region.
The SSC Champion Tritons (24-6) earned the No. 4 seed in this year's bracket and will face fifth-seeded Valdosta State (Ga.) on Saturday at 7:30 PM in Atlanta, Georgia, in Forbes Arena.
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Here are six things to know heading into Saturday's first-round matchup.
1. The game will feature one of the nation's most potent offenses against a team known for stellar defense.
The Blazers are one of the top scoring teams in all of Division II, ranking fourth at 93.2 points per game. It will create an interesting matchup of styles against an Eckerd team that hangs its hat on defense and rebounding. The Tritons don't rank within the top 100 in the country in scoring defense but have locked down several high-scoring opponents this season including two in the conference tournament. It will still present a difficult task for Eckerd in trying to slow down a team that scored 100 or more points in 12 games this season.
2. Both teams come into the tournament as conference champions.
Valdosta State (26-4) won its second straight Gulf South Conference regular season title with an 18-2 conference record. The Blazers came up short of a championship sweep, however, when they were upset by Delta State (Miss.) in the tournament semifinals.
The Tritons were tied with Barry atop the SSC regular-season standings but did not earn a share of the conference title due to tiebreak procedures. Instead, Eckerd claimed its fifth all-time conference tournament title by blitzing Barry in the championship game, 96-71.
3. Both teams are nearing the program records for the most wins in a season.
Eckerd's 24 wins entering the tournament are the third-most in program history, only behind the 2006-07 team (27 wins). A first-round victory would tie this year's team with the 2002-03 and 2015-16 squads.
VSU has won 26 games for the second straight year, leaving the Blazers two wins shy of matching their program-record 28 wins set in 2009-10.
4. Eckerd is looking to pick up its first NCAA tournament win since 2012.
The Tritons have been regular participants in the national tournament in recent years but will be aiming to advance out of the first round for the first time since 2012 when EC defeated West Georgia, 60-53, in Hunstville, Alabama. Eckerd has fallen in the first round in its last three trips to the tournament.
VSU is in a similar situation. Last season, the Blazers made their first national tournament appearance since 2010 when they advanced to the Elite Eight.
5. Valdosta State features the biggest player the Tritons have seen all season...and probably in a long time.
Eckerd is highly adept at scoring near the basket with forces like
Trevon Young and
Drushaun McLaurn able to finish at the rim. However, the Blazers' 6-foot-11, 350-pound Justin McBride could make that a difficult task. A transfer from the University of Central Florida, McBride doesn't usually play a large portion of minutes (11.6 per game) but is highly productive when he's on the floor.
6. Shooting percentage and rebounding have been key in Eckerd's success.
The Tritons are 11-1 when shooting 50 percent or better and 26-2 when out-rebounding their opponents. However, Valdosta State has only allowed three opponents to shoot at least 50 percent this season and has only been out-rebounded eight times.
