(Park Hills, MO) The Mineral Area Cardinals are once again snubbed from an appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament after the bracket was released in the Selection Show Sunday on the NJCAA Network.
Mineral Area (29-3) boasted the best defensive team in the NJCAA according to Massey Rankings (13.16 Defensive rating), and the top college (JUCO, NCAA, NAIA, etc.) team in the US according to Synergy Stats, allowing 0.717 points per possession. The Cardinals allowed the fewest points per game among all NJCAA teams (57.4 points allowed per game).
MAC ranked as high as 2nd in the nation through the season and entered the final national poll at the 6th spot.
Two of Mineral Area’s three losses were at the hands of the Moberly Greyhounds, while the first loss this season came in OT at St. Louis Community College (DII). Moberly will play at Hutchinson, Kansas as one of eight at-large selections given.
MAC was one of two teams inside the final NJCAA top 15 to not reach the National Tournament with the other being Eastern Florida State College.
NJCAA MBB DI Committee Chair, Dean Myrick, was asked about the decision to leave Mineral Area out of the field of 24 during the NJCAA Selection Show on Sunday night.
The Cardinals’ season officially ended Saturday, March 9 in the Region 16 Championship loss to Moberly, 75-71.
Below are the teams in the tournament and NJCAA National Tournament bracket.