Blue Knights NJCAA District VII Champions

DCTC downs CCC Raiders 108–86

Dakota County Technical College basketball upended the Central Community College-Columbus Raiders (15–17) 108–86 Saturday, March 10, 2018, to win the team’s third consecutive NJCAA District VII Championship and advance to the 2017–18 NJCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship March 20–24, 2018, at the Mary Miller Center in Danville, Illinois. The Blue Knights (22–8) retained the district title at home at the Inver Hills Community College Activities building gym in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

DCTC will play the Southwestern Community College Spartans (26–7) in a first-round national tourney game Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 1 p.m. CST. SCC toppled the Iowa Central Community College Tritons (21–12) 97–79 to win the NJCAA DII Region 11 Championship. The Spartans are the defending DII national champions.

The Knights were District VII champions in 2017, beating the CCC Raiders 68–65. DCTC also took home the district title in 2016, rolling over the Southeast Community College Storm 93–76. The team advanced to this year’s district championship game by winning the Region 13 Championship, besting the Dakota College at Bottineau Jacks (19–12) 104–99 in overtime Sunday, March 4, 2018.

Head Coach Kelly Boe reported that the Blue Knights put together a strong performance against Central Nebraska in the District VII championship game. (For game details, see the Box Score.)

“We are playing our best basketball at the right time of the season,” Boe said. “We are looking forward to returning to the DII national tournament in Danville.”

WHAT: 2017–18 NJCAA DII
Men’s Basketball Championship
First Round

WHO: DCTC Blue Knights (22–8)
vs SCC Spartans (26–7)

WHEN: March 21, 2018 • 1 p.m. CST

WHERE: Mary Miller Center
Danville Area Community College
2000 East Main Street
Danville, IL 61832