Northwest Missouri State Wins Division II NCAA Basketball Championship

In the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball tournament there weren't any teams from Missouri.  So perhaps other than casually filling out a bracket for fun, you were not really invested in a team.  It is always fun to root for a Cinderella team to make a run like St Peters is doing.

Well basketball is played in many schools.   Not just Division I.  Many people go to Division II schools.  I am a graduate of Lewis University in Romeoville IL, and other than in volleyball, our sports are considered Division II.  But to win 3 titles in a row in any team sports on any level of education, is a big deal, and really hard to do.

Northwest Missouri State became the first team to ever win 3-straight Division-II Basketball National Championships with a 67-58 win over Augusta on Saturday.  In most levels of sport, 3 in a row could be considered a dynasty.  They were led by Head Coach Ben McCollum and leading scorer Trevor Hudgins.  Ben McCollum talked all season about his Bearcats toughness and ability to overcome adversity. That was put to the test in the season’s final game with a national championship and history on the line.  You can read more about their run and how they won their 3 straight championship HERE.

I don't know if Trevor will have the skills to attempt to play in the NBA.  Maybe he can get selected in the 2nd round.  Hudgins finishes his career as the MIAA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Central Missouri legend Bill Fennelly on Saturday. He and Bernard are now 17-0 in NCAA Tournament games for their careers.