Men's basketball team looking to make another run in national tournament

The Eastern Florida State College men's basketball team came up one win short of a national championship tournament last season.

Now they are back and looking to make another run.

"It's a great shot for us to go back to Hutch and get a chance to finish what we didn't finish last year," sophomore Shaq Carter said. "It is going to be very competitive and I am just excited. I feel like this is a great opportunity for us to get another shot at the title and I feel like we will do a little bit better this year."

Carter and the Titans weren't sure they would get that chance after losing in the quarterfinals of the FCSAA State Tournament, but a 27-4 record with one of the toughest schedules in the country catapulted the Titans to the No. 8 seed in the NJCAA National Championship Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

"I think we have some of the best talent in the country and we just have to dig in and be mentally locked in and believe that we will get better and take advantage of the opportunity we have," starting forward Silas Adheke said.

The Titans will open the national tournament at 5:30 p.m. EST Tuesday against the winner of Monday's first-round matchup between No. 9 Trinity Valley and No. 24 Baltimore City Community College. Baltimore City came to Titan Field House for the Josh Artis Memorial Classic Dec. 29 with the Titans winning, 96-81. 

"We just have to buy in and do what it takes to win and advance," Carter said. "Some of that is rebounding. We have to be the better team on the boards and play together. Shots may not be falling but we have to stay confident and keep shooting."

A win Tuesday would send the Titans to the quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon. The semifinals are scheduled for Friday with the championship game set for 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 24.