Eagles Advance to the NJCAA DII National Championship
Danville, IL- The No. 3 seed Kirkwood Eagles battled the No. 7 seed Kalamazoo Valley Cougars in the NJCAA DII National Semifinals on Friday night at Danville Community College. With a trip to the National Championship on the line, both teams fought in a tightly contested matchup before the Eagles pulled away in the second half.
A dominant presence on the boards proved to be the difference, as Kirkwood outrebounded Kalamazoo Valley 47-29. The Eagles' relentless effort on the offensive glass was especially key, as they secured 22 offensive rebounds, creating extra opportunities. James Spencer (6) and Richard Lindsey Jr. (5) led the way in this crucial area.
Lindsey Jr. delivered a standout performance, leading the Eagles in scoring with 19 points, despite making just two field goals on seven attempts. His success came at the free-throw line, where he converted an impressive 15 of 16 attempts. As a team, Kirkwood capitalized on free throws, finishing 25-of-43 (81.4%) from the line.
Lucas Lueth added 17 points, while Tate Peterson contributed 15 to help fuel the Eagles' offensive attack.
With this victory, Kirkwood advances to the NJCAA DII National Championship game, where they will compete for the title on Saturday at 7 PM CST.
