Edgewood College Basketball Team Earns First NCAA Tournament Victory

Eagles Soar Past Spartans in Tournament Opener

A Thrilling Victory for the Edgewood College Eagles

The Edgewood College Eagles men's basketball team claimed a thrilling 74-69 victory over the Dubuque Spartans in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday night.

The Eagles, who entered the tournament as the Midwest Region's No. 5 seed, faced a tough challenge in the No. 4-seeded Spartans. However, Edgewood College played with heart and determination, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the second half to earn the hard-fought victory.

Edgewood College was led by senior guard JayQuan McCloud, who poured in a game-high 25 points. McCloud was efficient from the field, shooting 50% (10-of-20) and connecting on 3-of-7 attempts from three-point range.

The Eagles also received key contributions from junior forward Tommy Scales and senior guard Justin Smith. Scales finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Smith added 12 points and 5 assists.

The Spartans were led by senior forward Nick Benoit, who scored 18 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. However, Dubuque struggled to find consistency from beyond the arc, shooting just 5-of-25 (20.0%) from three-point range.

With the victory, Edgewood College advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face the No. 1-seeded Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans on Saturday night.