Preview of 2021 Junior College NCAA Basketball Tournament

The Baylor Bears were the winner of the 2021 Division 1 Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament champions, beating previously unbeaten Gonzaga in a game that was never close. That was end of college hoops for casual fans but there’s still some great basketball to be played at the Junior College level.

For those unaware, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) has been around since 1938, with the first basketball championship matchups occurring since 1949, when College of Marin defeated Murray State School of Agriculture, 48-34. The event is annually played at the  Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas, with the tournament now known as the “Road to Hutch”.

The format has changed over the years but Junior College Basketball is divided into 16 regions (conferences) where the winners of those respective tournaments got an automatic bid to the  NJCAA National Championship Tournament in April, this year starting on the 19th. Eight other programs got an at-large bid, which was presented on the Selection Show over a week ago.

The 24 programs now in “Hutch” are in a single-elimination tournament, with the top eight overall seeds receiving a first-round bye. But unlike the Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament, there are no “scrubs” that’ll get bounced by 40+ points.

It’s a highly competitive tournament with a good amount of parity. In 2019, the last time the tournament was played, Vincennes defeated Rangers College by 10 points to capture their fourth-ever national title, tied for most in NJCAA D-I history. Both of those programs have made it back this time around, looking to advance far once again.

And for those looking for even more reasons as to why watch this tournament starting next week, there are several quality players that will be playing D-I basketball next season, including those set to play for the likes of Kansas, New Mexico State, and more programs.

Here’s a preview of all 24 participants in the NJCAA Tournament including key players to watch. You can watch from home at www.njcaa.org/network, starting on Monday.