Jimmies advance to Kansas City with win at No. 8 Carroll

HELENA, Mont.-- The University of Jamestown men's basketball team earned its second straight trip to the NAIA National Tournament Round of 16, defeating No. 8 Carroll College 73-66 Saturday night.

Jamestown (26-9), the sixth seed in the Duer Quadrant, will play No. 6 Talladega (Ala.), the second seed, Friday at 7 p.m. from Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Jimmies overcame a 1-of-11 performance from three-point range and Mason Walters (JR/Jamestown, ND) being held scoreless in the first half to still lead 33-25 at the break. Devon Schultz (SR/Arlington, MN) had 11 points and eight rebounds in nine minutes off the bench and Cole Woodford (SO/Redwood Falls, MN) added nine as UJ outrebounded the Saints 27-8 in the first 20 minutes.

Walters got on the board with the first basket of the second half to give Jamestown a double-digit lead. Carroll went on a tear over the next ten minutes, outscoring UJ 24-5 for a nine-point lead with 9:17 remaining.

The Saints stayed in front until Marc Kjos (JR/Lake City, MN) hit a three-pointer and Will Cordes (SO/Shakopee, MN) drained two more to make it 64-59. Carroll got as close as 66-64 with 97 seconds left but two straight baskets by Walters and a pair of free throws by Brady Birch (SR/Melrose, MN) helped put the game away.

Cordes scored a team-high 16 points, including five three-pointers. Walters (13 points, 14 rebounds) and Schultz (13 points, 10 rebound) both posted double-doubles, and Kjos was also in double figures with 12. Woodford finished with nine points, seven assists, and three steals.

With his 14 rebounds, Walters passed Brandon Wilkens (909) as the all-time leading rebounder in Jimmie program history.