Men's Basketball | 11/17/22 | 2:25 PM

HELENA, Mont. - The No. 16 Carroll College Men's Basketball team is in Aberdeen, S.D. this weekend to participate in the Inaugural Small College Basketball Classic on Friday and Saturday.

This is Inaugural Small College Basketball Classic, an event designed as a showcase of some of the top non-NCAA Division I teams in college basketball. The event will feature four teams from each of three different levels of competition. Four teams from NCAA Division II (Northern State, Ferris State, Point Loma Nazarene, Minnesota Duluth), four teams from NCAA Division III (Wisconsin-Oshkosh, St. Joseph, Illinois Wesleyan, Nebraska Wesleyan), and four teams from the NAIA (No. 16 Carroll, No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan, Morningside, and Dakota Wesleyan).

The event, hosted on the campus of NCAA Division II Northern State, and has been in the works for several years, will feature 12 games over two days. Teams will play within their respective classifications, but have the opportunity to get some early-season non-conference matchups that might not normally be feasible. 

"We are grateful to get invited to this event." Said Head Coach Kurt Paulson. "12 of the top teams in the country at the NAIA, D-II, and D-III levels, it will be very beneficial in getting this young group some tournament-feel experience."

The No. 16 Saints (3-0) will play a pair of teams from the Midwest, squaring off with Morningside (Iowa) on Friday at 1 p.m. (MST), before wrapping up their weekend on Saturday against Dakota Wesleyan at 3 p.m.

Carroll enters the weekend with a clean record, but have only played one contest against another NAIA school on the year, a 70-59 win at Dickinson State earlier this month. The Saints held steady at their No. 16 ranking in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll.

Jonny Hillman (Post Falls, Idaho / SR), one of just two seniors on the Carroll roster, has been playing well to start the year. Hillman was the leading scorer for the Saints in their win over Dickinson State, finishing with 16 points and 7 rebounds. The Saints are also getting great production from Andrew Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif. / SO), who is averaging 12.7 points per game on the year, and led all scorers in an exhibition game at NCAA Division i Boise State, with 21 points earlier in the month.

One familiar face will be present in Aberdeen this weekend. Former Carroll All-American guard, Shamrock Campbell, who after four great years as a Saint, transferred as a Graduate Student to Point Loma Nazarene. Campbell is averaging 32.7 minutes per game and 7.7 points per game for the Sea Lions.

Friday's game against Morningside (4-0) will be streamed live HERE, and live stats for the game can be found HERE.

Saturday's contest against Dakota Wesleyan (2-2) can be streamed HERE, and live stats can be found HERE.

For further information on the Small College Basketball Classic, click HERE.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a full recap of the action on Friday, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.