CLAREMORE, Okla. – For the seventh straight season, Hillcat men's basketball (19-9, 13-6 MIAA) will head to Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City for the 2026 MIAA Basketball Championships.
 
No. 3 seed Rogers State will face No. 6 seed Fort Hays State in the quarterfinals on Friday at 8:15 p.m., marking a rematch of last year's semifinal. The semifinal game is scheduled for Saturday at 8:15 p.m., while the championship game will take place on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The tournament champion will earn an automatic berth to the 64-team NCAA Tournament.

PURCHASE TICKETS
Hillcat fans can save on tickets by purchasing them through the Rogers State Ticket Office until March 6. An all-tournament pass is available for $60, a $15 discount from the regular price. Single-session tickets are priced at $25 each, while current students can buy tickets for $10 with a valid school ID. Children aged 6 and under can enter for free.
 
Fans can purchase tickets at the Municipal box office or via Ticketmaster. When purchasing online, single-session tickets are $30.75 and all-session tournament passes are $96.70. Children six and under are admitted at no charge.
 
FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE ACTION
Every game of the MIAA Championships will be streamed live on the MIAA Network. Additionally, live stats will be available for each contest. For more information, 2026 MIAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS - Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
 
HISTORY AT THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
Since joining the league in the 2019-20 season, the Hillcats have appeared in the tournament every season. They are 3-6 all-time in the tournament, making the semifinals in 2020, 2022 and 2025.
 
Last season, RSU won a back-and-forth battle in the quarterfinals against Missouri Western, which featured 13 lead changes, 11 ties and a buzzer-beater from Jabryn Anderson in the final seconds to claim the 59-56 victory. In the semifinal against Hays, who would go on to win the tournament, the Cats couldn't overcome an explosive start from the Tigers, falling 61-43. FHSU holds a 2-0 tournament record over RSU, with the first win coming in 2023.
 
ALL-MIAA NODS
Rogers State men's basketball senior Jabryn Anderson was recognized on both the All-Defensive Team and the All-MIAA Second Team, leading four selections for the team announced by the MIAA on Tuesday.
 
Caden Fry and Andrew Mason received All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors for the second straight season.  Tim Jordan Jr. also claimed his second selection after claiming the same honor in his freshman season at Central Missouri.
 
This marks the highest number of MIAA award winners for the Hillcats since the 2019-20 season, when Tavian Davis, Christopher Miller, Brewster Peacock and Marques Sumner were honored.
 
TOP HILLCAT PERFORMERS
In 28 games (27 starts), Jordan Jr. has tallied 385 points (13.8 PPG) on 131-of-263 (49.8%) shooting for the season. The junior from Saginaw, Michigan, has recorded 136 rebounds, 29 assists, 17 blocks and 15 steals. In a crucial overtime win over Arkansas-Fort Smith, Jordan achieved a career-high 25 points.
 
Anderson has started all 28 games for the Red and Navy this season. The Decatur, Illinois, native has shot 118-of-238 (49.6%) from the field for a total of 346 points (12.4 PPG). He has notched 174 rebounds, 140 assists, 46 steals and 16 blocks. Anderson has tallied three double-doubles and became the second Hillcat in program history to record a triple-double in the win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Fry appeared in all 28 games (27 starts) in his final season with the Hillcats. The Owasso, Oklahoma, native recorded 322 points (11.5 PPG) on 117-of-235 shooting (49.8%). He collected 177 rebounds, 69 assists, 14 steals and five blocks. In the win over Missouri Southern, Fry set a school record with his 527th career rebound.
 
Mason, who was sidelined for seven games this season, has played in 21 games (20 starts). The Bardstown, Kentucky, native contributed 270 points (12.9 PPG) on 95-of-185 shooting (51.4%). He also recorded 79 rebounds, 37 assists, 23 blocks and 23 steals. In just his second season on the Hill, Mason set a new school record for blocks in the win over NSU with his 48^th.
 
Senior Benard Omooria has started in 27 games this season. The Minneapolis, Minnesota, native recorded 265 points (9.8 PPG) on 86-of-222 shooting (38.7%), including 64-of-170 (37.6%) from beyond the arc. Additionally, Omooria has totaled 59 rebounds, 42 assists, 24 steals and three blocks.
 
Other contributors who have made a significant impact this season include Damondre McKnight (8.6 PPG), Stephon Thomas (6.1 PPG) and Angus Ole (3.4 PPG). Each player has appeared in all 28 games this season.
 
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State (19-9, 11-8 MIAA) finished sixth in the MIAA regular-season standings, earning the No. 6 seed in the tournament. The Tigers were picked fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll and second in the Media Poll.
 
Dan Mukuna and Kyle Grill collected All-MIAA honors for Hays. Mukuna received First Team All-MIAA and All-Defensive Team accolades, while Grill earned Honorable Mention for the second consecutive year. Mukuna leads the Tigers with an average of 17.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, followed by Grill, who ranks second in scoring with 13.2 points and in rebounds with 5.4 per game.
 
Earlier this season in Hays, Anderson and Fry recorded double-doubles, but the Hillcats fell to Fort Hays State, 80-75, in overtime at Gross Memorial Coliseum. RSU led by three at halftime and held an eight-point advantage midway through the second half, but the Tigers closed the game with a 12-7 run in overtime to secure the victory.
 
REMAINING TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, MARCH 5:
Men's Quarterfinals
Game Three – #1 Washburn vs #9 Central Oklahoma – 6 pm
Game Four – #2 Central Missouri vs #7 Missouri Southern – 8:15 pm

FRIDAY, MARCH 6:
Men's Quarterfinals
Game Five – #4 Missouri Western vs #5 Arkansas-Fort Smith – 6 pm
Game Six – #3 Rogers State vs #6 Fort Hays State – 8:15 pm

SATURDAY, MARCH 7:
Men's Semifinals
Game Seven – Winner of Game Three vs Winner of Game Five – 6 pm
Game Eight – Winner of Game Four vs Winner of Game Six – 8:15 pm

SUNDAY, MARCH 8:
Men's Championship
Winner of Game Seven vs Winner of Game Eight – 3:30 pm
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS 
The Hillcats, ranked seventh in the previous poll, are among five MIAA teams included in the latest rankings. No. 3 Washburn holds the top position, followed by No. 6 Oklahoma Baptist, Central Missouri, St. Cloud State, Missouri Western, Ouachita Baptist, Rogers State, Arkansas-Fort Smith, Harding, and Southern Nazarene. Minnesota Duluth secured a berth in the NCAA Tournament by defeating St. Cloud State in the NSIC Tournament Championship game on March 3. The final rankings will be announced on Sunday at 10 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.
 
For the complete list, visit DII Men's Basketball Rankings - Regional Ranking | NCAA.com.
 
The top eight teams in the Central Region will qualify for the 64-team NCAA Division II National Tournament, which will take place following the conclusion of the conference postseason tournaments on Sunday, March 8.