Hopes for a bid to join the 2020 USCAA National Basketball Championships brackets faded for Kent State Tuscarawas late Sunday afternoon.
Early in the day the Navy and Gold's hopes were high as Penn State Mont Alto won the Penn State University Athletic Conference Championship with a second half comeback against Penn State York 64-61.
The Golden Eagles bubble was burst however, when Vermont Tech blew a seven-point lead in the second of two overtimes and lost to New Hampshire Technical Institute 110-109 in the Yankee Small College Conference title game. Both teams were invited to join the USCAA tournament field.
Final USCAA tournament bids were awarded early this morning.
Still, the Golden Eagles (16-12) finished ranked 12th nationally after winning just five games over each of the last two seasons. They started the 2019-20 season 2-7 but went 14-5 after December and put together a six-game and five-game win streaks in the new year.
KSU Tusc ranked in the Top 10 in five team categories and four Eagles players averaged in double figures for the season.