While Arkansas, nor any other state school, made this week's NCAA tournaments, that isn't true for the players as several have Arkansas connections.
And, even better, four of them are North of the River products.
Maumelle's Colby Garland, who started his high school career at Magnolia, then spent his season with the Hornets, is a key player off the bench for Drake.
Garland, a freshman, spent last season at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, is averaging not quite 6 points a game in nearly 20 minutes of action per game.
Drake faces Washington State on Thursday night in the first round and the game will be televised on TruTV.
Also in the tournament is Corey Washington, who played his senior season at North Little Rock, and helped lead the 'Cats to a 6A state championship, along with Nick Smith Jr., now in the NBA, and Kel'el Ware, who just ended his sophomore season at Indiana.
Washington is a sophomore at St. Peter’s in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Washington has started 22 of 25 games for St. Peter’s this season and is averaging 16.5 points per game.
A dynamic 6-6 wing, Washington is extremely athletic and has generated a highlight reel of buzzy dunks this season.
He was named the conference championship's game Most Valuable Player after going for 24 points and nine rebounds. He was also first-team all-conference. That win put St. Peters in the NCAA with the automatic bid from the MAAC Conference.
St. Peter's, the darlings of the NCAA tournament two seasons ago,hope to capture some of that magic again when they face Tennessee on Thursday night in a game televised on TNT.
There's also former North Little Rock star Collin Moore, who now plays at Grand Canyon University.
Moore, who previously played at Georgia State, has started every game for Grand Canyon and is averaging 8.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the No, 12 seed in this week's NCAA tournament.
The 6-4 guard is a fourth-year junior and leads his team against Saint Mary's in a Friday night game that will be broadcast on TruTV.
While St. Mary's is the No. 5 seed, Grand Canyon is a trendy upset pick to win as the 'Lopes are 29-4 overall
In the women's tournament, North Little Rock's Kennady Tucker will suit up for the Oklahoma Sooners when they face Florida Gulf Coast in the first round this Saturday at Bloomington, Indiana.
A role player, Tucker is in her fifth season of playing college basketball with a career that started at the University of North Carolina.
Elsewhere, Former Central Arkansas Christian forward Riley Bryant, below, also got into March Madness, or at least the Division III version when her Washington and Less made the national tournament.
That run came to an end in the quarterfinals, or the Elite 8 if you prefer, to Wartburg. Washington and Lee in Virginia, finished the season 29-3, the school's best-ever finish and a No. 9 national ranking.
As for Bryant, she saw action in 29 games, and averaged 2.6 points a game as a freshman guard.
Bryant's best outing was on March 2 when she scored 10 points against No. 11 Catholic, in the tournament's second game.
Former CAC teammate Ava Knoedl, above, wrapped up her sophomore season at Hendrix. The 5-6 guard averaged 12.8 points for the Lady Warriors in 25 games.
Maumelle and March Madness
Maumelle and March Madness
Maumelle and March Madness
While Arkansas, nor any other state school, made this week's NCAA tournaments, that isn't true for the players as several have Arkansas connections.
And, even better, four of them are North of the River products.
Maumelle's Colby Garland, who started his high school career at Magnolia, then spent his season with the Hornets, is a key player off the bench for Drake.
Garland, a freshman, spent last season at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, is averaging not quite 6 points a game in nearly 20 minutes of action per game.
Drake faces Washington State on Thursday night in the first round and the game will be televised on TruTV.
Also in the tournament is Corey Washington, who played his senior season at North Little Rock, and helped lead the 'Cats to a 6A state championship, along with Nick Smith Jr., now in the NBA, and Kel'el Ware, who just ended his sophomore season at Indiana.
Washington is a sophomore at St. Peter’s in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Washington has started 22 of 25 games for St. Peter’s this season and is averaging 16.5 points per game.
A dynamic 6-6 wing, Washington is extremely athletic and has generated a highlight reel of buzzy dunks this season.
He was named the conference championship's game Most Valuable Player after going for 24 points and nine rebounds. He was also first-team all-conference. That win put St. Peters in the NCAA with the automatic bid from the MAAC Conference.
St. Peter's, the darlings of the NCAA tournament two seasons ago,hope to capture some of that magic again when they face Tennessee on Thursday night in a game televised on TNT.
There's also former North Little Rock star Collin Moore, who now plays at Grand Canyon University.
Moore, who previously played at Georgia State, has started every game for Grand Canyon and is averaging 8.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the No, 12 seed in this week's NCAA tournament.
The 6-4 guard is a fourth-year junior and leads his team against Saint Mary's in a Friday night game that will be broadcast on TruTV.
While St. Mary's is the No. 5 seed, Grand Canyon is a trendy upset pick to win as the 'Lopes are 29-4 overall
In the women's tournament, North Little Rock's Kennady Tucker will suit up for the Oklahoma Sooners when they face Florida Gulf Coast in the first round this Saturday at Bloomington, Indiana.
A role player, Tucker is in her fifth season of playing college basketball with a career that started at the University of North Carolina.
Elsewhere, Former Central Arkansas Christian forward Riley Bryant, below, also got into March Madness, or at least the Division III version when her Washington and Less made the national tournament.
That run came to an end in the quarterfinals, or the Elite 8 if you prefer, to Wartburg. Washington and Lee in Virginia, finished the season 29-3, the school's best-ever finish and a No. 9 national ranking.
As for Bryant, she saw action in 29 games, and averaged 2.6 points a game as a freshman guard.
Bryant's best outing was on March 2 when she scored 10 points against No. 11 Catholic, in the tournament's second game.
Former CAC teammate Ava Knoedl, above, wrapped up her sophomore season at Hendrix. The 5-6 guard averaged 12.8 points for the Lady Warriors in 25 games.