TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Junior College athletics gives athletes a chance to up their stock, or improve their grades, to end up where they want to be. There's nothing junior about it, these guys can play.
The Tallahassee Community College men's basketball team is 12-1 on the year and ranked 7th in the country, and on Monday, they get the chance to play in front of a national audience.
This year marks year one of a multi-year deal between the NJCAA and ESPN for men's basketball, and 25 regular season games are streamed on ESPN+. TCC's match-up with Daytona State, who's ranked 11th nationally, will be highlighted when the two square off Monday night.
It's a huge deal for JUCO athletics, and for TCC to be seen on a national stage.
"People get so enamored by the word Junior, and put us on the bottom of a totem pole," said Eagle head coach Rick Cabrera. "Now, getting this exposure, it will show a lot of people that these junior college teams are just as good as some mid major, low major teams. That's what's been missing in lower level sports is the exposure."
Monday's game is set for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off at TCC. The first 100 fans get in free.
