HUTCHINSON, Kan. (Interstat) — Two of the nation’s top junior college men’s basketball teams, each riding 30-win seasons, will clash for the national championship on Saturday when the Southern Idaho Eagles meet the Howard (Tex.) Hawks in the NJCAA Division I title game.

Tipoff is set for March 28 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

seed Southern Idaho (30-2) advanced with an 82-70 victory over Gulf Coast State on Friday, powered by a balanced attack. The Eagles have won 12 consecutive games, last falling on Feb. 8. Their season has been marked by both dominant wins and tight victories, including a 102-96 overtime thriller against Cochise and a series of narrow conference wins.

The Eagles are led by dynamic guard Ace Reiser, who posted 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists in the semifinal. His backcourt partnership with Jalen Lyn, who scored 24 points Friday, provides a formidable offensive punch.

seed Howard (Tex.) (30-5) earned its spot with a 72-66 win over Trinity Valley, surviving a grueling path that included a 134-128 double-overtime epic against Butler (Kan.) earlier in the tournament. The Hawks have shown resilience, winning six of their last seven games, with the lone loss a five-point defeat to South Plains.

Howard’s charge is led by Brandon Ivery, who scored 18 points in the semifinal. He is complemented by the interior presence of Terry Copeland, who grabbed nine rebounds Friday, and Elijah Tshibangu.

The matchup pits Southern Idaho’s efficient, high-scoring offense against a Howard team capable of winning shootouts or grinding out defensive battles. Both teams last won an NJCAA national title in 2011, setting the stage for a historic showdown to crown a new champion.

Saturday’s winner will claim the program’s second national championship.