The Odessa College men’s basketball team lost against Northwest Florida State College on Nov. 24, 2021, in Pensacola, Fla.
Then, it didn’t lose for the next 100 days.
In between setbacks, the Wranglers fashioned a 19-game winning streak, including a perfect 16-0 run through Western Junior College Athletic Conference competition.
The streak ended March 5 when South Plains College outlasted Odessa College, 87-83, in the Region 5 Championship game to earn the automatic bid to the NJCAA Division I Men’s National Championship tournament.
The Wranglers, who were ranked eighth in the nation at that time, also made the tournament, rewarded for a season of success with the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye in Hutchinson, Kan.
This time, the streak only needs to last four games over five days of play.
“I was surprised that we got the eighth seed, but I was happy,” Odessa College coach Kris Baumann said. “I thought maybe we would be a 10 or 11 seed but they looked at the whole season.
“And it was a close game against South Plains in the final; it’s tough to be a team three times in a season, not just three times in six weeks.”
Odessa College (27-6) begins its run at the tournament at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when it faces Shelton State Community College (30-4) from Tuscaloosa, Ala. Shelton State defeated Roane State Monday at Hutch Arena.
Baumann, who is taking the Wranglers back to the tournament for the third time in four years with the program, is excited about watching this year’s team compete against the best in the nation.
He’s also pleased with the way he saw his players react to the loss to the Texans earlier this month.
“They weren’t happy when we came back to practice,” he said. “I always tell them that it’s very hard to win college basketball games and this was a perfect example of it.
“I think what it did was get everyone focused on what we need to do to win.”
What the Wranglers do very well in their victories is create numerous opportunities with a smothering press defense the entire length of the court.
When given the latitude to play its physical game, Odessa College is very tough to handle for 40 minutes.
Should a tighter game get called from the referees, the Wranglers sometimes find themselves in the situation they faced against South Plains, when they were whistled for 35 fouls.
“We should have won that game,” Baumann said. “Even with all the fouls; we just turned the ball over too many times in the second half, which is something we don’t normally do.
“We have guys who can handle the ball, guys who can score and we have good size under the basket and we have depth in all those areas. I learned a long time ago that the key to winning at this tournament is matchups and we think we match up well with anyone.”
Daniss Jenkins averages 15.1 points per game to lead Odessa College, along with handing out 5.3 assists per contest.
Backcourt mate Anthony Marshall averages 10.1 points and 2.8 assists and gives the Wranglers a different look when he is running the offense, which allows Jenkins to play his more natural position of shooting guard.
Baumann knows that both Jenkins and Marshall need to be at the top of their games over the next few days in order for Odessa College to move on.
He also knows that while it’s nice to have the first day of competition off, the Wranglers will be facing a team that already has won, along with getting rid of the nerves of playing at the national tournament.
That’s why Baumann scheduled a little trip to Kansas last November.
The Wranglers lost to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, 92-90, on Nov. 5 before falling to Barton Community College, 92-85 in overtime, the following night.
“Hutch is a tough play to play,” he said. “Different arena and all the pressure of playing in the national tournament.
“You have to be ready to go from the start. There will be some nerves at the beginning, for sure, but the teams that settle down the quickest usually have the best chance to win.”
>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at @OALeeScheide
