Ellsworth Sports Information

Iowa Falls, IA – Two former Ellsworth Panther men's basketball players will get their shot in the Big Dance: the 2025 NCAA DI Men's Basketball Tournament. 

Shawn Fulcher (Alabama State) and Arlandus Keyes (Mount St. Mary's) both helped punch their teams' tickets on Saturday night in their respective conference championship games.

In the SWAC tournament championship game against Jackson State, Fulcher tallied seven points and three rebounds, including two late free throws with 13 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach. The Hornets drew a First Four matchup in Dayton with St. Francis (PA) with a tip time scheduled for 5:40 PM CT on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on TruTV. The Hornets are in the tournament for the first time since 2011 and the winner of the opening game would move on to face top-seeeded Auburn.

Alabama State also features another former Bryan Bender player in Mario Andrews, who played for Bender in the 2021-22 campaign at Southwest Mississippi.

Keyes tallied 14 points in Mount St. Mary's victory over Iona in the MAAC tournament title game, shooting 50% from the floor. Keyes' performance throughout the MAAC tournament earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team. The Mountaineers will play nearby rival American in the First Four round in Dayton, tip-off time set for 5:40 PM Wednesday on Tru TV. The winner of the game will face 1-seed Duke. 

"The community college system is geared to help change lives and be used as a stepping stone to help students get to where they want to be," said Ellsworth head coach Bryan Bender, having just completed his third season in Iowa Falls. "Whether it is the workforce or to a four-year college to continue their education."

In Bender's first two seasons at Ellsworth, the staff sent a total of 24 players and five coaches on to four-year colleges, including 10 of which to NCAA DI institutions, which is the best mark in that timeframe among NJCAA DII programs. 

"The NCAA DI tournament and March Madness is one of the best events in all of sports every year and Shawn Fulcher and Arlandus Keyes will have an opportunity to put Ellsworth on the map and represent their respective schools in front of a national audience," said Bender. "Some of my best basketball memories were our three NCAA tournaments at Minnesota when I was there and I am excited for them to experience this first-class event."

Shawn Fulcher | Alabama State Stats

Arlandus Keyes | Mount St. Mary's Stats