Howard Hawks Crowned NJCAA D1 Men's Basketball National Champions

The Howard College men's basketball team capped off a historic postseason run with an 82-67 victory over College of Southern Idaho to claim the 2026 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship on Saturday in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The top-seeded Hawks delivered when it mattered most, using a dominant second half to pull away from the Golden Eagles and secure the program's second national title and first since 2010.

"It's honestly surreal," said Head Coach Kyle Cooper, "It's a lot of hard work paying off and I'm just so happy for our college and for our community, they pour so much into our athletes, and for our guys, they work really hard and to see that get rewarded is an amazing feeling." 

Howard trailed 30-29 at halftime but erupted after the break, outscoring Southern Idaho behind efficient shooting and relentless defensive pressure. 

Sophomore forward Terry Copeland led the way with a dominant performance, finishing with 23 points and 16 rebounds. Kuai Deng added 20 points, including a trio of three-pointers, while Daniel Culberson orchestrated the offense with 10 points and eight assists.

Despite a strong effort from Southern Idaho, the Hawks took control midway through the second half and never looked back, building a lead as large as 16 points down the stretch.

The championship victory capped off a dominant four-game run through the national tournament. Howard opened with a commanding 96-75 win over Daytona State College before surviving an instant classic against Butler Community College, 134-128 in double overtime. The Hawks followed that with a gritty 72-66 semifinal win over Trinity Valley Community College to punch their ticket to the title game.

"I've told everybody I'm getting a championship for everywhere I've been and so far I have done that. It means so much that I did that and I've worked so hard, we all worked so hard to bring a championship home and we needed that," said Daniel Culberson on winning a national title.

Howard entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and proved why throughout the week, showcasing depth, resilience, and elite execution on both ends of the floor.

Terry Copeland said, "This means everything to me, even when I leave next year Big Spring is a part of me forever. I will always cherish the memories and the moments because this is what helped me grow as a man and also as a player too"

"It feels amazing and we worked so hard to get here so I'm just happy to be able to do something with my brothers, do something bigger than us you know for the community of Big Spring, I'm just thankful," commented Kuai Deng. 

With the win, the Hawks brought a national championship back to Big Spring, solidifying their place among the top programs in junior college basketball and capping off one of the most memorable seasons in school history.