Champaign, IL - The sixth-seeded Illinois Central College men's basketball team (15-12) is looking to kick off postseason play with a matchup against Parkland College (22-7), seeded third, in Champaign on Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30 pm in Dodds Gym for the quarterfinals of the Regional Tournament. With a win on Tuesday, ICC would advance to the semi-finals on Friday, March 6, at Danville. 

These two teams have faced each other twice in regular season play, with both games going in Parkland's favor, 76-74 and 94-77. Parkland was ranked 12th in the last poll by the NJCAA, and has been a formidable opponent throughout the season, ending 22-7 overall. ICC will draw on their strengths from their play earlier in the season to find success in the postseason. 

The Cougars will look to their team leaders, who have stepped up this season, for Tuesday's game. Freshman Javaughn Robinson has been dominant for the Cougars all year, totaling 329 points, 178 rebounds, and 118 assists on the season, leading the team in both points and assists. Offensive weapons include sophomore Jaylen Brown (296 pts), and freshmen Peyton Hess (228 pts), Jaylen McElmurry (252 pts), Rickey Coleman (193 pts), and Marlon Herron (146 pts). Freshman Anthony Moore has been huge for the Cougars off the board with a team high 219 rebounds, paired with 189 points. The other big men who ICC will look for down low are sophomores Cooper Knoll (83 pts, 94 rebounds) and Anthony Allison Jr. (78 pts, 81 rebounds).

Javaughn Robinson received First Team honors in the 2025-2026 All MWAC Men's Basketball Team. Robinson was also awarded the MWAC Freshman Player of the Year honor. ICC has produced back-to-back Freshman of the Year players, with Idris Thomas winning last year. Jaylen Brown made the Honorable Mention Team for the 2025-2026 All MWAC Men's Basketball Team. 

The Cougars will look to emphasize defense and play as a team, going back to their style of play from earlier in the season that brought them a lot of success, including a 5 game win streak to start the season. "We have to pick up our defense and play as a team again," says Coach Wysinger, "that's what got us success early in the season." 

Tuesday will be full of matchups, with 6:00 games featuring 1-seeded Danville Area taking on 8-seeded Lewis & Clark, and 2-seeded Rend Lake facing 7-seeded Spoon River. The 7:30 games include 6-seeded ICC's game versus 3-seeded Parkland, and 4-seeded Lincoln Land against 5-seeded John Wood. The winners of Tuesday's games advance to the semi-finals in Danville on Friday, March 6. If ICC wins, they will face the winner of Rend Lake and Spoon River to play at 5:00 pm on Friday. The winners from Friday's games advance to the championship game on Saturday, March 7 at 4:00 pm. 

"Winning in this region will always take defense and rebounding," says Wysinger. "We have to be better in those areas for us to have success!"

2026 Region 24 DII Basketball Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, March 3
at 6:00 pm
#1 Danville vs. #8 Lewis & Clark
#2 Rend Lake vs. #7 Spoon River
at 7:30 pm
#4 Lincoln Land vs. #5 John Wood
#3 Parkland vs. #6 IL Central
    at Parkland College, Champaign, IL