NJCAA DIVISION 1 MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP: Salt Lake punches ticket to nationals

SALT LAKE CITY — Gibson Johnson scored 30 points for the Salt Lake Bruins in a 99-73 win over Cochise College in the District 1 playoff game on Saturday, advancing the Bruins to the NJCAA tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. starting on March 14

Salt Lake, which upset North Idaho in the Region 18 championship game, improves to 25-8.

Cochise is 26-6.

The NJCAA will annnounce the tournament’s four at-large bids this afternoon.

NIC (31-1) is expected to make its first trip to the NJCAA since the 1996-97 season, when the team finished 30-5 under coach Hugh Watson.