Hill hopes to take part in festivities in Minneapolis
 Intersport, producers of the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, today announced that first-round voting for the 2019 “Dark Horse Dunker†competition is now underway. The 16-player field is stacked with under-the-radar players from all levels of college basketball who possess the power, creativity and hops to compete against high-major stars in the Great Clips College Slam Dunk Championship. Fans will determine the winner by voting daily at DarkHorseDunker.com throughout the four-week competition.
Evansville’s Marty Hill was named as one of the final 16 participants in the competition. Hill has been one of the Aces best players this season and had two dunks that made the SportsCenter Top 10 in 2018-19.
Video highlight reels of each competitor on the website will help fans determine their choice in a bracket-style competition on DarkHorseDunker.com. The athlete with the most votes in each matchup will move on to the next round. Voting begins Feb. 19 at Noon CT and concludes March 22 at Noon CT. The schedule for each voting round will go as follows:
Round One: Feb. 19 at Noon CT through Feb. 26 at Noon CT (16 Players)
- Quarterfinals: Feb. 27 at Noon CT through March 6 at Noon CT (8 Players)
- Semifinals: March 7 at Noon CT through March 14 at Noon CT (4 Players)
- Finals: March 15 at Noon CT through March 22 at Noon CT (2 Players)
The player that ultimately receives the most votes in the final round will be selected to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, an event featuring some of the best college dunkers and 3-point shooters in the country. The 2019 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will air live on ESPN during college championship weekend in Minneapolis at 8 p.m. CT on April 4.
The following are the 16 “Dark Horse Dunkers†competing in the contest for their chance to showcase their talents in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships:
Austin Butler – Whitman College
Cameron Jackson – Wofford
Craig Wilmore – Rocky Mountain College
Deion Evans – Campbellsville University
Devocio Butler – Texas Southern
Emier Bowman – Maryville College
Isaiah Palmer – Ottawa University
Jacob Watts-Jenkins – Huston-Tillotson
Keljin Blevins – Montana State
Kent Garrett – York College
Malik Moore – South Carolina Upstate
Marty Hill – Evansville
Phillip Rankin Jr. – Louisiana State University of Alexandria
Quaylon Newton – Southern Nazarene
Roderick Howell – North Greenville University
Slinky Jones – Florida Southern College
Previous State Farm “Dark Horse Dunker†winners include Max Pearce (Purchase College) in 2018, Antonius Cleveland (Southeast Missouri State) in 2017, Yunio Barrueta (Barry University) in 2016, Davene Carter (Tarleton State) and Antjuan Ball (West Texas A&M) in 2015, Marcus Lewis (Eastern Kentucky) in 2014, Corey Law (High Point) in 2013, James Justice (Martin Methodist College) in 2012, and Jacob Tucker (Illinois College) in 2011. Lewis, Justice and Tucker all went on to win the College Slam Dunk Championship.
