Croaker Named As Darkhorse Dunker Competitor

Murray State's Damarcus Croaker has been chosen to be in the Dark Horse Dunker competition, an online fan vote contest in which the winner gets to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships at the Final Four.

This bracket-style competition was announced Monday. Croaker, a senior from Orlando, Fla., was paired with North Florida's Chris Davenport.

Voting for first round goes through Monday. .

Click here to vote for Damarcus Croaker in the State Farm Darkhorse Dunker bracket.

If he can win the fan vote, Damarcus Croaker will compete during Final Four weekend in Phoenix, Arizona on March 30, 2017 on ESPN.

This is the same event that Racer great Isaiah Canaan participated in (the 3-point event) after his final season at Murray State in 2013.

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VOTING SET TO BEGIN FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL "DARK HORSE DUNKER" COMPETITION
Winner to compete in 29th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships Live on ESPN at 10 p.m. ET March 30

CHICAGO (February 13, 2017) – Intersport, producers of the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships, today announced that first round voting for the 2017 "Dark Horse Dunker" competition will begin on Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET. The 16-player field is stocked with under-the-radar players who possess the power, creativity and hops to compete against college basketball's stars in the College Slam Dunk Championship. Fans will determine the winner by voting daily at DarkHorseDunker.com throughout the four-week competition.

"Over its 28 editions, the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships have become the benchmark for skills events," said Drew Russell, vice president of Owned Properties at Intersport. "Through the first six years of the program, the State Farm 'Dark Horse Dunker' winner has gone on to win the College Slam Dunk Championship three times. This fan element has really added electricity to the whole event."

The "Dark Horse Dunker" contest is a digital media contest that will match up 16 of the top college dunkers in a bracket-style competition to determine the final participant in the Slam Dunk Championship. Fans can vote for their favorite players using an interactive bracket by entering DarkHorseDunker.com. The athlete with the most votes in each matchup will move on to the next round.

Video highlight reels of each competitor on the website will help fans determine their choice. Voting begins Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET and concludes March 17 at 1 p.m. ET. The schedule for each voting round will go as follows:

•Round One: Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. ET through Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. ET (16 Players)
•Quarterfinals: Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. ET through March 1 at 1 p.m. ET (8 Players)
•Semifinals: March 2 at 1 p.m. ET through March 9 at 1 p.m. ET (4 Players)
•Finals: March 10 at 1 p.m. ET through March 17 at 1 p.m. ET (2 Players)
•Winner Announcement: March 17 at 1 p.m. ET

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 three-point shooters in the country, held annually in the Final Four host city. The 2017 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships will air live on ESPN during Final Four weekend in Phoenix at 10 p.m. ET on March 30.

The 16 "Dark Horse Dunkers" participating in the contest were selected by a committee representing the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships. A complete bracket with matchup details can be found on DarkHorseDunker.com.

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.

Damarcus Croaker – Murray State
Chris Davenport – North Florida
Antonius Cleveland – Southeast Missouri State
Nick Stover – South Alabama
Denzel Gregg – Saint Bonaventure
Matt Bonds – Saint Michael's College
Xavier Smith – Oklahoma City University
Zeek Woodley – Northwestern State
Romond Jenkins –Tarleton State
Buay Tuach – Loyola Marymount
Demetris Morant – Florida Golf Coast
Austin Rettig – University of Tampa
Khory Moore – Virginia Wesleyan
Brendyn Taylor – Northwestern Christian University
Collin Stewart – Monmouth
Trayvon Palmer – Chicago State

Previous State Farm "Dark Horse Dunker" winners include 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.

For more information about the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships go to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@CollegeSLAM).

About State Farm®
The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto, home and individual life insurance in the United States. Its 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve more than 83 million policies and accounts – nearly 81 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters,business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 35 on the 2016 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersportnet.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@IntersportBuzz).

Murray State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Damarcus Croaker

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