The competition will take place on Thursday, March 31, in St. Louis at a site to be determined. It will be televised that night from 9-11 p.m. EST on ESPN, and will air several additional times throughout the weekend. The event will consist of the top eight dunkers from around the nation as Pugh was the first contestant to be invited. The competition, which leads into the Final Four weekend, will also feature the top eight men’s and women’s three-point shooters. All athletes involved in the event will have completed their athletic eligibilty.

“To have the chance to showcase my skills on national television is huge,” Pugh said. “This is something I’ve dreamed about my entire career.

“People will now have the opportunity to see Sacramento State on ESPN, which gives the school great recognition.”

Pugh, who is the first Sacramento State player to participate in the annual competition, is currently averaging 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. The 6-5, 225-pound child development major has established himself as one of the nation’s top dunkers during both his high school and college playing days.

The Sacramento, Calif., native was named the World’s Best Dunker in 2000 by Slam Magazine. He was also named the 33rd-best dunker of all time by the same publication. Prior to transferring to Sacramento State in 2002-03, Pugh played two seasons at UMass where he won both Midnight Madness slam dunk competitions.

“It’s a great opportunity for Jameel to show what he can do,” Sacramento State head coach Jerome Jenkins said. “I’m very happy for Jameel and he deserves the chance to display his abilities on a national stage and help put the program on the map.”

Pugh, who was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week earlier this season, is averaging 14.8 points per game against conference competition, the sixth-best mark in the league. The high flyer has scored in double figures in 10 of his last 12 games, including a Sacramento State Div. I (1991-pres.) record 40 points against William Jessup on Jan. 25.

The Hornets (8-15, 4-6) are currently in fifth place in the Big Sky standings with four games remaining on the regular-season schedule. The top six squads in the eight-team conference reach the Big Sky Tournament, which is scheduled for March 5-9.