In the 3 years of running NAIA Hoops Report, yesterday was the fewest number of games I have ever watched. While we limited our coverage to stat watching and social media, I am excited to get back to full coverage. I do want to say Thank You to everyone for letting me greave yesterday. Have a ton of DM’s and messages from all around the NAIA with prayers and support during this difficult time. Moving on from that though, our coverage should be back to normal as we finish up Conference Tournaments this weekend and into next week. We already have seen some big upsets and several leagues where the 1-seed is already out. That is part of tournament season. We have a big day ahead today though as we crown four more League Champions! It is also a big day for bubble teams!! Plenty of storylines to watch and follow today and we will be on top of it all day long!
Championship Games
Noon CT – Appalachian Athletic Conference Championship – Watch
- Montreat vs Union
- Both Teams have qualified for the NAIA National Championships. However, that isn’t going to stop Montreat from ending Union’s 27 game AAC Tournament win streak and put an end to their 8 straight AAC Tournament Title run.
4pm CT – The Sun Conference Championship – Watch
- Florida Memorial vs Ave Maria
- Pat and I talked on The Sun Conf Tournament Preview Show how it always seems like lower seeds make this Tournament Championship game and here we are with a 3 vs 5-seed matchup. 5-seed, Florida Memorial, knocked off the host team, Warner, last night 71-68 and Ave Maria Knocked off Southeastern (FL) 84-64 to reach the Championship game.
6:30pm CT – Southern States Athletic Conference Championship – Watch
- Loyola vs Talladega
- Unfortunately, Dega vs Loyola Round 3 is behind a paywall, BUT with Loyola beating Dega twice in the past 2 weeks, Round 3 should be another terrific game! This is honestly a game between two teams that we could see matchup again, for Round 4, in the NAIA National Championships. Two Fab Four worthy teams.
7:30pm CT – Golden States Athletic Conference Championship – Watch
- Ottawa (AZ) vs William Jessup
- Ottawa reaching this game erases them off the bubble. Even if they lose this game, they should be an at-large selection into the NAIA National Championships. Jessup was already in, but they had a big win last night as they knocked off GSAC host Hope International in a thriller! Two teams here, who you shouldn’t be surprised to see them in Kansas City if they make it.
Bubble Teams Needing Wins
Noon – River States Athletic Conference Semifinals – Watch
- Alice Lloyd vs WVU Tech
- This is a big game here for both squads. WVU Tech has the better chance to get an at-large selection. Although they would also get in with an auto-bid if IU Kokomo wins the RSC Tournament. They have more outs than Alice Lloyd, but both need this win today, loser will be super nervous on selection day.
2pm CT – Continental Athletic Conference Semifinals – Watch
- Florida College @ Iowa Wesleyan
- This isn’t really a bubble watch game per say, but if you are on the bubble you are watching this game closely. Winner of this game gets one of the CAC auto-bids. Florida College should be in, no matter what, so for bubble teams they are BIG Florida College fans today as Iowa Wesleyan goes bid stealing!
3pm CT – Mid-South Conference Tournament Quarterfinals – Watch
- Cumberlands (KY) vs Cumberland (TN)
- Cumberlands, at the moment, is most likely on the “IN” line of the bubble. However, that isn’t a safe spot here with a couple of bid stealers out there. They could do themselves a big favor by knocking off a Cumberland team who will be an at-large selection if they don’t win the MSC Tournament.
3pm CT – Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals – Watch
- Doane at Concordia
- Doane is on the wrong side of the bubble as of now. The GPAC has been a little down this year compared to past seasons so it will be interesting to see how many teams get into the National Championships from the league. Right now, Doane could really boost their resume today with a big win over Concordia and advancing to the GPAC Title game!
5pm CT – Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinals – Watch
- Central Christian @ Oklahoma City
- OCU, as the 3-seed, with 15 conference wins, would normally be a lock into the National Championships. However, their ARC rater and Conference rater haven’t really done them any justice in their rankings, so they aren’t the lock they should be and could use a couple wins here in the SAC Tournament.
7pm CT – Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference – Watch Live
- Kansas Wesleyan @ Oklahoma Wesleyan
- There are some that think 5 teams from the KCAC make it into the National Championships and with Donnie Bostwick of OKWU as the ARC rater, it quite possibly could happen, but putting Kansas Wesleyans body of work up against some of the other bubble teams, they still have some work to do. A big upset win tonight would be a big resume booster!
8pm CT – Mid-South Conference Tournament Quarterfinals – Watch Live
- Georgetown vs Freed-Hardeman
- I don’t know what has happened to G’Town as of late but they have lost 4 straight coming into this game. They are probably still a lock for an at-large selection but losing 5-straight headed into the NAIA National Championships wouldn’t be ideal. The real bubble team here though is FHU. The Lions have had a good season, but as the 6-seed in the MSC, they need a couple more wins, most likely, to feel comfortable.
9pm CT – Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinals – Watch
- Southern Oregon @ Lewis-Clark State
- LCSC is the bubble team here that needs the win. After a rough January, they have found themselves again and have been playing great basketball down the stretch. A 3-seed, in the CCC, who already has 22 wins and if they make the CCC Championship game, you have to think they make it in as an at-large team if they don’t win the CCC Title.
Remaining Saturday’s Conference Tournament Games
Mid-South Conference – Quarterfinals
| 12:30 p.m. | 1) Thomas More (Ky.) (25-3, 19-2) vs. 8) Pikeville (Ky.) (17-12) | Live Video |
| 5:30 p.m. | 2) Tennessee Southern (21-9, 16-6) vs. 7) Shawnee State (Ohio) (17-13) | Live Video |
River States Conference – Semifinals
1pm CT – No. 2E IU East at No. 1W IU Kokomo — Watch Live
Sooner Athletic Conference – Quarterfinals
| 1:00pm CT | John Brown | Wayland Baptist | Plainview, Texas Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament | Video |
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference – Semifinals
2pm – #4 Lourdes (22-7) at #1 Indiana Tech (25-6) – Watch Live
2PM – #3 Madonna (20-11) at #2 Cornerstone (22-9) – Watch Live
Crossroads League – Semifinals
2pm — #1 IWU vs #5 GRA (at IWU) — Video ($) | Stats
2pm — #2 MU vs #6 HU (at MU) — Video ($) | Stats
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference – Semifinals
2:00 pm Game 6 Tougaloo vs. Edward Waters- Wahlah TV Network | Facebook
7:00 pm Game 8 Philander vs. Dillard – Wahlah TV Network | Facebook
Great Plains Athletic Conference – Semifinals
3pm – #8 Dakota Wesleyan (13-15, 9-11 GPAC) at #5 University of Jamestown (23-8, 12-8 GPAC) – Video
American Midwest Conference – Semifinals
- 3:00 P.M. – William Woods University (18-13) @ Columbia College (20-11) – Live Video
- 4:00 P.M. – Central Baptist College (15-14) @ Missouri Baptist University (24-5) – Live Video
North Star Athletic Conference – Semifinals
| 6pm CT | Game #5: No. 5 Dakota State (S.D.) (13-17, 7-7 NSAA) vs. No. 1 Viterbo (Wis.) (16-12, 9-5 NSAA) | LIVE VIDEO |
| 8pm CT | Game #6: No. 3 Valley City State (N.D.) (18-10, 8-6 NSAA) vs. No. 2 Bellevue (Neb.) (18-12, 9-5 NSAA) | LIVE VIDEO |
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference – Semifinals
7pm CT – Southwestern (KS) @ Bethel (KS)- Watch Live
Cascade Collegiate Conference – Semifinals
8pm – Warner Pacific @ College of Idaho – Watch Live
