FORT WORTH, TX: Texas Wesleyan will open play at the 2017 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship tomorrow when they take on the University of the Cumberlands at 4:00 p.m. Here's what to watch for as you cheer on your Rams.
Tale of the Tape
No. 10 Texas Wesleyan (24-7) received an automatic bid as the Sooner Athletic Conference Regular season Champion and is a No. 3 seed in the tournament. No. 22 Cumberlands (22-8) received the 11th of 17 at-large bids and is seeded sixth out of the Mid-South Conference. Neither team is a stranger to the tournament; the Patriots are making their 25th appearance in the tournament, while the Rams are in the field for the 15th time.
These teams have faced no common opponents this season. The Rams hold a record of 6-3 against the tournament field, while the Patriots are 4-2 vs. this year's field.
The Rams feature five players who average double-figures in scoring, led by
Dion Rogers' 19.5 per game. The Patriots feature four players in double-figure scoring, led by Chance Morton's 13.3. Texas Wesleyan has outscored its opponents by 12.6 points per game, while Cumberlands is +10.4.
The Rams shoot at a slightly higher clip at .475 from the field and .386 from 3-point range compared to UC's .457 and .367. Texas Wesleyan is +8.3 in rebounding while UC is +6.5, and the Rams are +2 turnovers per game, while the Patriots are even in that category.
What the Patriots do best is defend. As a team they rank 4th in the NAIA in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot just .294 from beyond the arc, and 6th in scoring defense, allowing only 65.5 points per game. They also limit the opposition's second-chance opportunities by ranking 5th in the nation in rebound defense at 29.567 per game.
The Tournament
In its 80th year, the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Championship is the oldest collegiate national championship in the country, preceding both the NIT and the NCAA Tournament. Dubbed "College Basketball's toughest tournament," the champion must win five games in a week's time.
All 31 games of the single-elimination tournament are played on one floor, Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium. The tournament tips-off at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and concludes with the title game at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21.
Up Next
The winner of Thursday's contest advances to the round of 16 where they will meet the winner of 2nd seeded The Master's College (CA) and 7th seeded Benedictine University (KS) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Tune In!
The first 30 games of the tournament can be viewed live on the
NAIA Network for FREE. Fans can also listen live on
My Town Media, while live stats of each contest will be provided by Dakstats.
New this season and new to college basketball, the NAIA National Championship will utilize next generation stats provided by Shot Tracker. Fans can download the Shot Tracker Fan App to following the next level stats live during the game.
Tickets
For fans making the Spring Break trip to Kansas City tickets can be purchased
here or at the box office at Municipal Auditorium. Single day admission is just $15 for adults and $5 for students (ages 6-18) while children (5 and under) are free.
