CEDARVILLE, Ohio (courtesy of @CUYellowJackets) - The Cedarville University Men's and Women's Basketball programs have both earned spots in the national NCCAA Division I Basketball Championships, which will be held at Grace University in Wiona Lake, Indiana. The defending champion Yellow Jackets accepted an at-large bid and are seeded #2, while the Lady Jackets won the Midwest Regional and earned a #3 seed.
Cedarville Men will play on Wednesday, in first round action at 9:15 p.m., against #7 Tennessee Temple. The Women are also scheduled to play on Wedensday, but will start a bit earlier than the Men, facing off against #6 Oklahoma Chrisitian at 10:15 a.m.
Eight teams comprise the Men's Tournament field which runs concurrently with the women's event. The Yellow Jackets, 20-8 overall in their first active NCAA Division II season, enter the NCCAA with an 11-game winning streak. They have won 13 of their last 14 outings and are 18-3 since Dec. 1.
Grace College is again hosting the eight-team Women's event on March 13-16, which arguably features the toughest field in the tournament's history. Seven of the participants are NCAA Division II programs on the Women's side.
The Midwest Region champion Lady Jackets are 18-9 in their first active DII season. Cedarville, who was the 2008 NCCAA champion, was the 2012 runner-up.
The Men will take on Tennessee Temple who has proven to be just as hot as Cedarville. The Crusaders are 22-11, the Mideast Region Champions, and have won 13 in a row. Cedarville leads the all-time series between the two schools, 3-2.
The Women will face Oklahoma Christian, who is 19-11 and the Central Region champion. This will be the first meeting ever between the two schools.
In other first round match-ups on the Men's side, Central Region champion #4 Mid-America Christian (Okla.), 17-12, faces South Region champion Shorter (Ga.), 18-11, at 12:00 noon.
At-large selection #3 Oklahoma Christian, 17-11, plays Midwest Region champion #6 Spring Arbor (Mich.), 22-10, at 1:45 p.m.
West Region champion Fresno Pacific, 20-7, is the #1 seed and will play East Region winner #8 Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.), 8-19, at 5:15.
On the Women's side, at-large selection #4 Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 18-10, opens the tournament at 8:30 a.m. against South Region champion #5 Shorter (Ga.), 17-11.
Five-time NAIA Division I champion Union (Tenn.), 20-8, is the #1 seed as the MidEast Region winner. The Bulldogs play East Region champion and #8 Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.), 15-12, at 3:30.
West Region champion #2 California Baptist, 23-5, plays host #7 Grace, 19-14, at 7:30.
NCCAA TOURNAMENT INFORMATION