Central opens NCAA men’s basketball tourney at St. Thomas
Central College
PELLA — Central College’s surprising Iowa Conference men’s basketball tourney championship has launched the Dutch to an NCAA Division III tournament appearance at St. Thomas (Minn.) Friday.
It’s the 11th NCAA berth for the Dutch (19-9), the most of any Iowa Conference school, and the second in three seasons under fourth-year coach Craig Douma.
The 62-team field was announced Monday.
Central will tackle the Tommies (24-3) at 8 p.m. Friday at Schoenecker Arena. St. Thomas is ranked No. 7 in the D3hoops.com poll and is ranked No. 1 in the West Region by the NCAA.
In a 5:30 p.m. contest Friday, Elmhurst (Ill.) (21-6) will meet Wis.-Oshkosh (18-9). Elmhurst is No. 5 in the Central Region rankings. Friday’s winners clash Saturday at 7 p.m.
Second-round winners will advance to one of four sectional-round sites March 11-12. Winners of the four sectional games will advance to the semifinals and finals March 18-19 in Salem, Va.
Central earned the berth by becoming the first team in Iowa Conference history to win three consecutive road games in the league tournament. The Dutch were seeded fifth but surprised No. 4 Loras Tuesday 84-79, knocked off No. 1 Dubuque Thursday, 72-61, and took the crown at Wartburg Saturday, 92-80.
