#9 WPU to Meet Montana Western in First Round
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team will meet an opponent for the first time ever as it opens the 79th Annual NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championships next Wednesday.
#9 William Penn (27-6) will take on #22 Montana Western (19-12) at 7 p.m. The squads are playing a 3-seed/6-see game in the Naismith bracket (Cramer, Duer, and Liston are the other brackets). The full bracket can be found at http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/Championships/2016DIMBB/2016DIMBBBracket.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=27900
The WPU/UMW winner will then face the winner of the #2 seed Columbia (Mo.)/#7 seed LSU Shreveport (La.) contest on Friday at 2:15 p.m.
The Championships are again held in Kansas City, Mo., in Municipal Auditorium Gymnasium from March 16-22.
The Statesmen earned an automatic bid as the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament champion (among other qualifying criteria), while the Bulldogs, members of the Frontier Conference, earned one of the 18 at-large bids. This will be the first-ever meeting between the programs.
All of William Penn’s games at the Championships will be broadcast on KBOE Radio 740 AM. The NAIA will also have a free audio stream that can be found at http://mytown-media.com/
The first four rounds will also be available on MCG’s Local Access TV Channel 7. More details, including a formal release from MCG will become available in the upcoming days. The finals are only available on ESPN3.
Fans can pay to watch the games online as well through the NAIA Network by going to http://portal.stretchinternet.com/naia/?KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=27900&DB_LANG=C&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT= The per-day option costs $9.95, while the entire tournament (through the semifinals) can be purchased for $29.95.
Game tickets are available through the WPU Athletics Department at 641-673-1018 or by email at thompsonj@wmpenn.edu
If and when the tickets get sold out, they can then be purchased through the NAIA at http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=205708386 or at 816-595-8142.
If purchased through the NAIA, go to https://www.naiahelp.com/admin/form/view.php?&SPSID=646078&SPID=100296&DB_OEM_ID=27900&id=39 and use the code “NAIA Downtown” to receive $5 off an adult ticket (down to $10) and $3 off a student ticket (down to $2).
William Penn
John Henry, in his 15th season (306-184 record entering nationals), is leading the Statesmen to their sixth NAIA Nationals appearance and fourth in the last five years (6-5 all-time record).
William Penn is led by Heart Newcomer of the Year Steven Roundtree (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla., Physical Education), who is averaging 16.5 points and 9.2 rebounds (55 steals as well). Brady Burford (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education) was also a first-team pick, averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 boards.
Jarvis Haywood (Jr., Charlotte, N.C., Business Management), with 15.1 points, and Jessie Pernell (Sr., North Augusta, S.C., Physical Education), with 12.0 points (118 assists), each earned honorable mentions this winter.
The nation’s best rebounding team is also fifth in the NAIA in scoring. The Statesmen outscore opponents 90.7-77.4 and outrebound them 45.2-33.7. The Statesmen are shooting 46.6% overall (opponents at 43.2%), including a 35.1% clip from beyond the arc. They are also seventh in NAIA Division I with 298 three-pointers and 10th with 524 assists. William Penn is 70.1% from the line.
The Statesmen have won six games in a row.
Montana Western
Steve Keller, in his ninth season, will be taking the Bulldogs back to nationals for the sixth time in the last seven years. Last year’s squad reached the second round, while the 2012-2013 squad made it to the quarterfinals (7-12 all-time record).
UMW, which placed third in the Frontier’s regular season (12-6 record), fell in the tournament quarterfinals. The team has reeled off two four-game winning streaks during the campaign. Dexter Williams, Jr. is pacing his team with 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He was a first-team all-Frontier pick, while Shyke Smalls (14.7 points) and Demitrius Balark (11.7 points) were both second-team selections.
The Bulldogs have outscored their foes 78.5-72.0 and outrebounded them 39.9-37.8. They are also better from the field with a margin of 46.4%-40.2%. Montana Western is shooting 69.0% at the line and 34.6% from deep as well. UMW ranks sixth in the nation with 30.5 defensive rebounds per game and ninth in defensive field-goal percentage.
Additional Tournament Information
The Westin at Crown Center has been selected as the host hotel for all 32 teams. Unlike past years at the Division II Championships, fans are encouraged to find rooms wherever they choose.
KC Live! Block will host a Tip-Off Event in the Kansas City Power & Light District that will include the 32 teams from both the men’s and women’s Division I Championships on March 15 at 5 p.m. (CST). Admission is free to the event, while dinner tickets can be purchased by calling 816-595-8142.
All other information is also available at http://www.naia.org//SportSelect.dbml?&&DB_OEM_ID=27900&SPID=100296&SPSID=646078
