WPU Looking for Another Deep Run at Nationals
William Penn Men’s Basketball 2018-19 (file photo)
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s basketball team will look to continue its recent tradition of success at the final site as it returns to the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.
William Penn (21-11) has earned the #6 seed in the Liston bracket and has drawn #3 seed Vanguard (Calif.) (25-6) next Wednesday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools in men’s basketball.
The Championship will take place at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. from March 20-26.
The Statesmen-Lions winner will then face the winner of the #2 seed Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)/#7 seed Campbellsville (Ky.) contest on Friday at 2:15 p.m.
The full bracket can be found HERE http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/Championships/2019DIMBB/2019_DIMBB_Bracket.pdf?&ATCLID=211704718&DB_LANG=C&SPSID=640716&SPID=96230&DB_OEM_ID=27900
The 23rd-ranked Statesmen, members of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, earned one of the 19 at-large berths, while Vanguard, out of the Golden State Athletic Conference, also picked up an at-large berth.
All of William Penn’s games at the Championship will be broadcast (audio only) on the Statesmen Sports Network HERE http://www.statesmenathletics.com/SIDHelp/watch.php
Fans can pay to watch the games online as well through the NAIA Network at https://www.naianetwork.com/ The per-day option costs $9.95, while the entire tournament (through the semifinals) can be purchased for $34.95. The championship game will be broadcast on ESPN3 at http://www.espn.com/watch/
Game tickets can be purchased HERE http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=640716&SPID=96230&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211666352
All tournament information can also be found on the Experience NAIA Championships app HERE https://naia-championships.app.link/launch?SPSID=640721&SPID=96231&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=27900
William Penn
John Henry, in his 18th season, is leading the Statesmen to their fourth-straight NAIA Nationals appearance, their seventh trip in the last eight years, and their ninth trip in his tenure.
William Penn is led by first-team all-Heart performers Omar Sherman (Sr., Duncanville, Texas, Sociology), with 16.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and Abrian Edwards (Sr., Austin, Texas, Wellness and Recreation), with 13.5 points and 7.4 assists per game. Honorable-mention selection Marlon Alcindor (Sr., Queens, N.Y., Sociology) (14.0 points and 88 three-pointers) is also guiding the navy and gold into nationals.
WPU is outscoring opponents 88.8-77.8 and outrebounding them 44.4-35.3. William Penn is also better from the field with a 49.3%-41.0% edge (35.9%-33.2% 3-PT).
The squad leads the NAIA in rebounds per game, is sixth in total blocks (141), seventh in total assists (590), and 10th in points per game.
Vanguard
Rhett Soliday, in his ninth season (131-117 record), will be taking the Lions to nationals for the second time in his tenure. It is the program’s fourth trip to nationals overall, including winning the crown in 2014 (under Soliday).
VU, which was 13-5 in Golden State play (second place), has split its last eight games entering nationals. Malachi Hoosein and Geremy McKay lead the Lions as all-conference players. Hoosein averages 14.2 points, while McKay averages 11.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Vanguard has outscored its foes 80.6-70.6 and outrebounded them 40.0-36.8. The Lions are also better from the field with a margin of 44.7%-42.5%. VU shoots 66.2% at the line and 33.8% from behind the arc.
VU leads the nation in three-point percentage allowed (29.8%) and is fourth in turnover margin (+3.9).
