INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team has been selected for participation in the 2014-15 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. The Bearcats earned the Central Region’s No. 4 seed behind top seeded and host Augustana, No. 2 seed Minnesota State University Moorhead and No. 3 seed Central Missouri. Pittsburg State was the third MIAA team to qualify, earning the No. 7 seed.

Northwest’s first round game against No. 5 seed Minnesota State is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, in Sioux Falls, S.D. The second round will be on Sunday, March 15 and the Sweet 16 round will be on Tuesday, March 17. The National Championship Elite Eight will be held in Evansville, Ind., starting on March 25th at the Ford Center. Northwest beat Minnesota State last season in the NCAA second round, 71-66, in Mankato, Minn. The winner of the Northwest and Minnesota State game will face the winner of Augustana and Arkansas Tech on Sunday.

Northwest is making its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats advanced to the Sweet 16 last season and has made two elite eights in program history (2002 and 2004). This is the third appearance under head coach Ben McCollum, who is 2-2 overall. McCollum, who is in his sixth season, was named the MIAA co-Head Coach of the Year after leading the Bearcats (23-6, 15-4) to the outright MIAA regular season title. Justin Pitts was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and earned first team All-MIAA honors. Matt Wallace was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.

NCAA Central Region
1. Augustana (host)
2. MSU Moorhead
3. Central Missouri
4. Northwest Missouri
5. Minnesota State
6. Northern State
7. Pittsburg State
8. Arkansas Tech

— Northwest Sports Information —