INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team secured the MIAA’s automatic bid and the NCAA Central Region’s top seed to the 2016-17 NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats will now host a seven-game regional tournament in Maryville, Mo., starting Saturday, March 11.

Northwest’s first round game against No. 8 seed Upper Iowa is scheduled for Saturday, March 11, at 6 p.m. at Bearcat Arena. The second round will be on Sunday, March 12 and the Sweet 16 round will be on Tuesday, March 14. The National Championship Elite Eight will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D., starting on March 22. Northwest has advanced to the Central Region championship game each of the past three seasons.

Northwest is making its 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the fifth appearance under head coach Ben McCollum (6-4 overall). McCollum, who is in his eighth season, was named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the third straight year after leading the Bearcats (29-1, 18-1) to a fourth-straight MIAA regular season title and second-straight MIAA Tournament title. Justin Pitts was named the MIAA Player of the Year for the second straight year and earned first team All-MIAA honors.

NCAA Central Region
1. Northwest Missouri (Host) – 29-1
2. Southwest Minnesota State – 26-5
3. East Central – 24-7
4. Arkansas-Monticello – 23-6
5. Augustana (S.D.) – 23-8
6. MSU-Moorhead – 24-5
7. Arkansas Tech – 21-7
8. Upper Iowa – 22-10

Saturday, March 11
Noon: No. 3 East Central vs. No. 6 MSU Moorhead(Session 1)
2:15 p.m.: No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State vs. No. 7 Arkansas Tech (Session 1)

6 p.m.: No. 1 Northwest vs. No. 8 Upper Iowa (Session 2)
8:15 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas-Monticello vs. No. 5 Augustana (Session 2)

Sunday, March 12
5 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
7:30 p.m.: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Tuesday, March 14
7 p.m.: Championship Game

— Northwest Athletics —