The undefeated Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team earned the No. 1 seed for the NCAA Central Region of the 2019 NCAA Division II Tournament.

The Central Region will take place March 16 (four games), March 17 (two games) and March 19 (regional final) in Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Missouri. It is the third straight season that Northwest will serve as the region’s host.

Northwest will be taking part in its 19th NCAA tournament. It is the Bearcats’s seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament under 10th-year head coach Ben McCollum. The Bearcats are 32-0 in 2018-19 and have won six consecutive MIAA regular season titles to go with the four straight MIAA tourney crowns. Earlier Sunday, Northwest secured the MIAA’s automatic bid the regional with an 82-53 win over Washburn in the tournament championship game.

Northwest will match up against No. 8 seed Minnesota State, Mankato, on Sat., March 16, at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.

The Elite Eight will be held in Evansville, Indiana, on March 27-30 at the Ford Center.

Tickets for the regional can be purchased online starting at 10 p.m. Sunday evening. All seating for the regional will be general admission. Fans can purchase single session tickets in person at the Cashiering office. The Cashiering office, located on the first floor of the Administration Building, will be open until from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early.

Single session tickets can be purchased for $12 each for adults and $7 for students. Children 2 and under are free per NCAA policy. The ticket office will open 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the start of each session.

NCAA Central Region
1. Northwest Missouri State (Host)
2. Northern State
3. Washburn
4. St. Cloud State
5. Southern Nazarene
6. Missouri Southern State
7. Southeastern Oklahoma
8. Minnesota State

Saturday, March 16
Noon: No. 3 Washburn vs. No. 6 Missouri Southern (Session 1)
2:30 p.m.: No. 2 Northern State vs. No. 7 Southeastern Oklahoma State (Session 1)

6 p.m.: No. 1 Northwest Missouri vs. No. 8 Minnesota State, Mankato (Session 2)
8:30 p.m.: No. 4 St. Cloud State vs. No. 5 Southern Nazarene (Session 2)

Sunday, March 17
5 p.m.: Semifinal 1
7:30 p.m.: Semifinal 2

Tuesday, March 18
7 p.m.: Regional Championship Game

— Northwest Athletics —