Grenadier Men's Basketball To Face Briar Cliff (Iowa)
Grenadier Men's Basketball To Face Briar Cliff (Iowa)
Men play in opening round of NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship on March 11
NEW ALBANY, Ind. (March 5, 2009) - The Indiana University Southeast men's basketball team will play Briar Cliff (Iowa) in the first round of the 18th Annual NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship in Point Lookout, Mo. at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11.
Under second year Head Coach Wiley Brown, the Grenadiers (23-7, 10-1 KIAC) earned a No. 16-ranking in the final NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll released on Wednesday (3/4).
KIAC All-Conference sophomore Jazzmarr Ferguson (Louisville, Ky. - Moore H.S.) is leading the Grenadiers this season averaging 14.8 points and three assists a game. KIAC All-Conference selection and former KIAC Player of the Year (2007-08) Craig Bryant (New Albany, Ind. - New Albany H.S.) is also playing strong for the Grenadiers this season averaging 13.7 points and four rebounds a game.
Briar Cliff Chargers are currently 23-7 overall and 14-4 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). More information on the Chargers can be found via their athletic webpage at: http://www.bcuchargers.com/sport/0/3.php
This year marks the Grenadiers' sixth appearance in the NAIA DII National Championship. Last year the team fell to the No. 10-seed and tournament host College of the Ozarks during the opening round of the championship.
The 32-team national championship field is comprised of 23 automatic qualifiers from NAIA affiliated conferences, plus the host and eight at-large selections, which are determined using the final regular-season rating released March 4.
The College of the Ozarks (Mo.) will serve as tournament host for the tenth straight year. The first 30 games of the Championships will be video-streamed live on the Internet (WatchNAIA.com), while the National Championship Game on March 17 will air live nationwide on CBS College Sports TV.