DWU women draw Haskell, men Indiana Tech at Nationals
MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time in the history of basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University, the school will send teams to the men’s and women’s national tournaments in the same years, as both Tiger squads learned their fates during the NAIA Selection Show Wednesday.
MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time in the history of basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University, the school will send teams to the men's and women's national tournaments in the same years, as both Tiger squads learned their fates during the NAIA Selection Show Wednesday.
The No. 19 DWU men earned an at-large bid after heading into the day not knowing if they would be invited to the event for the second straight season after finishing as the national runner-up in 2014-15. The Tigers earned a No. 5 seed and will take on No. 4 seed Indiana Tech in the Duer Bracket at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10 in Point Lookout, Mo., on the campus of the College of the Ozarks.
The meeting with Indiana Tech will be the first in program history for DWU. The Warriors rank first in the nation in total blocks with 198 and fifth in scoring defense at 66.4 points per game, while carrying a 23-9 overall record into the tournament. Last season DWU won its first four games of the NAIA tournament before falling in the national title game.
The Tigers finished the season 22-10 overall and third in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
The No. 10 DWU women had no need to sweat about being in the NAIA tournament, but the Tigers awaited their seed, opponent and time of their opening contest. DWU earned a No. 3 seed as an automatic qualifier from the GPAC. The Tigers are making their first appearance in the NAIA tournament since 2003-04 and will take on No. 6 seed Haskell Indian Nations University in the Liston Bracket at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Haskell comes into the game with a record of 23-6, ranking third in the NAIA in steals per game and 10th in scoring margin at 15.44. The Tigers have never faced Haskell in women's basketball. DWU enters to the tournament 25-8, after finishing tied for second in the GPAC, which sent six teams to the tournament.
For information on DWU tournament shirts contact Tiger Athletic Business Manager Marlene Warnke at mawarnke@dwu.edu to place your orders.
