NAIA BOUND: Grace heads to Illinois for Opening Round
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace’s men’s basketball team received its opening assignment for the 2022 NAIA National Championships.
The Lancers will travel to Olivet Nazarene (Bourbonnais, Ill.) for the NAIA Opening Round. Grace earned a No. 7 seed in the 64-team bracket and will square off with 10th-seeded Cumberland. The game will take place on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m. (Eastern) in Bourbonnais, Ill.
With a win, Grace would play either No. 2 Olivet Nazarene or No. 15 Lourdes on the following day in Illinois.
The NAIA tournament features 64 teams. The teams are divided into 16 opening-round sites across the nation with four teams in each pod. The 16 winners from each pod will travel to Kansas City, Mo., for the remainder of the tournament beginning March 17.
The Lancers (25-8) earned an automatic bid to the national tournament after winning the 2022 Crossroads League Tournament in thrilling fashion. Grace won three straight road games to claim the tournament title, including an 86-85 win at No. 12 Marian in the championship.
Grace is making its 11th appearance in the NAIA tournament and second trip in three years under head coach Scott Moore.
The Patriots (20-12) are making their 30th trip to the tournament, including a streak of seven straight appearances from 2014-20. Cumberland earned an at-large bid to the tournament after finishing fifth in the Mid-South Conference.
Two of the teams in Grace’s Opening Round pod are in the NAIA Top 25 currently, including No. 11 Olivet Nazarene and Grace, who is receiving votes.
The Crossroads League was well-represented in the NAIA bracket. Six teams from the league punched their ticket, including No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan, No. 4 St. Francis, No. 4 Marian, No. 7 Grace, No. 12 Huntington and No. 14 Mt. Vernon Nazarene.
Recent Comments