NCAA Nationals field is set
Lions draw #4 seed; will face Master’s
Coach Bostwick comments on the 8 teams
WINONA LAKE, Indiana -- The most recent Burbridge rating system determined the seeding of the eight-team men’s field for the NCCAA Nationals. Southwestern Assemblies of God University has drawn the #4 seed for the March 14-17 tournament in Northern Indiana.
SAGU will face the #5 seed, The Master’s College, in their first game at Nationals. A preview of all eight teams will be posted at www.sagu.edu/athletics on Tuesday.
The tourney is hosted by Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. All games will be livestreamed. Details will be announced by SAGU on-line if not at www.grace.edu/athletics
The Burbridge rating includes strength of schedule, opponents’ record and affiliation (NCAA, NAIA, etc.) and the site of the game.
The seedings were announced Saturday night by Darren Richie, the Director of Athletics at Colorado Christian University. He serves as the National Basketball Chair for the NCCAA.
The Competition at the Hoosier State Nationals
Cedarville University (20-9), near Dayton, Ohio, enters the four-day tourney as the #1 seed and team to beat. The Jackets stung Spring Arbor University (Mich) (18-14), 90-75, to win the Midwest Region at Cedarville. They are provisional members in the NCAA with an enrollment of 3,300.
Dallas Baptist University (18-13) is the second seed. They are also in the NCAA’s Division II and the Heartland Conference. They defeated Southwestern, 87-80, to win the Central Regional. The Patriots are the defending national champions of the NCCAA. DBU has nearly 5,600 students.
The remaining six entrants are in the NAIA, starting with #3 seed, Trevecca Nazarene University (20-11), from urban Nashville, Tennessee and the TransSouth Athletic Conference. TNU held off Tennessee Temple University (15-16), 84-81 in double overtime to win the Mid-East Regional crown. Enrollment: 2,500.
#4 seeded SAGU, with the best record in the field at 25-10, they had season highs with wins over Our Lady of the Lake University (26-7) and LSU-Shreveport (25-7), ranked #7 and #12, respectively, in the NAIA. Southwestern is in the Red River Athletic Conference. Enrollment: 2,100.
The Master’s College (Santa Clarita, Cal), who hail from the Golden State Athletic Conference, brings a 19-14 mark and the #5 seeding. The GSAC had half of their 10-members ranked in the final NAIA Coaches Poll. Master's edged Hope Int'l, 60-56 in the West Regional finals. Enrollment: 1,017.
Emmanuel College (19-15), from Franklin Springs, Georgia (90 mi. NE of Atlanta) is the #6 seed. They are from the 14-member Southern States Athletic Conference. Defeated Southeastern College (Fla), 66-65, in the South Regional before falling to Truett-McConnell, 82-81, in the finals. Enrollment: 762.
#7 Hope International University (11-16), located in Fullerton (Greater LA), California, lost to Master’s, 60-56, in the West Regional final. They are in the GSAC. They won at Azusa Pacific, 53-49, during their 8-1 start. Enrollment: 1,700.
The final team at Nationals is #8 Truett-McConnell College (14-19) won the South Region, 82-81, over Emmanuel. It came one day after knocking off the South’s #1 seed in Carver Bible College (Ga.), 81-80. TMC (75 miles N. of Atlanta) is in the SSAC and has almost 1,000 students.
Coach Bostwick's comments
"The field of eight for the NCCAA Tournament is as strong as it has ever been,” observed Southwestern head coach Donnie Bostwick. “DBU and Cedarville are both very strong NCAA DII programs, while The Master's, Trevecca Nazarene, Emmanuel, Truett-McConnell and Hope are all talented NAIA Division I teams as well.”
“Hope University had wins over Asuza Pacific (24-8) and Cal Baptist (16-9), which shows you the strength of even the seventh seed. The Master's and Hope both come out of the GSAC conference, which is one of the best in the NAIA,” he added.
“The 4-vs-5 matchup is always a tough game,” he said of SAGU’s game with The Master’s College. “I expect nothing less in our game with The Master's. We are gathering information on them as quickly as possible. It should be a great tournament."
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.
NCCAA Nationals Seedings, Match-Ups
1. Cedarville University Yellow Jackets (20-9), Midwest Region
2. Dallas Baptist University Patriots (18-13), Central Region
3. Trevecca Nazarene University Trojans (20-11), Mid-East Region
4. Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions (25-10), At-Large
5. The Master’s College Mustangs (19-14), West Region
6. Emmanuel College Lions (19-15), At-Large
7. Hope International University Royals (11-16), At-Large
8. Truett-McConnell College Bears (14-19), South Region
First Round Pairings: (Schedule dates and times TBA on Sunday)
#1 Cedarville -vs- #8 Truett-McConnell
#2 Dallas Baptist -vs- #7 Hope International
#3 Trevecca Nazarene -vs- #6 Emmanuel
#4 Southwestern -vs- #5 Master's
Key: NCCAA – National Christian College Athletic Association. NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association. NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. TBA - To Be Announced.
