UCO Earns Playoff Berth

3/7/2010 8:50:19 PM

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 7) – Lone Star Conference North Division champion Central Oklahoma earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship, it was announced Sunday night.

The Bronchos, who were upset in the first round of the LSC Tournament last Wednesday, will travel to Wichita Falls, Texas for the eight-team South Central Regional. The Bronchos, 22-6 on the year, are the No. 6 seed and will take on third-seeded Fort Hays State Saturday in the first round at 12 p.m.

Click here for the tournament website, which includes ticket prices, hotel information and more.

It will be the third straight Division II Division II national tournament appearance – and 11th overall -- for the Bronchos, who won South Central Regional titles in 1992 and 2008 in advancing to the Elite Eight. UCO and FHSU met in the first round of the 2008 South Central Regional, with the Bronchos pulling out a 65-64 win.

“We're glad to be back in the national tournament and are ready to see what we can do,” said head coach Terry Evans, who has taken six of his eight UCO teams to the national tournament. “We have a bad taste in our mouths after our performance in the conference tournament, so we're excited about getting another chance to play.”

Other opening-round games have second-seeded Central Missouri going against No. 7 Missouri Western at 2:30 p.m., top-seeded host Midwestern State playing No. 8 Incarnate Wordat 6 p.m. and fourth-seeded Tarleton State meeting No. 5 Nebraska-Omaha at 8:30 p.m.

Semifinal games on Sunday pit the UCO/FHSU-UCM/MWSU winners at 4:30 p.m. and the MSU/UIW-TSU/UNO winners at 7 p.m. The championship finals are set for Tuesday, March 16 at 7 p.m.

All-session tournament passes are available for presale at the following rates: reserved ($36), end zone reserved ($28), general admission ($20) and student/senior citizen ($12). Single-session tickets will be available on game day. Contact the MSU Athletics Office at 940-397-4044 for purchase.

Eight regional tournaments will be held around the country this week, with the champions advancing to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass. March 24-27.

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories