Kentucky colleges well-represented in NAIA basketball national tournament

Lexington Herald-Leader
·4 min read

Five women’s teams and four men’s teams from Kentucky have gained entry to the 2024 NAIA basketball championships.

Both 64-team tournaments get underway March 15-16 with first- and second-round games at campus sites. The 16 remaining women’s teams will compete for the title March 21-26 at Sioux City, Iowa, while the men’s final 16 square off on the same dates in Kansas City, Missouri.

Campbellsville, Cumberlands, Georgetown, Lindsey Wilson and Pikeville qualified for the women’s field.

Cumberlands, Georgetown, Pikeville and Union will compete for the men’s championship.

Women

▪ Campbellsville (28-1) will host a four-team regional in the Duer Quadrant. The No. 1-seeded Tigers face No. 16 Governors State of Illinois (23-6) on March 15 at 7 p.m. The winner of that game takes on No. 8 William Carey of Mississippi (21-4) or No. 9 Williams Baptist of Arkansas (24-6) on March 16 at 3 p.m., with the winner advancing to Sioux City.

▪ Cumberlands (22-9) will also serve as a host in the Duer Quadrant. The No. 3-seeded Patriots play No. 14 Siena Heights of Michigan (27-4) on March 15 at 1 p.m. No. 6 Bryan of Tennessee (24-6) and No. 11 Mobile of Alabama (26-6) square off in the other first-round game in Williamsburg. The winners meet March 16 at 3 p.m.

▪ Georgetown (24-6) is the No. 3 seed in the Cramer Quadrant and travels to New Orleans for the opening rounds. The Tigers will face Milligan of Tennessee (23-7) on March 15 at 8:30 p.m. EST. No. 6 Loyola of Louisiana (24-4) and No. 11 Southeastern of Florida (22-7) play in the other opener, with the winners meeting March 16 at 6 p.m.

▪ Pikeville (24-7) is seeded No. 8 in the Naismith Quadrant, with a first-round game against No. 9 Stephens of Missouri (22-7) set for 7:15 p.m. in Indianapolis. The other first-round matchup at the site pits No. 1 Marian of Indiana (30-1) against No. 16 Florida National (15-11). The winners meet March 16 at 6 p.m.

▪ Lindsey Wilson (19-11) is the No. 12 seed in the Duer Quadrant and will face No. 5 Menlo of California (18-8) in Ashland, Oregon, on March 15 at 7 p.m. EST. No. 4 Southern Oregon (27-4) and No. 13 Antelope Valley of California (20-10) also meet. The winners collide March 16 at 7 p.m.

Campbellsville defeated Cumberlands 74-64 to win the Mid-South Conference Tournament and help wrap up a No. 1 seed in the NAIA Tournament.
Campbellsville defeated Cumberlands 74-64 to win the Mid-South Conference Tournament and help wrap up a No. 1 seed in the NAIA Tournament.

Men

▪ Cumberlands, as the No. 2 seed in the Liston Quadrant, earned host duties in Williamsburg. The Patriots (26-4) will meet No. 15 Philander Smith of Arkansas (21-8) in the first round on March 15 at 6 p.m. The winner faces No. 7 Florida College (27-4) or No. 10 Marian of Indiana (23-7) on March 16 at an undetermined time.

▪ Georgetown (23-7) is the No. 6 seed in the Liston Quadrant and will head to Sioux City, Iowa, to face No. 11 Olivet Nazarene of Illinois (22-8) in the first round on March 15 at 5 p.m. EST. No. 3 Morningside of Iowa (21-9) takes on No. 14 Lourdes of Ohio (22-6). The winners collide March 16 at 2:30 p.m.

▪ Union (25-6) is the No. 8 seed in the Naismith Quadrant, traveling to Winona Lake, Indiana, to meet No. 9 OUAZ of Arizona (19-10) on March 15 at 7 p.m. No. 1 Grace College of Indiana (30-1) and No. 16 Washington Adventist of Maryland (18-10) square off in the other game with the winners meeting in the second round on March 16 at 5 p.m.

▪ Pikeville (23-7) opens its tournament bid as the No. 13 seed in the Cramer Quadrant in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Bears take on No. 4 St. Thomas of Florida (21-8) on March 15 at 5 p.m. No. 5 The Master’s of California (22-8) faces No. 12 Webber International of Florida (20-10). The winners collide March 16 at a time to be determined.

The University of the Cumberlands, a No. 2 seed in the NAIA Tournament, will serve as a host for first- and second-round games for the first time next weekend.
The University of the Cumberlands, a No. 2 seed in the NAIA Tournament, will serve as a host for first- and second-round games for the first time next weekend.