Duluth, Minn. -- For the first time since 2003, both Minnesota Duluth basketball programs will be advancing to the NCAA tournament.
The Men's Basketball team received the No. 2 ranking in the central region after finishing the season with a 25-5 record and an appearance in the NSIC Tournament Championship Game. The Bulldogs will travel back to Sioux Falls for the Central Regional and will play at The Pentagon. This will be the first time since the 2002-2003 season that the Minnesota Duluth Men's Basketball team has reached the NCAA Tournament. After a program best start of 16-0, the Bulldogs went on to win the NSIC North Division title.
Austin Andrews was named the NSIC North Division Player of the Year and was named to the First-Team All-Conference team along with teammate
Drew Blair.
The Bulldogs will play the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 PM. Washburn comes from the MIAA Conference and reached their tournament championship where they lost to Northwest Missouri State. This will be the first matchup between both programs. The Bulldogs will be coming off of their first NSIC Tournament Championship appearance, which took place in the same location they will be playing the Central Region at.
The Women's Basketball team recieved the No. 3 ranking in the central region after finishing the regular season and conference tournament on a 16-game win streak and a 24-4 record. The Bulldogs also won a share of the regular season NSIC North Division Title and the overall NSIC title. The Bulldogs went on to win their second straight NSIC Tournament Championship as they defeated St. Cloud State 62-39. The Bulldogs are led by
Brooke Olson who was named NSIC North Division Player of the Year for the third straight year. She was also named the NSIC Tournament MVP. She was named to the First Team All-Conference, as teammate
Sarah Grow was named to Second Team All-Conference.
The Bulldogs will travel to Hays, Kansas where they will take on Nebraska-Kearney on Friday afternoon at 12:00 PM. These teams also faced eachother in last years Central Regionals when the Lopers defeated the Bulldogs 65-57. The Lopers are coming off of a semifinal loss in the MIAA Tournament when they lost to eventual winner, and Central Region host Fort Hays State 56-46. The Bulldogs will look to avenge their loss in the tournament last year when they face off on Friday. This is the women's basketball teams fourth straight NCAA Tournament birth.
