INDIANAPOLIS --- For the second time in school history,
the Tusculum College men's basketball team will play in the NCAA
Division II postseason. The 64-team, eight-region bracket has been
announced and the Pioneers have earned an at-large berth and are
the No. 8 seed in the Southeast Regional, which will be in Augusta,
Ga.
Tusculum (20-10) will face the top-seed and regional host Augusta
State University, this Saturday (Mar. 14) at the Christenberry
Fieldhouse on the ASU campus. Game time will be announced on
Monday.
The Pioneers return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time
since 2005. Tusculum was the No. 8 seed in the South Atlantic
Regional that year as dropped a heartbreaking, 91-88 overtime loss
to No. 1 seed and host Bowie State University in the Pioneers' only
other NCAA postseason appearance.
This year's eight-team Southeast Regional includes three teams
from the South Atlantic Conference, four teams from the Peach Belt
Conference and one team from Conference Carolinas.
Augusta State (25-4) earned an automatic berth by winning the
Peach Belt Tournament. The Jaguars advanced to last year's national
championship game. The winner of the Tusculum/Augusta State game
will face either No. 4 seed Georgia College & State University
or No. 5 seed Barton College. Barton earned the automatic bid by
winning the Conference Carolinas title, while GC&SU received an
at-large berth.
In the other half of the bracket, Catawba College is the No. 6
seed and will take on Armstrong Atlantic State University. Catawba
won Sunday's SAC Tournament championship, by defeating Tusculum in
a thriller, 63-61. Also playing on Saturday will be No. 3 seed USC
Aiken against No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne University. Both received at-large
berths to the tournament.
The semifinals will be held on Sunday with the Region championship
slated to be contested on Tuesday (Mar. 17).
- NCAA -
NCAA Division II Southeast Men's Basketball Regional
Christenberry Fieldhouse, Augusta, Ga.
***GAME TIMES TO BE ANNOUNCED***
Saturday, March 14, 2009
No. 1 Augusta State vs. No. 8 Tusculum, TBA
No. 2 USC Aiken vs. No. 7 Lenoir-Rhyne, TBA
No. 3 Armstrong Atlantic vs. No. 6 Catawba, TBA
No. 4 Georgia College & State vs. No. 5 Barton, TBA
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Semifinals, TBA
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Regional Championship, TBA
