March 8, 2004

Men to Face Bemidji in NCAA's

Lopers Eighth Apperance

            Kearney, NE – The 7^th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team has made the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year and the eighth time overall.

            UNK is the second seed in the eight-team North Central Regional, which will be hosted by Metro State March 20-21 and 23^rd (Saturday-Sunday-Tuesday).

            The Lopers (26-4) will play seventh seeded Bemidji State (20-9), regular season champs of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, at a time TBA Saturday.

            This is the first time the Beavers have ever made the NCAA's. BSU was upset in the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament but went 14-2 during regular season play. One of the nation's leaders in threes made per game (10.50), Bemidji is led by Charles Banks (20.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg).

            No. 1 Metro State will face RMAC rival Mesa State (19-9) while fourth seeded South Dakota State (26-6) takes on in-state rival Northern State (24-6).

            The UNK-BSU winner will take on the winner of third-seeded UNO (22-7) and sixth seeded South Dakota (21-9).

            UNK is 7-8 in seven previous NCAA appearances. The Lopers beat Minnesota-Duluth, South Dakota State and Metro to win the regional last year. In 1999, UNK made it to the regional finals with wins over Northern State and Wayne State.

            The Lopers are 3-1 all-time vs. NSIC schools in NCAA games.