Bruins keep streak alive, qualify for NAIA Championship
Bellevue has now reached the NAIA Division II Tournament in 14-straight seasons
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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- For the 14th-straight season the Bellevue University men's basketball team will be dancing in March. The Bruins have qualified for the NAIA Division II National Tournament, as announced by the NAIA, as an at-large team.
No. 25 Bellevue, the seventh seed in the Duer bracket meets No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan, the second seed in the Duer bracket in the first round of the tournament. That game will take place on Thursday, Mar. 10 with tip-off slated for 1:45 p.m.
The appearance is the 17th overall for the Bruins (20-11) who have reached three Final Fours, including making a pair of National Championship Game appearances. Bellevue owns a 21-16 all-time record in the NAIA National Tournament and are 0-1 all-time against Indiana Wesleyan. The lone previous meeting between the two programs came in November of 2011 in Marion where IWU claimed a seven-point victory, 100-93.
The Wildcats (28-5) are making their ninth appearance overall and claimed a National Championship in 2014 with a 78-68 victory over Midland University.
Bellevue and Indiana Wesleyan share two common opponents. IWU defeated both Indiana East and Governors State while BU topped Indiana East and fell to Governors State.
In qualifying for the tournament the Bruins maintain the longest-active streak of reaching the NAIA National Tournament without qualifying automatically as a host. The men's basketball team becomes the second BU program to reach the National Tournament during the 2015/16 year after the men's soccer team reached the Round of 16 in the fall.
The winner of Thursday's game meets the victor of the 3-v-6 game between Northwest Christian (27-6) and Southwestern (26-7). The other first round matchups in the Duer Bracket feature St. Francis (28-3) and York (23-9) in the 1-v-8 game and Indiana Tech. (23-9) and Dakota Wesleyan (22-10) in the 4-v-5 game.
Bellevue is one of three North Star Athletic Association schools appearing in the tournament. They are joined by fellow conference members Dakota State University (NSAA Tournament Champion) and Valley City State University (at-large selection).
Check back with BUBruins.com for a complete first round preview next week.