NAIA Men’s Basketball Tournament Preview

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team travels to their home-away-from-home for the 2016 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. The tournament will be hosted, as it has been for the last 17 years, at Keeter Gymnasium in Point Lookout, Mo. on the campus of College of the Ozarks.

Bellevue, seeded seventh in the Duer Bracket, takes on No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan in a first round game on Thursday, Mar. 10 at 1:45 p.m. Both teams have been frequent visitors to the tournament as the Bruins make their 14^th-straight appearance and 17^th overall. The Wildcats are in the field for the ninth time.

No. 25 Bellevue (20-11 | 7-3 North Star) claimed a share of the regular season conference championship for the seventh straight season before falling in the quarterfinal round of the North Star Athletic Association Tournament.

No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan (28-5 | 14-4 Crossroads) reached the championship game of the Crossroads League Tournament before falling to No. 1 St. Francis (Ill.).

Best Finishes:

Bellevue -- Runner's-Up: 2004, 2008

Indiana Wesleyan – Champions: 2014

The Series:

The two teams have met just once before, a 100-93 overtime victory for the Wildcats in November of 2011.

Despite a career-high 33 points from junior James Parrott, the second-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University men's basketball team survived with a dramatic 100-93 overtime win over fourth-ranked Bellevue University in the championship game of the Caleb Dimmich Memorial Tournament on the IWU campus. 

Down by two points at 82-80, the Bruins (1-1) forced the overtime on a tip-in from Parrott off a 40-foot inbounds pass as time expired in regulation.

Full recap: http://bubruins.com/sports/mbkb/2011-12/releases/MBB_1105114046.html

Bellevue Game Notes:

• Bellevue is 3-2 against opponents that are either nationally ranked or receiving votes.
• Bellevue has won or shared seven-straight conference regular-season championships.
• The Bruins are making their 14^th-straight appearance in the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
• With their win over Viterbo on Feb. 19, the Bruins have now won at least 20 games in 16-straight seasons.
• Jerred Cook ranks 13^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (45.8%)
• Mike Cardenas ranks 16^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goals Made per Game (2.97)
• Mike Cardenas ranks 17^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goals Made (89)

Indiana Wesleyan Game Notes:

• Indiana Wesleyan has only lost one game to an unranked opponent this season, an 85-72 defeat against Marian.
• The Cougars are 8-4 against ranked opposition this year.
• Jonny Marlin ranks 2^nd in Division II in Assists (208)
• Jonny Marlin ranks 5^th in Division II in Assists per Game (6.30)
• Bob Peters ranks 9^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (47.0%)
• Bob Peters ranks 11^th in Division II in Steals (61)
• Bob Peters ranks 14^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goals Made (94)
• Lane Mahurin ranks 23^rd in Division II in Field Goal Percentage (56.1%)
• Bob Peters ranks 25^th in Division II in Steals per Game (1.85)
• Bob Peters ranks 27^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goals Made per Game (2.85)
• Grant Evans ranks 29^th in Division II in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (43.9%)
• Lane Mahurin ranks 43^rd in Division II in Points per Game (18.52)

Players to Watch:

Bellevue –

• Jr. G Mike Cardenas (13.3 PPG, 89 3FGM, 83.3% FT, 38.5% 3FG)
• Sr. F Chris Ashanti (10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 78.3% FT)
• Sr. G Nicolus Guzman (9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 51.9% FG, 50.6% 3FG, 82.8% FT)
• Jr. F Chris Burton (8.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 52.2% FG, 18 Blocks)
• Sr. F Marquis Aaron (7.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 62.9% FG)

Indiana Wesleyan

• Jr. F Lane Mahurin (18.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 56.1% FG, 76.5 % FT, 41 Steals)
• Jr. G Bob Peters (16.9 PPG, 50.4% FG, 47.0% 3FG, 78.9% FT, 101 Assists, 61 Steals)
• Sr. G Jonny Marlin (14.5 PPG, 208 Assists, 47 Steals)
• Sr. F Josh Mawhorr (10.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 53.0% FG, 72.7% FT)
• So. G Grant Evans (8.8 PPG, 65 3FG, 43.9% 3FG, 86.1% FT)

What's Next?:

The winner of this game advances to Friday's Sweet 16 where they will meet the winner of Northwest Christian (Ore.) and Southwestern (Kan.).