Missouri Valley Conference champion Loyola University, 28-5 overall and 15-3, is one of two Illinois focal points in men’s college basketball post season. University of Illinois Chicago is the other. The Loyola Ramblers are seeded No. 11 in one of four brackets in the 68-team NCAA Tournament and will take on No. 6 Miami, 22-9 and 11-7, at 2:10 p.m. Thursday, March 15 in Dallas in the South Region.
For a time this season it appeared as though Southern Illinois, Illinois State, or Bradley, all Missouri Valley teams, might see postseason action. Such is not the case.
In addition to Loyola, University of Illinois Chicago is the only other Illinois school in a postseason tournament. The Flames, 17-15 and 12-6 in the Horizon League, were set to be host to St. Francis (Pa.), 18-12, at 7 p.m. Wednesday this week in the Collegeinsider.com Tournament.
Including the NCAA Tournament, the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), the 16-team College Basketball Invitational, and the Collegeinsider.com Tournament, 136 teams qualified for postseason play.
Notre Dame, Marquette, and Big Ten Conference schools Nebraska and Penn State were in the NIT field of 32 teams. Notre Dame was one of four No. 1 seeds.
Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. is part of the NCAA tournament for the first time. In fact, Lipscomb is the only newcomer among the 68 schools seeking the championship. See the brackets on the back page.
A member of the Atlantic Sun Conference, Lipscomb, 23-9 and 10-4, finished second to Florida Gulf Coast during the regular season.
Jake Wolfe, a 6-4 perimeter player from Aurora Christian High School, has committed to attend Lipscomb next season.
Lipscomb’s nickname is the Bisons. North Dakota State and Howard University in Washington, D.C., call themselves Bison. Lipscomb adds the letter S to form plural. Lipscomb will play North Carolina Friday.