The one-seed LSU Alexandria men’s basketball team hosts 16-seed Stillman College in the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship First Round at The Fort tonight at 7:30.
“Stillman (18-11) is a good basketball team,” LSUA coach Dimario Jackson said. “It’s a reason they are conference champions. Our conference play has prepared us for this game. We’ve had some really good practices leading up to this game, so we feel good about where we are. The guys are focused and ready to play.”
The Generals (28-2) won the Red River Athletic Conference regular season ad tournament titles for the sec guard Kashie Nat earned his second RRAC Player of the Year and added Defensive Player of the Year to his mantle. Natt also earned RRAC Tournament MVP after scoring a season-high 36 points in an 88-79 win over Southwest (N.M.) in the Final.
In tonight’s opener of the four-team Alexandria pod, eighth-seeded Nelson and No. 9 Middle Georgia State play at 5:30 p.m. and the winners of the two games collide Saturday evening at 6, with the survivor advancing to the 16-team national tournament next weekend in Kansas City.
LSUA WOMEN: Seeded ninth, LSUA meets eight-seed Benedictine College (Kan.) tonight at 7:30 in the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship first round at Crisp Arena on the campus of Bethel University (Tenn.) in McKenzie, Tenn.
“So very proud of our team and being able to play in the national hampionship,” LSUA coach Billy Perkins said. “Benedictine College is going to be a tough matchup. They are fundamentally very good and play complimentary basketball. It should be a good game.”
The Generals (23-8) reached the Red River Athletic Conference final before falling 54-51 to LSU Shreveport. This is the second time the Purple and Gold have made the National Championship, the first coming in the 2018-19 season.
The Benedictine Ravens are 24-7. In the other regional pairing, host Bethel plays Sterling (Kan.) today at 5:30. Tonight’s winners collide Saturday at 4 with a berth in the 16-team NAIA Tournament in Kansas City next weekend.