Photo Courtesy: ATU Athletics
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ATU) - The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (18-11) will return to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament as the number eight seed and will face top-seeded Minnesota State-Mankato, the NCAA announced Sunday. The Central Regional begins on Saturday, March 16, in Mankato, Minn.
The Wonder Boys and Mavericks will play in the 5 p.m. game.
Tech earned an at-large bid after winning a share of the Great American Conference regular season title and finishing as the GAC Tournament runner-up. The Wonder Boys will make their fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tourney, and are joined by fifth-seed Harding as the two GAC representatives to the regional.
The Wonder Boys will face Minnesota State-Mankato (26-4), currently ranked seventh in the NABC poll. MSU topped Bemidji State 73-68 in the finals of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament on Sunday.
The Central Region tournament will be held March 16-19 on the campus of Minnesota State University-Mankato. Quarterfinal games will be Saturday, March 16, Semifinals will be held on Sunday, March 17, and the regional final will be held on Tuesday, March 19.
Tickets for the regional are $15 for reserved seats, $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, children (ages 5-17) and college students with valid student IDs. Tickets can be purchased online beginning Monday, at 12 p.m. Tickets will not be mailed but fans have the option of printing their own tickets online or they will be available for pick-up at the MSU Athletics Office between the hours of 8 a.m., and 4 p.m. Tickets that are not picked up can be claimed at Taylor Center Will Call on the day of the game. Online ticket availability closes at 9 p.m., the day prior to each session.
CENTRAL REGION BRACKET
(1) Minnesota State-Mankato vs. (8) Arkansas Tech
(4) Central Missouri vs. (5) Harding
(3) Augustana vs. (6) Upper Iowa
(2) Winona State vs. (7) Northeastern State