For the sixth year in a row, Indiana University East is headed to the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship, presented by Athletic Care.
IU East (23-10) is the No. 5 seed in “Duer Bracket,” one of four eight-team brackets that make up the 32-team field that will compete for the national championship at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., starting March 11.
The Red Wolves will face “Duer Bracket” No. 4 seed Southeastern University (23-8) at 6:45 (IU East time) on March 12. The winner will take on “Duer Bracket” No. 1 seed Indiana Wesleyan University (29-4) or No. 8 seed Crowley’s Ridge University (14-19) in the second round March 13 at 8:30 p.m. (IU East time).
This will be the first meeting between IU East and Southeastern.
IU East qualified for the national tournament as the River States Conference Championship winner. The Red Wolves’ seeding was based on their No. 20 ranking in the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll also released March 4. IU East is one of nine programs from Indiana in the national tournament field.
The Red Wolves reached the Round of 8 at the national tournament last season. IU East has reached the national quarterfinals in each of the past four seasons, including trips to the Round of 4 in 2016 and 2018.
IU East is one of four schools to qualify for each of the last six national tournaments. The Red Wolves own the NAIA Division II’s second-highest number of national tournament victories (10) over the past four years.
This will be the final NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship for the foreseeable future. The NAIA is moving to a one-division basketball postseason format starting with the 2020-21 season.
NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship Bracket: https://www.naia.org/sports/mbkb2/2019-20/files/2020_DIIMBB_Bracket_Final2.pdf
NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll: https://www.naia.org/sports/mbkb2/2019-20/releases/DIIMBB-FinalPoll​