Kankakee Times

The Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team will take on Madonna (Mich.) in the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Opening Round Tuesday. The NAIA announced the first-round pairings during a selection show Thursday evening.

The matchup represents the 8-seed vs. 9-seed pairing in the Duer Quadrant of the NAIA Bracket, which will be played in The MOCC on the campus of Grace University in Winona Lake, Ind. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. EST.

ONU earned an automatic bid by winning the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) regular-season crown for the fifth consecutive year with a 17-3 league record.

"The 2023 team has been an absolute joy to coach," said Head Coach Nick Birkey. "They have met expectations on and off the court, representing Olivet and our program well every step of the way."

ONU enters NAIA National Tournament with a 23-7 overall record. This is the fifth time in as many years that the Tigers have qualified for Nationals.

"Every year we get to experience an NAIA postseason is special," said Birkey. "We are excited for the opportunity to compete against some of the nation's best as we pursue a trip back to Kansas City."

Madonna took down Indiana Tech, the No. 6 team in the NAIA national rankings, 96-83 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Tournament Championship game to earn the automatic bid. The Crusaders hold a 24-7 record and will enter Tuesday riding a five-game winning streak.

Tuesday's winner will advance to the NAIA's Round of 32, where they will face the victor between No. 1 Grace (Ind.) and No. 16 Columbia International (S.C.). The Second Round matchup will take place Wednesday night at The MOCC.

Original source can be found here.