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FLORENCE -- Fresh off an NCAA
South Region Championship, the University of North Alabama men's
basketball team will resume its pursuit of the school's third
basketball National Championship on Wednesday against undefeated
Bentley at the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass.
UNA, 27-8
overall, won the school's eighth NCAA regional title Tuesday night
with a 97-75 win over Benedict in the South Region final in
Lakeland, Fla. The Lions returned home to a huge welcome at Flowers
Hall on Wednesday afternoon and will hit the practice court again
late Thursday to begin preparations for the Northeast Region
champion Eagles. This year's Elite Eight is being held at the
MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. on March 26, 27 and 29.
UNA will face
33-0 Bentley on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. Central time in the
final quarterfinal game of the day. Augusta (25-6) faces Central
Oklahoma (28-5) at 11:00 a.m. in the first game, followed by Alaska-
Anchorage (28-5) and California, Pa. (28-5) at 1:30 p.m. and Grand
Valley State (36-0) and Winona State (35-1) at 5 p.m.
This is UNA's
eight trip to the NCAA quarterfinals and the Lions are 5-2 in
previous quarterfinals.
It will be
UNA's fifth trip to Springfield, Mass., and the Lions have a 4-4
record there, including winning the 1990-91 National Championship.
UNA is 30-10 all-time in the Division II tournament and has won two
previous national titles (1978-79 and 1990-91). UNA is one of just
six schools in Division II history to have won more than one
basketball national championship.
North Alabama
did not win the 2007-08 Gulf South Conference Championship, but that
could possibly have been a good omen for the Lions. UNA also failed
to win the GSC championship in both 1978-79 and 1990-91 when the
Lions went on to win their two National Championships. North Alabama
also won both of those regionals on the road - as it did this season
- and the first (1978-79) was also in Lakeland, Fla.
In the South
Regional the Lions continued to use the same balanced attack that
they used throughout the 2007-08 season. Five Lions scored in
double-figures in the championship game against Benedict, led by
All- GSC center Thomas Fraise with 30. UNA enters the Elite Eight
with five players who averaged doubled- figures this season with
Casey Holt at 17.9, Quinn Beckwith at 16.2, Thomas Fraise at 15.1,
Kenny Johnson at 13.7 and Isaac Gay at 10.6.
The Lions rank
among the Division II leaders in scoring at 86.8 and UNA has hit 310
three-point baskets this season.
Bentley has
allowed just 61.2 points per game this season on its way to 33
straight wins.
A win in the
quarterfinals would send UNA into the Final Four and a matchup with
the winner of the Winona State-Grand Valley State game on Thursday,
March 27 at 7:30.
IN NCAA
DIVISION II ELITE EIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS
March 26-29
MassMutual
Center
Springfield,
Mass.
ELITE EIGHT
TOURNAMENT BRACKET
● UNA has
advanced to the quarterfinal or Elite Eight round of the NCAA
Division II National Tournament for the eighth time in school
history. This year's Elite Eight is being held at the MassMutual
Center in Springfield, Mass. on March 26, 27 and 29.
This is UNA's
fifth trip to Springfield, Mass., and the Lions have a 4-4 record
there, including winning the 1990-91 National Championship.
Wednesday,
March 26 - ALL TIMES CENTRAL
QUARTERFINALS
GAME 1: 11:00
Augusta
(25-6) vs. Central Oklahoma (28-5) GAME 2: 1:30 p.m.
Alaska-Anchorage (28-5) vs. California, Pa. (28-5) GAME 3: 5:00
Grand
Valley State (36-0) vs. Winona State (35-1) GAME 4: 7:30 p.m.
Bentley
(33-0) vs. North Alabama (27-8)
Thursday, March
27
Semifinals
GAME 5: 5:00
p.m.
Game 1
Winner vs. Game 2 Winner (CSTV)
GAME 6: 7:30
p.m.
Game 3
Winner vs. Game 4 Winner (CSTV)
Saturday, March
29
Championship
Game
GAME 7: 1:30
p.m.
Game 5
Winner vs. Game 6 Winner (CBS)
LIONS HOUSING
IN SPRINGFIELD
● The UNA
Lions will travel to Springfield, Mass., for the Elite EIght on
Monday, March 24. The Lions will be housed at the Springfield
Marriott.
Springfield Marriott
Corner of
Boland Way and Columbus
1500 Main
Street
Springfield, Mass. 01115
Phone -
(413) 750-3029
Fax -
(413) 731-8932
LIONS SCHEDULE
IN SPRINGFIELD
Tuesday, March
25
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Community Outreach
4:00-4:55
p.m. - Practice
6:00-6:45
p.m. - Championship News Conference
7:00-9:00
p.m. - Basketball Hall of Fame Wednesday, March 26
10:30-10:55 a.m. - Practice
7:30 p.m.
- UNA vs. Bentley in Quarterfinal Thursday, March 27
12:30-1:20 p.m. - Practice
7:30 p.m.
- Semifinal
Friday, March
28
12:30-1:55 p.m. - Practice
11:45-12:15 p.m. - News Conference
4:30-6:30
p.m. - Springfield Area Youth Clinic
7:00 p.m.
- Division II All-Star Game
Saturday, March
29
10:00
a.m. - Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Breakfast
1:30 p.m.
- Championship Game (CBS)
Lions in
NCAA
Tournament
LIONS NCAA
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Appearances 12th
National
Championships 2
Final
Fours 5
Regional
Championships 8
Quarterfinals 8th
LIONS RECORDS
IN NCAA TOURNAMENTS
Overall 30-10
In
Regionals 20-4
In
Quarterfinals 5-2
In
Semifinals 2-3
In Consolation
Final 1-1
In Championship
Game 2-0
At
Home 9-0
On the
Road 21-10
In Springfield,
Mass. 4-4
LIONS IN ELITE
GROUP OF BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
●
North Alabama is one of just six schools to have ever won two or
more Division II Men's Basketball National Championships.
DII Men's
Basketball Titles
8 -
Kentucky Wesleyan
5 -
Evansville
3 - Cal
State Bakersfield
3 -
Virginia Union
2 - North
Alabama
2 - Metro
State
UNA HAS SIX
NATIONAL TITLES
● UNA has
won six NCAA Division II National Championships, with three in
football, two in men's basketball and one in women's volleyball.
Men's
Basketball 1978-79, 1990-91
Football 1993, 1994, 1995
Women's
Volleyball 2003
UNA
CHAMPIONSHIPS
● UNA is
one of just seven schools all-time in NCAA history to have won at
least one National Championship in both football and men's
basketball. UNA won basketball titles in 1978-79 and 1990-91, to go
with football championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995. The only other
NCAA schools to accomplish this feat are Jacksonville State (DII),
Wittenberg (DIII), Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Florida.
North Alabama
and Florida are the only two schools in NCAA history to have won at
least two National Championships in both football and men's
basketball.
* The Division
I football championships listed are only consensus national
champions as recognized in the NCAA Football Records Book.
MBB FB
North Alabama
(DII) 1978-79 1993
1990-91 1994
1995
Jacksonville
State (DII) 1984-85 1992
Wittenberg
(DIII) 1976-77 1973
1975
Ohio State
1959-60 1942
1954
1968
Michigan
1988-89 1948
Michigan
State 1978-79 1952
1999-00
Florida
2005-06 1996
2006-07 2006
UNA'S FIFTH
TIME IN SPRINGFIELD
● This is
UNA's fifth trip to Springfield, Mass., for the NCAA Division II
Championship Tournament. UNA finished third in Springfield in
1976-77, fourth in 1979-80, tied for third in 1983-84 and won the
1990-91 National Championship. UNA went to the Final four three
times in four years from 1977-80 but won its 1979-80 National
Championship in Springfield, Missouri - in between its two trips to
Springfield, Mass.
1976-77
SEMIFINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
Randolph-Macon
82, UNA 67
CONSOLATION
FINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
UNA 93, Sacred
Heart 77
1979-80
SEMIFINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
New York Tech
74, UNA 68
CONSOLATION
FINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
Florida
Southern 68, UNA 67
1983-84
SOUTH REGION
SEMIFINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
C. Missouri St.
89, UNA 85 (OT)
1990-91
SOUTH REGION
QUARTERFINAL
Sringfield,
Mass.
UNA 92, Ashland
84
SEMIFINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
UNA 97,
Virginia Union 76
CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL
Springfield,
Mass.
UNA 79,
Bridgeport 72
UNA POST-SEASON
SUPERLATIVES
* This is UNA's
12th appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
* In its 12
NCAA Tournament trips, UNA has won eight regional titles. Five of
those regional championships have come on the road.
* UNA has a
20-4 all-time record in NCAA Regional play and the Lions are 6-0 at
home and 14-4 on the road.
* UNA has an
all-time 30-10 record in the NCAA Tournament, which ranks the Lions
11th in Division II history for most post-season victories.
* UNA's 30-10
NCAA Tournament record gives the Lions a .750 winning percentage,
which is third best in Division II history among teams with 20 wins
or more.
* In UNA's two
National Championship seasons in 1978-79 and 1990-91 - the Lions
failed to win the Gulf South Conference title both years.
* UNA's 12 NCAA
appearances ties Delta State for the most by any GSC school and
UNA's 29 NCAA wins are 13 more than any current or previous GSC
member (Jacksonville State had 16).
* UNA has not
hosted an NCAA regional since 1983-84. UNA has hosted three previous
regionals (1976-77,
1980-81 and
1983-84) and won them all.
* UNA has a
14-1 post-season record at home all-time, going 9-0 at home in NCAA
Tournament games and
5-1 at home in
GSC Tournament games.
* Three
different coaches have taken UNA to the NCAA Division II National
Tournament. Bill Jones led UNA to the national tournament in
1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1983-84 and 1987-88. He has an
18-6 record in the NCAA Tournament.
Gary
Elliott took UNA to the post-season in 1990-91, 1993-94, 1994-95 and
1995-96 and has a 9-3 NCAA record.
This is Bobby Champagne's second NCAA Tournament team, with the
first being in 2005-06. He is
3-1 in the
post-season.
NO GSC TITLE -
NO PROBLEM
● UNA did
not win the 2007-08 Gulf South Conference Championship, but that
could possibly have been a good omen for the Lions. UNA also failed
to win the GSC championship in both 1978-79 and 1990-91 when the
Lions went on to win their two National Championships. North Alabama
also won both of those regionals on the road - as its did this
season - and the first (1978-79) was also in Lakeland, Fla.
UNA'S 2007-08
HONORS
● Gulf
South Conference East Division
Player of
the Week
Nov.
20 Casey Holt
Nov.
28 Casey Holt
Dec.
12 Thomas Fraise
Dec.
19 Kenny Johnson
Jan.
16 Thomas Fraise
Feb.
6 Casey Holt
Feb.
20 Thomas Fraise
●
All-Gulf South Conference East Division
First-team
Casey
Holt
Quinn
Beckwith
Second-team
Thomas
Fraise
● Gulf
South Conference East Division
Player of
the Year
Casey
Holt
● Gulf
South Conference East Division
Coach of
the Year
Bobby
Champagne
● Gulf
South Conference Tournament
All-Tournament Team
Thomas
Fraise
● South
Region Tournament
All-Tournament Team
Casey
Holt
Most
Outstanding Player
Thomas
Fraise
LIONS WON EAST
DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
● UNA won
the GSC East Division title with a 10-2 conference record. The
last time UNA had won the GSC
East Division
was in 1995-96.
DISNEY
TOURNAMENT
● UNA
went 1-2 at the Disney Tipoff Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The
Lions lost to Winona State and Assumption. UNA closed the
tournament with a win over Philadelphia. All three of those teams
were in the Division II Tournament Field.
SEVEN LION
OPPONENTS IN NCAA FIELD
● UNA
played seven opponents this season that advanced to the NCAA
Division II Tournament field. UNA was 3-5 in those eight games
against NCAA Tournament teams but only one of those games was at
home.
Three of those teams - Winona State, Clayton State and Assumption
are also in the Sweet Sixteen.
Opponent's
Score
Site Record
Winona
State 88, UNA 82 N 32-1
Assumption 85, UNA 78 N 22-10
UNA 90,
Philadelphia 62 N 22-11
Harding
88, UNA 85 A 18-12
UNA 83,
Clayton State 66 A 17-14
Northern
Ky. 76, UNA 73 A 20-7
UNA 99,
Harding 84 H 18-12
Christian
Bros. 80, UNA 69 N 21-9
ELITE EIGHT
FIELD'S PREVIOUS NCAA TRIPS
School
App. Rec. Titles
●
Bentley 14th 15-15 0
● North
Alabama 12th 30-10 2
●
Alaska-Anchorage 13th 13-13 0
●
California, Pa. 13th 13-13 0
● Winona
State 5th 15-3 1
●
Augusta 5th 5-5 0
● Central
Oklahoma 9th 10-8 0
● Grand
Valley State 8th 8-8 0
LIONS IN
REMATCHES IN 2007-08
● UNA
played ten opponents twice this season and North Alabama won the
rematch game against all ten. In five of the series, UNA lost the
first game but won the rematch.
Second
Meetings This Season Game 1
UNA 77,
Southern Arkansas 63 W
UNA 94,
Arkansas Tech 74 L
UNA 99,
Harding 84 L
UNA 109,
Montevallo 99 (3 OT) W
UNA 86,
West Alabama 68 W
UNA 94,
Valdosta State 82 L
UNA 88,
West Florida 66 W
UNA 66,
Alabama-Huntsville 56 L
UNA 69,
West Georgia 64 W
UNA 72,
Christian Brothers 71 L
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