Saturday, February 25, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – There’s nothing like the last minute for Concordia and Montana State Billings, which earned spots on the final day of play for the 2017 GNAC Men’s Basketball Championship, which begin on Thursday at Saint Martin’s University’s Marcus Pavilion.

The Cavaliers, despite finishing their regular season on Thursday, did not learn of their invitation until Saturday. Likewise, Montana State Billings had to wait until the conclusion of the final game of the regular season to punch its ticket to ticket to the tournament.

Concordia and Montana State Billings join Western Washington, Alaska Anchorage, Western Oregon and Saint Martin’s in the six-team field.

A year after just making the championships as the No. 6 seed on the final day of the regular season, Western Washington rolled into the No. 1 seed and a first round bye at 17-3 in GNAC play, 23-5 overall. The Vikings clinched the top seed and a first round bye on Wednesday with an 89-87 win over Seattle Pacific.

Alaska Anchorage is the No. 2 seed after finishing with a 15-5 conference record and a 21-7 overall mark. The Seawolves wrapped up an unblemished 16-0 mark at home on Saturday night with an 84-72 win over Central Washington.

Western Oregon, the defending champion, enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed. Despite losing four starters off last year’s NCAA Elite Eight squad, the Wolves played solid basketball to finish at 13-7 in GNAC play, 16-12 overall. Western Oregon secured its championships berth on Feb. 18 with an 89-71 win over Alaska Anchorage.

The Vikings will play in the semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m., between the winner of No. 4 seed Saint Martin’s and No. 5 seed Concordia. The Saints, the tournament host, clinched their second ever GNAC Championships berth, and their first since 2011, with a 102-78 victory at Simon Fraser on Thursday. Saint Martin’s enters the championships with a 10-10 conference mark and a 16-12 overall record.

Concordia is in the GNAC Championships in just its second season as a conference program. The Cavaliers charge into the tournament with a four-game win streak after wrapping up their season on Thursday with a 79-77 win over Montana State Billings. Concordia finished the regular season at 10-10 in GNAC play and 14-13 overall. The Cavaliers and Saints will play their quarterfinal game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Western Oregon will play No. 6 seed Montana State Billings, which emerged as the No. 6 seed out of a three-way tie for the final spot at 9-11. The Yellowjackets will make their first championships appearance since 2014 and enter the tournament at 14-14 overall. The Wolves and Yellowjackets will square off on Thursday at 5:15 p.m., with the winner facing Alaska Anchorage on Friday at 5:15 p.m.

The GNAC Men’s Championships final will be on Sat., Mar. 4, at 7:30 p.m. The winner will receive the conference automatic berth to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The only exception is Concordia, which is not eligible for the tournament as it is in the third year of its transition to NCAA Division II membership.

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GNAC MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Marcus Pavilion, Saint Martin’s University, Lacey, Wash.

Thurs., Mar. 2
No. 3 Western Oregon vs. No. 6 Montana State Billings, 5:15 p.m.
No. 4 Saint Martin's vs. No. 5 Concordia, 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 3
Winner of 3/6 Game vs. No. 2 Alaska Anchorage, 5:15 p.m.
Winner of 4/5 Game vs. No. 1 Western Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 4
Championship Game, 7:30 p.m.