CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Both Nebraska Wesleyan men's and women's basketball teams qualified for the 2017 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Postseason Basketball Tournaments when the pairings were announced Saturday night.
NWU men received the No. 1 seed in the tournament, earning a first round bye and home court advantage throughout the tournament. The Prairie Wolves, who were the IIAC regular season co-champions, will face the winner of #4 Simpson College/#5 Central College on Thursday night (Feb. 23) at Snyder Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 pm.
The Nebraska Wesleyan women are the No. 6 seed in the IIAC Women's Postseason Tournament and will play at Loras College on Tuesday (Feb. 21) in Dubuque, Iowa.
This marks the second straight season that the Nebraska Wesleyan men have hosted a conference tournament game, but the first time competing in the IIAC Tournament in their first season in the conference. NWU was 2-0 at home in the conference tournament last season, and is 10-1 overall at home in 2016-17.
NWU, picked to finish 8th in the IIAC preseason poll, ended the regular season as co-champions with Loras College. They earned the No. 1 seed with a tie-breaker advantage over the Duhawks.
The Prairie Wolves finished the 2016-17 regular season with a 18-7 overall record and a 11-5 record in the IIAC. NWU has season sweeps over both of their potential semifinal opponents Simpson and Central.
The winner of the IIAC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA III National Tournament. The NWU men last played in the NCAA III National Tournament during the 2000-01 season.
For the Nebraska Wesleyan women, they are playing in their first ever conference tournament. The Prairie Wolves finished the season at 13-12 overall and 6-10 in the IIAC to earn the No. 6 seed. They finished in a tie for 6
th with Dubuque, but earn the tie-breaker since they swept the Spartans.
It is a rematch for the Prairie Wolves against Loras College as they just faced the Duhawks on Saturday in Dubuque, Iowa. Loras swept the season series over the Prairie Wolves, including the 83-50 blowout win in the most recent meeting.
Nebraska Wesleyan women have posted their best overall record since the 2000-01 season, the same year they qualified for the NCAA III National Tournament.
A win for the Prairie Wolves would send them to the IIAC Tournament semifinals at No. 2 seed Luther College on Thursday night (Feb. 23) in Decorah, Iowa.
2017 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Postseason Tournament
MEN Pairings
IIAC Men's Basketball Quarterfinals – Tuesday, February 21
#1 Nebraska Wesleyan – bye
#2 Loras – bye
#6 Wartburg at #3 Buena Vista, 8 pm
#5 Central at #4 Simpson, 7 pm
IIAC Men's Basketball Semifinals – Thursday, February 23
#1 Nebraska Wesleyan vs. Central/Simpson Winner, 7 pm
#2 Loras vs. Wartburg/Buena Vista winner
IIAC Men's Basketball Championship – Saturday, February 25
Semifinal Winner #2 vs. Semifinal Winner #1, TBA
WOMEN Pairings
IIAC Women's Basketball Quarterfinals – Tuesday, February 21
#1 Wartburg – bye
#2 Luther – bye
#6 Nebraska Wesleyan at #3 Loras, 7 pm
#5 Coe at #4 Buena Vista, 6 pm
IIAC Women's Basketball Semifinals – Thursday, February 23
#1 Wartburg vs. Coe/Buena Vista Winner, 7 pm
#2 Luther vs. Nebraska Wesleyan/Loras winner
IIAC Women's Basketball Championship – Saturday, February 25
Semifinal Winner #2 vs. Semifinal Winner #1, TBA
