LINCOLN, Neb. – The 7^th-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan University men's basketball team is set to host the 2020 NCAA Division III First and Second Round play on Friday-Saturday, March 6-7, at Snyder Arena in Lincoln, Neb.
 
Bethany Lutheran College and Washington University of St. Louis will square off in first round action on Friday at 5:00 pm, while NWU takes on Webster University in the second game at 7:30 pm.  The winners of the two first-round games will meet on Saturday at 7:30 pm with a chance to advance to the NCAA sectionals.
 
NWU (24-3, 15-1 American Rivers) won their fourth straight conference regular season title and third straight conference tournament championship to earn the American Rivers Conference automatic bid.  The Prairie Wolves are making their 17^th NCAA III Tournament appearance and third straight trip to nationals.  NWU sports at 31-17 record in NCAA Division III play, ranking 17^th among all schools in tournament victories.
 
The Prairie Wolves have made five NCAA III Final Four appearances, winning the 2018 NCAA III National Championship and finishing as the runner-up in 1997.
 
Webster won the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Tournament championships to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament.  This is the second straight year the Prairie Wolves have faced the SLIAC champion in the opening round of the tournament.  The Gorloks are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA III Tournament and first trip since 2014.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan and Webster last met during the 2011 Snyder Classic with the Prairie Wolves coming out on top.  NWU is 3-1 all-time against Webster in men's basketball.
 
NWU is averaging 87.6 points per game and winning by an average of 15.7 points per game, the fifth highest margin of victory in NCAA III basketball.  The Prairie Wolves rank 3^rd in the nation in field goal percentage at 51.5%.  At home this year, NWU is unbeaten at 14-0 and the Prairie Wolves are 51-4 in Snyder Arena the past four years.
 
Leading NWU is senior guard Nate Schimonitz who was named the A-R-C Most Valuable Player.  Schimonitz is 8^th in the nation in scoring at 26.1 points per game and 20^th averaging 5.8 assists per game.

The Gorloks opened the year 2-7 but have won 17 of their last 18 games.  They bring a 12-game winning streak into the national tournament, the 6^th longest active winning streak in NCAA II.  Webster is led by SLIAC Player of the year Josh Johnson who averages 18.6 points per game.
 
WashU (20-5), ranked No. 16 in the latest NCAA III Top 25 poll, earned an at-large selection to the NCAA III Tournament.  They are making their 22^nd NCAA III Tournament appearance.  The Bears made three straight Final Fours from 2007-09 and captured the 2008 and 2009 Division III National Championships.  WashU head coach Pat Juckem is in his 2^nd season after coming from UW-Oshkosh where he coached against NWU in the 2018 National Championship game.
 
NWU is 3-3 all-time against WashU, with the last meeting on Nov. 17, 2000. They have met twice in the postseason, most recently in the Quarterfinals of the 1988 NCAA III Playoffs with NWU winning 58-55 to advance to the Final Four.
 
Bethany Lutheran (21-6) won the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) to earn an automatic bid to the tournament.  They are playing in their 2^nd NCAA III Tournament with the other appearance in 2018 when they advanced to the second round.  The Vikings set a new program record with their 21 victories this season.
 
NWU has faced BLC twice before, each of the past two seasons winning both matchups.
 
Tickets for the 2020 NCAA III Opening round are $12 for adults and $7 for senior citizens, students and youth ages 3+.  Students with NWU digital ID will be admitted free entering the northwest corner of the building.  Ticket sales will open one hour before tip-off on Friday and 90 minutes before on Saturday.
 
All three games will be broadcast live locally on LNKTV Education (Allo 23, Spectrum 1303, Kinetic Windstream 1080).  The games are also being streamed live on the NWU Sports Network.  NWU games can be heard on KFOR 1240 AM/103.3 FM or online at kfornow.com.