The Division II NCAA Tournament brackets are out and a total of four teams will represent HBCUs in the race for the national title.
Lincoln University and Clark Atlanta, CIAA and SIAC Champions, will be representing in the 64-team field as will Benedict College and West Virginia State, who received at-large bids.
Lincoln University was awarded the no.8 seed in the Atlantic Region. It will face off against no. 1 seed Gannon, which comes in with a record of 29-2. Lincoln comes it at just 17-13 overall after winning three-straight games in the CIAA Tournament. Interestingly enough, the two teams met back in late Nov. with Gannon pulling out a 97-93 win on its home floor. Last year’s CIAA champion, Winston-Salem State, nearly knocked off no. 1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania in its first round matchup.
West Virginia State of the Mountain East Conference is also in the Atlantic Region, coming in as the no. 7 seed. It will face Cal (PA) which comes in as the no. 2 seed in the region out of the PSAC.
SIAC Champion Clark Atlanta received the sixth seed in the South Region. CAU will face no. 3 Florida Southern, which is a higher seed despite its 21-9 record compared to Clark Atlanta’s 25-5 record.
Joining CAU in the South Region is fellow SIAC squad Benedict College. After losing in the SIAC semifinals to CAU, Benedict (23-7) picked up the no. 8 seed and will have to face defending NCAA D2 champion Nova Southern, which enters the NCAA Tournament 27-2.