USAO made it to the 2017 NAIA Division I Men’s National Championship tournament with an automatic bid after Saturday’s victory in the Sooner Athletic Conference title game.
Oklahoma City and Langston had to wait a little longer to find out for sure.
The NAIA announced its field of 32 teams that will make the trip to Kansas City Municipal Auditorium to play for the national title.
The Drovers (19-13), although an automatic bid, have no small task ahead of them. USAO is the No. 8 seed in the Naismith Bracket and will take on top-seeded and undefeated LSU-Alexandria (31-0) on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. LSU-A is also the top seed overall.
As usual, the tournament committee put two Oklahoma teams in the same bracket with the possibility of meeting in the second round.
Langston (22-9) is the sixth seed in the Duer Bracket and will face Biola [Calif.] (23-5) on Wednesday at 10 p.m.
The Lions are seeking its first ever tournament win in their fifth appearance. LU will already know who it will in the next round by tip time.
No. 7 seed OCU (21-10) is matched with No. 2 seed Dillard [La.] (24-7) and the game is set for Wednesday at 4: 45 p.m. The Stars are in the tournament for the 23rd time.
Winners of those games will meet on Friday at 12:30 p.m.
The tournament, the longest-running national tournament in the country, will be held for the 80th time this spring. It marks the 16th straight year to be contested at Municipal Auditorium and the 53rd time overall.