Minot State Men’s Basketball Team Heads to NCAA National Tournament

Minot, North Dakota – The excitement is palpable in Minot as the Minot State University (MSU) men’s basketball team gears up for a significant milestone in their program’s history. For the very first time, the Beavers have received a bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The announcement came during the selection show on Sunday night, March 9, confirming that the team will compete on Saturday, March 15, in Kansas.

MSU head coach Matt Murken expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I couldn’t be more excited for the men in our program. They have worked extremely hard for this opportunity. This was one of the goals at the start of the season. We have a few more that we still need to check off.”

The Beavers finished their season with a strong record of 26-9 overall and earned the coveted No. 4 seed in the Central Region. They will face off against NSIC rival Concordia, St. Paul, who come into the tournament with an overall record of 21-8. This matchup is interesting as both teams are making their NCAA National Tournament debut.

The winner of the MSU and Concordia showdown will advance to the Central Region semifinals on Sunday, March 16, where they will take on the winner of the game between the Washburn Ichabods (the No. 1 seed at 26-3) and the Harding Bison (the No. 8 seed at 22-9). Fans will need to stay tuned for game times and ticket information, which has yet to be released.

This season has been historic for the Beavers, who not only set the record for the most wins at 26 but also started the season with a remarkable 17-0 streak. The team has reached an all-time high national ranking of No. 4 in the NABC Top 25 poll. Additionally, they set single-season records for points with 2,824, rebounds with 1,281, and 3-pointers made, totaling 320.

Before this year, the last time MSU advanced to nationals was in 2008 when they qualified for the NAIA Division II men’s national tournament. This new journey into the NCAA National Tournament is a thrilling chance for the program and its fans, who are eagerly anticipating a strong showing from the Beavers.