UNC Pembroke, Belmont Abbey Prepare for NCAA Division II Southeast Regional

UNC Pembroke received an at-large bid into the field and is 26-3 this season. They will face a familiar foe in the Saints whom they hold a 20-3 all-time record against. However, Flagler won the last meeting, 87-80 in overtime, on Jan. 20, 2021, in Pembroke, North Carolina. This will be the first NCAA tournament and neutral-site meeting for the two programs.  

The Braves are led by Conference Carolinas Player and Defensive Player of the Year Spencer Levi who averages 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest. Tyrell Kirk is second on the team with 15.3 points per contest while Jordan Ratliffe (14.8) and Deon Berrien (11.14) also average more than 10 points per contest. As a team, UNCP leads NCAA Division II in rebounds per game (44.59) and is sixth in the country in scoring offense at 89 points per game. 

Flagler, the 25th-ranked team, lost to No. 10 Augusta in the Peach Belt Conference Championship and earned an at-large bid into the field. The Saints average 76.2 points and 37.9 rebounds per contest while limiting opponents to 68.9 points and 35 rebounds per game. The Saints are led by Jaizec Lottie who averages 22.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. No other player averages more than 9.6 points per contest and Jalen Barr leads the team on the glass at 7.8 boards per game. 

Belmont Abbey received the automatic bid to the tournament by way of their second-straight Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Tournament title and entered the field of 64 with a record of 23-9 on the season and a seven-game win streak. This is the third straight national tournament appearance and sixth overall for BAC. The Crusaders are led by Conference Carolinas All-Tournament selections Sean Halloran, Quest Aldridge and Chandler Baker. Halloran and Alridge are tied for the team lead in scoring at 14.5 per game while Baker is right behind them with 13.4 per contest. The Abbey is ranked third in NCAA Division II in points per game at 90.5 and have scored 100-plus points 10 times this season. 

Augusta is making its 14th appearance in the tournament and has made three Elite Eight appearances, two Final Fours and were national runner-ups in 2007-08. The Peach Belt regular season and tournament champions, the Jaguars are 28-3 on the season and average 82.8 points and 38.6 rebounds per game while holding opponents to 64.8 points and 31.8 rebounds per contest. The 10th-ranked team in NCAA Division II has five players averaging 10-plus points per game led by Tyshaun Crawford at 17.3 per contest. He also leads the team on the glass with 8.3 rebounds per game. 

This is the first-ever meeting between the Crusaders and Jaguars.

The 64-team field includes 23 automatic qualifiers and 41 at-large selections.  The eight regional tournaments will be held on campus sites March 12-15. The winners of the eight regional tournaments will advance to the Elite Eight to be held March 22-26 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.