Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 2 and first seeded Northern State men's basketball team (19-1) will play No. 4 and second seeded Northwest Missouri State (24-2) in a match-up of regional powerhouses in the NCAA Central Region Tournament final. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. from Wachs Arena.
 
Northern advanced to the regional final yesterday with a 77-65 win over MSU Moorhead. The Wolves trailed at halftime 35-33 but maintained their defensive intensity and strung together a 14-4 run in the middle of the second half to take command of the NSIC Tournament final rematch.
 
NSU held the Dragons to only 33.8% on field goals, 4-of-23 on 3-pointers and four fast break points. Additionally, Northern recorded 12 blocks with eight courtesy of Parker Fox and scored 20 points off Moorhead turnovers.
 
"I thought defensively we were extremely disruptive," said Northern State head coach Saul Phillips postgame.
 
Despite shooting only 1-of-15 from beyond the arc, the Wolves managed to shoot 51.8% on field goals and 28-of-41 on two-point shots, including 50 points in the paint.
 
Northwest Missouri State, the defending national champions, defeated No. 3 Washburn 85-44 last night. The Bearcats are making their eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and have won 40 straight games on neutral courts, the longest active streak across all NCAA divisions.
 
Northern is 1-3 all-time versus Northwest Missouri State. The Wolves and Bearcats last met in the 2018-19 season where NSU fell in overtime 72-70.
 
The winner will advance to the Elite Eight in Evansville, Indiana starting March 24. The winner of the Central Region has advanced to the national championship game in the past two tournaments with Northern State and Northwest Missouri State being the participant in each instance, respectively.