FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech men's basketball team is a 13 Seed in the NAIA National Tournament and will be headed to Williamsburg, Kentucky to play 4 Seed University of the Cumberlands. Also in the bracket are 5 Seed William Carey (Miss.) and 12 Seed Xavier (La.).
The 2026 NAIA Men's Basketball Championship First Round presented by Ballogy will take place at host sites on March 13. The Second Round will be on the following day, March 14.
Per Cumberlands: There will be free parking in any lots with white lines, and admission to the Williamsburg Bracket will be free of charge. For more information, click
here.
13 Seed Indiana Tech (22-7): 16th NAIA Tournament Appearance
Indiana Tech comes into the NAIA Tournament as an auto-bid as the Warriors finished second in the WHAC with a record of 17-5.
The Warriors have one of the top offenses in the country, averaging 86.8 points per game, which ranks 14
th in the NAIA. The Warriors shoot 48.1 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three. Indiana Tech only averages 9.4 turnovers per game, which is the 5
th lowest mark in the NAIA.
Indiana Tech allows 76.9 points per game. Opponents are shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from three.
Indiana Tech is led by
Jaxson Fugate, who was named the WHAC Player of the Year. Fugate averages 20.7 points (18
th in the NAIA) and 8.3 rebounds per game. The sophomore was also named to the All-WHAC First Team and All-Defensive Team. Fugate is 17
th in the NAIA with 49 blocks.
Also named to the All-WHAC First Team was
Blake Davison. The senior averages 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Logan Beaston was named to the All-WHAC Second Team. The junior averages 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Beaston has made 80 threes this year at a 39.4 percent clip.
4 Seed Cumberlands (23-7): 33rd NAIA Tournament Appearance
Cumberlands enters the NAIA Tournament as an at-large selection, finishing the regular season with a record of 23-7 and a MSC record of 7-5.
The Patriots average 85.2 points per game, which is 24
th in the NAIA. They shoot 46.1 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three. Cumberlands make 9.8 threes (18
th in the NAIA) and attempt 27.8 threes per game (17
th in the NAIA).
Cumberlands allows 73.6 points per game. Opponents shoot 43.1 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three against the Patriots.
Cumberlands is led by Kyle Duke, who was named to the MSC First Team. He averages 20.6 points (20th in the NAIA), 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Duke is one of the best in the country at getting to the free throw line, shooting 139-160 from the charity stripe (86.9 percent).
Also named to the MSC First Team was Andrew McConnell. The senior averages 13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He has made 70 threes this year at a 37.8 percent clip.
Named to the MSC Second Team was Brant Smithers. Smithers averages 11.6 points per game and has made 76 threes this season, shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc.
5 Seed William Carey (27-4): 15th NAIA Tournament Appearance
William Carey enters the NAIA Tournament as the SSAC Regular Season Champions. They have an overall record of 27-4 and an SSAC record of 15-3, which led to head coach Steve Knight being named SSAC Coach of the Year.
William Carey has one of the most explosive offenses in the NAIA. The Crusaders average 91.9 points per game, which ranks second in the nation. They play at a breakneck pace, ranking third in the country with 70.5 field goal attempts per game. They are also seventh in the NAIA with 29.0 three-point attempts per game.
William Carey allows 79.5 points per game. Opponents shoot 47.2 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three. The Crusaders lead the NAIA with 13.8 steals per game and force 20.3 turnovers per game, which is second in the NAIA.
The Crusaders are led by Malik Franklin, who was named SSAC 6
th Man of the Year and earned SSAC First Team Honors. Franklin hasn't started a game but leads the team with 15.7 points per game.
Another SSAC First Team Selection was Makeem Roberts, who was also named SSAC Defensive Player of the Year. Roberts averages 11.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. The senior leads the NAIA with 117 steals.
Jamar Jenkins was named to the SSAC Second Team. The senior averages 13.5 points and has made 76 threes at an efficient 40.9 percent clip.
12 Seed Xavier (La.) (20-10): 24th NAIA Tournament Appearance
Xavier earned an at-large bid to the NAIA Tournament with a 20-10 record and 15-7 RRAC record.
Xavier averages 79.0 points per game, shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from three.
Defensively, Xavier allows 71.4 points per game. Opponents shoot 41.9 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three. The Gold Rush are active in passing lanes, averaging 11.6 steals per game and forcing 18.6 turnovers per game, both of which rank third in the NAIA.
Xavier is led by RRAC First Team selection Bentravin Phillps, who averages 14.5 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game. Phillips does a lot of damage from the free throw line as he ranks 18
th in the NAIA with 143 made free throws.
Jamal Gibson was named to the RRAC Second Team. Gibson averages 14.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game but has not played since Feb. 9.
Both Nasir DeGruy and Seviuhn Turner were named RRAC Honorable Mentions. DeGruy averages 11.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Turner averages 11.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Game 1: 13 Seed (RV) Indiana Tech vs 4 Seed (#18) Cumberlands, 3:00 PM (March 13)
These two teams haven't played each other since at least 2001, according to Cumberlands.
LIVE STATS
WATCH HERE
Game 2: 12 Seed Xavier vs 5 Seed (#17) William Carey, 6:00 PM (March 13)
Since 2005, Xavier holds a 21-11 record against William Carey, with the last matchup coming in 2021.
LIVE STATS
WATCH HERE
Game 3: G1 Winner vs G2 Winner, 4:00 PM (March 14)
