NAIA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds: Who is joiing the Coyotes in Salina? A look at the teams

By KWU Athletics Release March 14, 2024

Three teams from around the NAIA descend on Salina to join the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes for the First and Second Rounds of the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship beginning on Friday at Mabee Arena.Games start at 6 p.m. as No. 4 seed Concordia plays No. 13 seed Indiana-Northwest. No. 5 seed Kansas Wesleyan plays No. 12 seed LSU-Shreveport at 8 p.m.Friday’s winners will play at 6 p.m. on Saturday for a trip to Kansas City and Municpal Auditorium for the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship beginning March 21.Here’s a look at the three other teams playing in Salina this weekend:LOUISIANA STATE-SHREVEPORT PILOTSLocation: Shreveport, LouisianaConference: Red River AthleticCoach: Kyle Blankenship (12th season)Record: 22-8, 16-6 conference (fourth place)Conference tournament: Lost to LSU-Alexandria 89-74 in the semifinalsNAIA First Round seed: 12thNAIA First Round opponent: Kansas Wesleyan (23-8)PILOTS AT A GLANCE

  • The loss to LSU-Alexandria ended a four-game winning streak but they enter the tournament having won seven of 10 games and are 13-7 since the holiday break. Blankenship also coaches the LSU-S women’s team that plays Tabor in the first round on Friday inside Mabee Arena.
  • Senior guard Calvin Carpenter leads a balanced scoring thrust with a 12.8 average while point guard Melvion Flanagan averages 11.7. Flanagan is a transfer from Wichita State where he played in 21 games, started three and averaged 4.9 points last season. Senior guard Paul King averages 11.6 points and senior guard Damon Davis 10.2. Senior forward Josh LeBlanc averages a team-best 6.2 rebounds and King 5.8.
  • LSU-S averages 84.2 points, allows 78.7 and shoots 46 percent overall, 34 percent from long distance and 71 percent from the free throw line. Opponents are outrebounding them by 1.2 per game and they average 12.4 turnovers.

CONCORDIA BULLDOGSLocation: Seward, NebraskaConference: Great Plains AthleticCoach: Bill Limback (11th season)Record: 23-7, 15-5 conference (tied for first)Conference tournament: Lost to Hastings 82-78 in the semifinalsNAIA First Round seed: FourthNAIA First Round opponent: Indiana-Northwest (21-10)BULLDOGS AT A GLANCE

  • Concordia was ranked 20th in the final NAIA coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs finished the regular season tied with Northwestern (Iowa) and Hastings atop the GPAC standings but lost to Hastings in the conference tournament semifinals. They entered the NAIA tournament having won 12 of their last 14 games.
  • Concordia features a high scoring offense. The Bulldogs average 87 points and shoot 50.7 percent as a team, 36.7 percent from 3-point range (9.3 makes per game) and 74.7 percent from the foul line. They outrebound their opponents by 3.6 per game and commit an average of 13 turnovers. Opponents average 78.4 points.
  • Junior forward Noah Schutte averages 20.9 points and 8.6 rebounds and junior forward Tristan Smith 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds. Both were named All-GPAC First Team. Junior guard Bradley Bennett averages 10.9 points and was a Second Team All-GPAC selection.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY-NORTHWEST REDHAWKSLocation: Gary, IndianaConference: Chicagoland Collegiate AthleticCoach: Javier Heridia (seventh season)Record: 21-10, 15-5 conference (tied for second)Conference tournament: Defeated IU-South Bend 88-63 in the championshipNAIA First Round seed: 13thNAIA First Round opponent: Concordia (23-7)REDHAWKS AT A GLANCE

  • IU-Northwest’s victory over IU-South Bend in the CCAC title game was the school’s first tournament championship since joining the conference. The game was played on their home court. The RedHawks have won five in a row and 14 of their last 16 games.
  • Junior forward Dannie Smith averages a team-best 15.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, shoots 52 percent from the field and was chosen the CCAC Newcomer of the Year. Junior guard Trace Williams averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds and was a Second Team All-CCAC selection as was junior guard Anthony Taylor who averages 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.
  • The RedHawks average 78 points, allow 72 and shoot 46 percent overall, 31 percent from long distance and 70 percent from the foul line. They outrebound their opponents by three per game and average 12 turnovers.