HUNTINGTON, Ind. (LourdesAthletics.com) -- The Lourdes University men's basketball team has earned an at-large bid to the 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, as announced by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). This marks the sixth time in program history that the Gray Wolves will compete in the national tournament.
No. 14-seeded Lourdes will take on No. 3-seeded host Huntington University in the opening round on Friday, March 14, in Huntington, Ind. The winner will advance to the second round on Saturday, March 15, with a trip to the final site in Kansas City, Mo., on the line.
The 64-team field will begin play with the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship First & Second Rounds, presented by Ballogy, at 16 host sites across the country. The winners from each site will advance to the Final Site in Kansas City, where the tournament will conclude at Municipal Auditorium from March 20-25. The NAIA will crown its 87th national champion on March 25.
Lourdes enters the tournament with a 21-8 overall record and will look to secure its first-ever victory on the national stage. The Gray Wolves previously appeared in the NAIA National Championship in 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023, and 2024, holding an 0-5 all-time record in tournament play. This appearance will mark the fourth consecutive for the program and the first under head coach Jake DuPree.
The national tournament field consists of 34 automatic qualifiers and 30 at-large selections. At-large berths were awarded by the NAIA Men's Basketball National Selection Committee, which evaluated teams throughout the season based on various performance criteria.
Fans unable to travel to Indiana can watch the first and second rounds via livestream, with details to be provided by the host institution. The NAIA Championship final site games will be broadcast for free on the NAIA Channel of the Urban Edge Network and the NAIA Network.
Times for the opening games on March 14 are still to be determined by the host site. For continued coverage and updates, visit LourdesAthletics.com and follow the Gray Wolves on social media.
