Nationals will be held in Point Lookout, Mo., on the campus of College of the Ozarks, March 12-18. More information on the tournament, including the full bracket, can be found at: http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl-div2/spec-rel/103106aab.html

Penn (28-5) enters as the #12 overall seed and is the #3 seed in their eight-team bracket. The Statesmen meet the Eagles of Oklahoma Wesleyan Thursday, March 13 at 1:45 p.m. The winner then faces the winner of the #5 Northwestern/#28 Minot State (N.D.) contest Friday at 1:45 p.m.

Third-seeded and #12 overall seed William Penn--John Henry, in his seventh season, has led the 28-5 Statesmen to the Midwest Collegiate Conference regular-season and tournament championships. The Statesmen are making their second-straight Division II Tournament appearance.

Penn, who has won four in a row, is led by first-team all-MCC performer Andre Thompson with 14.8 points per game. Fellow first-teamer Joseph Powell is averaging 11.9 points, while honorable-mention all-MCC pick Kris Miller is averaging 11.8 points per contest.

Penn has outscored its opponents 82.4-69.0 on the year, and has also won the shooting battle, 44.4%-39.4%. The Statesmen lead NAIA Division II in blocks per game (5.2) as well.

All of the team’s contests at the national tournament will be webstreamed on the William Penn Athletics website, courtesy of Stretch Internet, at http://statesmen.wmpenn.edu/radio.php

The following is information on Penn’s first-round opponent, Oklahoma Wesleyan:

Sixth-seeded and #21 overall seed Oklahoma Wesleyan--Head Coach Donnie Bostwick, in his first year, has led the 25-7 Eagles to an at-large bid out of the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. The team placed third in the regular-season standings and claimed a runner-up finish in the MCAC Tournament. It is the program’s first-ever trip to the Division II Tournament.

Oklahoma Wesleyan, who had won six in a row before dropping three of its last five, is led by Steve Briggs with 18.5 points. Sadiel Rojas, with a 14.5 average, also averages double digits.

The Comets have outscored opponents 80.7-72.1 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 45.8%-39.4%.

The first-round matchup looks to be a potentially low-scoring affair as the two programs are tied for the third-lowest defensive field-goal percentage in NAIA Division II.

The other six teams in the bracket include:

Top-seeded and #4 overall seed Walsh (Ohio)--Head Coach Jeff Young, in his fourth year, has led the 25-4 Cavs to the American Mideast Conference South Division and North/South championship titles. The 2005 national champions have advanced to at least the second round the last two years as well.

Walsh, who has won four in a row and ten of its last 11 games, is led by AMC South Player of the Year Brandon Weems. Four players, Eder Araujo (14.4), Corey Jones (13.7), Weems (11.8), and Josh Johnson (10.4), also average double digits.

The Cavs have outscored opponents 83.9-67.4 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 48.7%-43.5%. Walsh leads NAIA Division II in three-point percentage (44.1%) as well.

Second-seeded and #5 overall seed Northwestern--Head Coach Kris Korver, in his eighth year, has led the 27-4 Red Raiders to the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament title. Northwestern, who finished second in the GPAC regular-season standings, has been crowned national champions twice and will be making its tenth-consecutive trip to nationals.

Northwestern, who has won ten in a row, is led by Curt Schilling with 19.7 points per game. Chad Schuiteman (14.7) and Kale Wiertzema (13.3) also average double digits.

The Red Raiders have outscored opponents 87.1-76.3 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 51.1%-43.9%.

Fourth-seeded and #13 overall seed Northwood (Fla.)--Head Coach Rollie Massimino, in his second year, has led the 25-7 Seahawks to an at-large bid out of the Florida Sun Conference. Northwood was the regular-season champion out of the FSC.

Northwood, who had won five in a row prior to falling in the FSC Tournament Semifinals, is led by FSC Player of the Year DeSean White with 18.1 points per game. Marvin Owens (16.3) and Baree Ward (13.0) also average double digits.

The Seahawks have outscored opponents 80.7-68.7 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 48.3%-41.2%.

Fifth-seeded and #20 overall seed Bluefield (Va.)--Head Coach Jason Gillespie, in his third year, has led the 25-7 Rams to an automatic bid courtesy of their Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament runner-up finish.

Bluefield, who had won five in a row before falling in the AAC Tournament Finals, is led by Coryon Ross with 16.4 points per game. Five players, Omar Reed (12.1), Dontae Gholson (11.3), Johnny Witherspoon (11.2), James Chapman (11.0), and James Childress (10.3), also average double digits.

The Rams have outscored opponents 94.7-84.2 on the year, leading NAIA Division II in points per game and steals per game (13.7).

Seventh-seeded and #28 overall seed Minot State (N.D.)--Head Coach Mike Hultz, in his tenth year, has led the 19-11 Beavers to the Dakota Athletic Conference Tournament title. The team was also second in the regular-season standings.

Minot State, who has won six in a row and nine of its last ten games, is led by Matt Witwer with 17.1 points per game. A trio of other Beavers, CJ DeWitty (15.4), Aaron Patterson (14.9), and Joe Gathings (14.3), also average double digits.

The Beavers have outscored opponents 84.6-80.6 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 46.8%-46.4%.

Eighth-seeded and #29 overall seed Judson (Ill.)--Head Coach Jim Cook, in his fourth year, has led the 19-8 Eagles to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. It is the team’s first-ever CCAC Tournament title.

Judson, who has won six in a row, is led by CCAC Player of the Year DeWayne Robinson with 21.4 points per game. Four other Eagles, Ilija Bojanic (14.7), Chris Oates (12.9), Justen Boyd (12.6), and Steffan Williams (11.3), also average double digits.

The Eagles have outscored opponents 83.1-76.0 on the year and have also won the shooting battle, 48.4%-45.0%.