NAIA Men's College Basketball Marathon Has Tipped Off in Kansas City

Athens, GA (Mar 18, 2009) - The tournament is hyped as the toughest men's basketball tournament in the country. And looking at the schedule for the 2009 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, any basketball fan would be hard pressed to disagree.



32 teams, 31 games, and one champion in a span of 7 days. The games started this morning and can be seen via Jump TV. However, while most Jump TV offerings are usually free, this package has a price tag.

First Round, Wednesday, March 18

Game 1: 9 a.m. - No. 5 Mountain State (W.Va.) (28-4) def. LSU-Shreveport (22-12), 88-76

Game 2: 10:45 a.m. - Rocky Mountain (Mont.) (23-9) vs. No. 13 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (24-9)

Game 3: 12:30 p.m. - Oklahoma Christian (23-9) vs. No. 12 Concordia (Calif.) (26-6)

Game 4: 2:15 p.m. - Central Methodist (Mo.) (27-6) vs. No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.) (27-4)

Game 5: 4:30 p.m. - Montana State-Northern (22-9) vs. No. 8 Robert Morris (Ill.) (24-3)

Game 6: 6:15 p.m. - William Jewell (Mo.) (22-10) vs. No. 1 Rogers State (Okla.) (30-1)

Game 7: 8:45 p.m. - Tougaloo (Miss.) (21-10) vs. No. 9 Fresno Pacific (Calif.) (26-7)

Game 8: 10:30 p.m. - Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (25-6) vs. No. 16 Cumberland (Tenn.) (25-5)

First Round, Thursday, March 19

Game 9: 9 a.m. - Jarvis Christian (Tex.) (26-7) vs. No. 11 Cumberlands (Ky.) (26-6)

Game 10: 10:45 a.m. - Biola (Calif.) (22-9) vs. No. 6 Westminster (Utah) (28-4)

Game 11: 12:30 p.m. - Science & Arts (Okla.) (15-17) vs. No. 3 Union (Tenn.) (28-5)

Game 12: 2:15 p.m. - Columbia (Mo.) (26-7) vs. No. 14 Lee (Tenn.) (26-7)

Game 13: 4:30 p.m. - Life (Ga.) (23-10) vs. No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist (27-4)

Game 14: 6:15 p.m. - MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (26-7) vs. No. 15 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (24-9)

Game 15: 8 p.m. - Northwestern Oklahoma (20-11) vs. No. 7 McKendree (Ill.) (28-5)

Game 16: 9:45 p.m. - Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) (23-8) vs. No. 10 Texas Wesleyan (28-4)

Second Round, Friday, March 20

Game 17: 9 a.m.

Game 18: Mountain State (W.Va.) vs. Oklahoma Christian/Concordia (Calif.), 10:45 a.m.

Game 19: 12:30 p.m.

Game 20: 2:15 p.m.

Game 21: 4:30 p.m.

Game 22: 6:15 p.m.

Game 23: 8 p.m.

Game 24: 9:45 p.m.

Quarterfinals, Saturday, March 21

Game 25: 1 p.m.

Game 26: 3 p.m.

Game 27: 6 p.m.

Game 28: 8 p.m.

Semifinals, Monday, March 23

Game 29: 6:50 p.m.

Game 30: 8:50 p.m.

Championship (CBS College Sports TV), Tuesday, March 24

Game 31: 8:50 p.m.

Readers may notice that there are no Sunday games. This is most likely due to the fact that there are a number of Christian colleges in the field and they do not play games on the Sabbath. This of course is just speculation.

You can find out more information about the tournament on the NAIA web site, and watch the games live via Jump TV.