On Wednesday night, No. 16 American faces No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s at 6:40 p.m. with No. 11 Xavier taking on No. 11 Texas in the nightcap.
Here are eight things to know about the matchups:
1. Saint Francis has three players from Southwest Ohio.
The Red Flash (16-17) made March Madness after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament.
Juan Cranford Jr., a 6-foot-3, 205-pound freshman from Wayne High School, started 21 games for SFU, averages 10 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and was named the NEC Newcomer of the Year.
He is joined on the roster by K.J. Swain Jr. a junior guard from Hamilton who attended Cincinnati Christian, and Zachary Jones, a freshman guard from Cincinnati Indian Hill.
2. Alabama State (19-15) also finished fourth in its league then won the Southwest Athletic Conference Tournament.
Amarr Knox, a 6-3 senior, made the All-SWAC first team and averages 14.3 points per game while classmate CJ Hines averages 14.4 points per game and was named MVP of the SWAC tournament.
The Hornets have never won a national postseason game, including an 0-3 mark in the First Four and 0-1 in the NCAA Tournament play-in game that preceded the First Four.
3. San Diego State (21-9) received an at-large bid after tying for fourth in the Mountain West regular season standings.
The Aztecs are in the First Four for the first time but making their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. They went to the Sweet 16 last season after making the final in 2023 and losing to Connecticut.
Guards Nick Boyd and Miles Byrd both made the All-MWC second team while forward Magoon Gwath is the league’s Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
4. North Carolina (22-13) finished in a three-way tie for fourth in the ACC and is 1-8 against ranked teams this season.
Fifth-year senior guard R.J. Davis leads the Tar Heels at 17.3 points per game and made the All-ACC second team while Ian Jackson (12.4 points per game) made the All-Freshman team.
The Tar Heels have won six national championships but are 1-2 at UD Arena in the NCAA Tournament.
They lost to Alabama there in the first round in 1976, won a first round game against Murray State in 2006 when were upset by George Mason in the second round as No. 3 seed two days later.
5. American (22-12) shared the regular season Patriot League title and won the league tournament to earn the fourth NCAA Tournament bid in school history.
The Eagles are a 16 seed for the first time after being a No. 15 seed in 2008 and ’14 and a 14 seed in 2009.
Matt Rogers, a 6-9 senior forward, leads the Eagles in scoring at 17 points per game while Elijah Stephens and Greg Jones also average double figures.
6. First-year Mount St. Mary’s coach Donny Lind is a New Knoxville native.
The Mountaineers (22-12) finished fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and earned the NCAA Tournament bid by trouncing Iona in the MAAC Tournament final.
They are 1-2 in the First Four, beating New Orleans in 2017 and losing to Albany and Texas Southern in 2014 and ’17.
7. Xavier (21-11) finished tied for fourth in the Big East and is 2-5 against ranked teams this season.
The Musketeers beat Dayton 98-74 in a charity game at UD Arena in October but last played a game that counts there in 2013, a 70-59 Flyers victory.
Xavier has played many games in the Gem City over the years, but the Musketeers are 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament at UD Arena, losing to Alcorn State in 1983 and North Carolina State in 2014.
8. Texas (19-15) finished tied for 14th in the SEC.
The Longhorns are 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament at UD Arena, beating St. Peter’s in the first round in 1991 then losing to St. John’s two days later as a No. 5 seed.
Tre Jackson, a 6-6 guard from Garland, Texas, made the All-SEC second team and was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year. He averages 19.8 points and 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
TUESDAY’S GAMES
St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Alabama State, 6:40 p.m., TruTV
North Carolina vs. San Diego State, 9:10 p.m., TruTV
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Mount St. Mary’s vs. American, 6:40 p.m., TruTV
Xavier vs. Texas, 9:10 p.m., TruTV
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
Credit: Charlie Neibergall
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