INDIANAPOLIS (March 8) – The California (PA) men's basketball team earned the fourth seed as an automatic qualifier to the upcoming Atlantic Regional of the NCAA Tournament late Sunday night.
The Vulcans (22-8) will be making their third appearance in five years in the NCAA Tournament and their 16th all-time appearance. Cal will face fifth-seeded Fayetteville State (23-6) in the first round after the Broncos secured an automatic berth last weekend by winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship. The Vulcans will be facing a CIAA opponent in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, while Cal and Fayetteville State most recently met during the season-opening weekend of the 2023-24 campaign.
Gannon (28-3) earned the top seed and will host the eight-team regional tournament at the Highmark Events Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. The first-round games are scheduled for Saturday, March 14, with the second-round contests slated for Sunday, March 15, and the regional championship set for Tuesday, March 17.
In the other first-round games, the host Golden Knights will face eighth-seeded Charleston (WV) (19-9), second-seeded and Mountain East Conference (MEC) Champion West Liberty (27-4) will meet seventh-seeded Virginia Union (24-5) and third-seeded Fairmont State (26-5) will play sixth-seeded IUP (22-7).
Tickets will be available for online purchase beginning Tuesday, March 10 at 12 p.m. Ticket prices are $22 for reserved seating, $12 for adult general admission and $6 for student (grades K-12) general admission. Tickets will not be valid for multiple dates, as a separate ticket must be purchased for each day of games.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
12 pm – Game 1: [3] Fairmont State vs. [6] IUP
2:30 pm – Game 2: [2] West Liberty vs. [7] Virginia Union
5 pm – Game 3: [1] Gannon vs. [8] Charleston (WV)
7:30 pm – Game 4: [4] California (PA) vs. [5] Fayetteville State
SUNDAY, MARCH 15
5 pm – Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
7:30 pm – Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4
TUESDAY, MARCH 17
7 pm - Game 7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
