University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students, faculty and fans gathered at the Stubblefield Center Thursday morning (March 13) to send the men's basketball team off to the NCAA Division II tournament in Colorado.
The No. 6 Lions (21-6) will face the No. 3 Midwestern State Mustangs (22-7) in this weekend's regional tournament. It is the first NCAA appearance for the Lions in the school's history as a Division II program.
The team received the news Sunday, and 2014 Coach of the Year Josh Newman said since then, the team has been working hard to prepare to face-off with Midwestern State.
"This region is probably one of the best in the country right now," said Newman. "When you talk about the number one team in the country, the number four team in the country, two teams in the top 25 and four teams that won their conference championships - we've got a lot of work to do."
The Lions play at 1 p.m. Saturday (March 15). UAFS will show a live stream of the game for free at the Stubblefield Center. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.