GARY, Ind. – The Indiana University Northwest men's basketball team is headed to the 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championships after receiving an automatic bid. The RedHawks, who earned a 12-seed in the Cramer Quadrant, will face 5-seed Mobile University (Ala.) in the first round on Friday, March 14, at 2 p.m. CT in Williamsburg, Kentucky, hosted by Cumberlands University.
IU Northwest (22-7) enters the national tournament after an impressive season in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), where they secured a share of the regular season title with a 16-4 conference record. The RedHawks finished as the 2-seed in the CCAC Tournament and closed the regular season ranked 43rd in the final RPI ratings. This marks the third NAIA National Tournament appearance in program history, and the RedHawks are still in search of their first-ever win in the tournament.
Trace Williams, the CCAC Player of the Year, leads the RedHawks with a team-high 20.5 points per game and also averages 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. Dannie Smith, a CCAC First Team selection, is also a key contributor, averaging 17.2 points per game and leading the conference in rebounding with 8.6 rebounds per game. Anthony Taylor, a CCAC Second Team honoree, adds 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for IU Northwest.
Mobile University (21-7) enters the tournament as the 5-seed after finishing first in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) West Division with a 13-4 conference record. The Rams lost in the SSAC Tournament semifinals to Life University, another NAIA tournament participant. Mobile finished 19th in the final RPI ratings and was in the receiving votes category of the final NAIA Coaches' Poll.
Key players to watch for Mobile include Erza McKenna, a First Team SSAC selection, who averages 14.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and shoots 59.6% from the field. Trent Moye, a Second Team SSAC honoree, contributes 12 points, 3.3 rebounds, and shoots 43% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc.
The winner of Friday's matchup will advance to the Round of 32 to face the winner of 4-seed Cumberlands University (Ky.) and 13-seed Milligan University (Tenn.).
The Cramer Quadrant is highlighted by 1-seed Arizona Christian, and some familiar opponents from the region include 8-seed Indiana Tech, whom the RedHawks defeated earlier this season, 11-seed St. Mary of the Woods, whom IU Northwest also defeated, and 10-seed St. Francis, whom IU Northwest shared the CCAC regular season title with and went 1-1 against in the regular season.
For the Full 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Bracket, Click Here
For ticket information, Click Here
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Story by PJ Katona
