Let the March Madness begin! UST Men’s Basketball will open up round 64 at the NCAA National Tournament against East Texas Baptist University. The game will take place Friday, March 3, at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton, Texas with tip-off scheduled for 4:50 p.m.

St. Thomas earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championships after finishing the regular season 23-2 and 16-0 in SCAC play. By virtue of this historic record, the Celts were ranked No.1 in Region X prior to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) tournament.

Having officially joined Division III this year, UST Men’s Basketball will make its first-ever appearance on the NCAA national scene. St. Thomas will face the American Southern Conference Champion, East Texas Baptist University, in the opening round. The Celts played against the Tigers this season winning a close one 83-81, and currently lead the all-time series 2-0.

St. Thomas got strong performances that game from two of their most recognized players. SCAC Player of the Year Calvin Williams IV scored 22 points in the game and notched three steals. Furthermore, Freshman of the Year Nick Anderson scored 21 points and made an impressive 66% of his shots.

On the other side of the bracket, host school Mary Hardin Baylor (ASC) will play against SCAC Champion Schreiner University to begin their journey.

The winners of Saturday’s games will play on Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. If you can't make it to Belton, be sure to catch Friday’s action live on the Crusader Network, and follow ustcelts.com for all scores and updates.