NCAA Tournament Bracket

The TCNJ men's basketball team will be taking its 'Road Warriors' mantra to New Hampshire for the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Lions were picked as one of four teams in a regional hosted by Keene State during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, and will meet Eastern in a first-round matchup Friday at 3:45 p.m. The host Owls will take on Marymount (Va.) in the other opening tilt, with the winners to meet on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. for a spot in the 'Sweet Sixteen.'
 
TCNJ is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020 – and just the second since 1998 – following a stunning run through the NJAC Tournament. The Lions knocked off three higher seeded teams – Ramapo, Rowan, and Stockton – to become the first No. 5 seed in NJAC history to claim the conference crown.
 
The Lions, now receiving votes in the D3hoops.com poll, are back in the national spotlight with a balanced roster peaking at the right time. Sophomore point guard Nick Koch, a second-team All-NJAC selection, is averaging 17.8 points per game and has handed out 126 assists, the seventh-highest total in school history.
 
Matthew Solomon, who received All-NJAC honorable mention, averages a double-double at 11.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore standout ranks in the top-25 in Division III in both rebounding and double-doubles (14).
 
Junior forward Matthew Okorie (11.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG) is in the midst of a breakout season, and fifth-year starters James Beckwith (9.6 PPG, 59 3FG) and Jason Larranaga (9.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG) give the backcourt a steady dose of experience and long-range proficiency.
 
Newcomer David Alexandre (8.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.0 APG) has made an instant impact, with junior Anthony Milligan and first-year Khalid Bakare providing important minutes off the bench.
 
TCNJ is making its eighth all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Lions qualified five times between 1985 and 1990, including a run to the national title game in 1989, and again in 1998; TCNJ went more than two decades without getting back until winning the NJAC in 2020.
 
Eastern (20-7) is in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons after capturing its first-ever MAC Commonwealth championship with a dominating 98-69 victory over Widener on Saturday. The Eagles are led by sophomore forward Zubair Lee (17.0 PPG, 9.9 RPG), graduate guard Jaron Fairweather (16.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG), and senior guard Kaeshawn Ward (13.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG).
 
Keene State (24-3) is ranked No. 5 in the D3hoops.com rankings and is fresh off its third straight Little East Conference title. The Owls have been an NCAA Tournament team seven times in the last eight seasons in which the tournament has been held, and are 12-8 all-time. Keene State advanced to the 'Elite Eight' in 2017 and made 'Sweet Sixteen' appearances in 2016 and again last year.
 
Marymount (19-8) is making a return trip to the NCAA Tournament after repeating as Atlantic East Conference champion. The Saints lost to Oswego State in the first round of last year's tournament.
 
Stay tuned to tcnjathletics.com for more updates.