RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – For the eighth time in 10 years, Arkansas Tech will play in the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. The seventh-seeded Wonder Boys open play in the central region against second-seeded Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday in Maryville, Mo. Tipoff is set for 2:15 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live audio, video and statistics for Friday's game are available at www.arkansastechsports.com. The game will be carried live on 102.3-FM (KCJC) in Russellville with Patrick Kamerling calling the play-by-play.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
In the only match between the two schools in program history, Southwest Minnesota State defeated Tech, 93-78, in 2014.
 
SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS
Arkansas Tech (21-7) earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing third in the Great American Conference regular-season standings and reaching the conference tournament semifinals. The Wonder Boys' regular season was highlighted by an 11-game win streak that featured two wins over nationally-ranked Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Justin Graham leads Arkansas Tech with 14.4 points per game and a 49 percent three-point percentage. Graham averaged 17.0 points and four assists in two GAC tournament games, while netting 6-11 shots from behind the arc. Alex Brown follows with 13.8 points per game, and his 20-point, 10-rebound effort in Tech's win over SAU in the conference tournament earned him all-tournament honors.
 
The Wonder Boys average 87.3 points per game, 20^th-best in Division II. Tech also ranks fourth in the nation in three-pointers made per game, netting 12 triples per contest. Freddy Lee averages a team-high 5.2 assist per game, while ranking eighth in Division II in assist-to-turnover ratio. Bennie Lufile led the GAC in rebounds this season, and his 3.6 offensive boards per game ranks 14^th in Division II.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
Southwest Minnesota State (26-5) enters the central region tournament having won the NSIC Conference Championship over Upper Iowa on Feb. 28. The Mustangs entered the conference tournament as the one seed from the south division, finishing the regular season with the second-best record in the NSIC.
 
The Mustangs average just over 81 points per game, while opponents are scoring just 74.5 points. SMSU ranks 29^th in Division II in field-goal percentage and first in the NSIC with 7.2 steals per game. Ryan Bruggeman averages a team-high 15.1 points and 4.9 assists per game. Bruggeman carried the Mustangs through the NSIC Tournament, averaging 21.3 points in four games, including a season-high 34 points in Southwest Minnesota State's win over Sioux Falls in the quarterfinals. Carter Kirk has averaged 10.2 points this season while leading the Mustangs with 7.4 boards per game.