SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 1 seed Augustana University men's basketball (30-2) is set to take on No. 2 seed Northwest Missouri State (27-5) in the NCAA Central Region Championship game on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon.
 
Augustana will be making its third appearance in the Sweet 16 in program history, its first since playing in the regional title game in 2010. Augustana made back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2009 and 2010.
 
The winner of Tuesday night's game will earn a berth to the Elite 8 in Frisco, Texas March 23-26.
 
The NCAA Central Region Championship game between Augustana and Northwest Missouri State will be aired live on Midco Sports Network channels 26 (SD) and 622 (HD). Tom Nieman will handle they play-by-play and Brad Newitt will provide the analysis.
 
Augustana and Northwest Missouri State will meet for the second time this season and for the third time in the last two seasons. The Vikings defeated the Bearcats 79-77 on Nov. 19 of this season when Daniel Jansen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
 
Augustana advanced to the NCAA Central Region Championship game with a 77-67 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday night. The Bearcats defeated Minnesota State 82-62 on Sunday to find a spot in the Central Region Tournament title game for the second straight season.
 
Augustana has won 30 games in 2015-16 which is one shy of tying the program record which was set in 2014-15. The Vikings are one of just four teams in NCAA basketball with 30 or more wins in 2015-16. Augustana, Lincoln Memorial, MSU Moorhead and Kansas are the only teams in NCAA men's basketball with 30-plus wins on the year.
 
The Vikings enter Tuesday night's game averaging 91.2 points per game. Augustana allows just 72.5 points per contest and is shooting 50.9 percent from the field as a team. The Vikings are shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range and 72.6 percent from the free throw line. Augustana is averaging 17.3 made free throws per game while its opponents average just 10 made free throws.
 
Seniors Daniel Jansen and Casey Schilling were named to the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association All-Central Region First Team on Monday. Jansen was also named the D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year. Jansen has been named the Central Region Player of the Year in two straight seasons.
 
Jansen is averaging 21 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field. In the first two games of the NCAA Tournament, Jansen is averaging 25.5 points per game. Schilling enters Tuesday night's game averaging 19.6 points and a team-high 9.5 rebounds per game.
 
Senior Alex Richter is averaging 16.7 points per game over the last three games. He is averaging 13.7 points and is shooting 54.1 percent from the field on the season.
 
Northwest Missouri State is averaging 75.5 points per game while allowing just 64.4 per contest. The Bearcats are shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from behind the arc. NWMSU is led by Justin Pitts who is averaging 21.3 points per game.
 
For more information on the NCAA Division II Central Region Men's Basketball Tournament, click HERE.