By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University men's basketball team will be the No. 1 seed and the host team for the 2025 NCAA Central Regional Tournament starting on Saturday, March 15, in Lee Arena.
Washburn's men's basketball team watches the NCAA Selection Show Sunday night in the Lee Arena court level suite. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn, 26-3 on the season after a quarterfinal loss to Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Tournament, will open its regional bid against No. 8 seed Harding (22-9) at 5 p.m. Saturday in the third of four quarterfinal games.
MIAA Tournament champion Fort Hays State (23-9) is also in the regional field and has been installed as the No, 7 seed.
The Tigers will face No. 2 Minnesota State-Moorhead (23-8) in Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game.
Other Saturday quarterfinals will pit No. 3 seed Winona State (21-10) against No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State (20-9) at 12 p.m. and No. 4 Minot State (21-10) against No. 5 Concordia St. Paul (21-8) at 7:30 p.m.
The Ichabods will be making their fifth NCAA appearance in eight years under Washburn head coach Brett Ballard and WU will host the NCAA regional for the first time since the 2001 NCAA South Central Regional when the Ichabods advanced to the NCAA championship game.
Washburn has also hosted NCAA Regionals in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 2001 going a combined 5-3.
Overall the Ichabods are 16-16 in the NCAA Tournament and 13-13 in the NCAA regionals.
NCAA CENTRAL REGIONAL
At Lee Arena
Saturday's games
12 p.m. -- Winona State (3: 21-10) vs. Southwest Minnesota State (6: 20-9)
2:30 -- Minnesota State-Moorhead (2: 23-8) vs. Fort Hays State (7: 23-9)
5 -- Washburn (1: 26-3) vs. Harding (8: 22-9)
7:30 -- Minot State (4: 21-10) vs. Concordia St. Paul (5: 21-8)
Sunday, March 16
5 p.m. -- Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner
7:30 -- Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner
Tuesday, March 18
Championship game
