NAIA Division I Tournament

9 a.m. Wednesday, March 17

Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

THE MATCHUP: Six-time national champion Oklahoma City University takes on Southern Polytechnic State (Ga.) in the opening round of the 2010 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship. OCU has won national titles in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008. OCU is 47-12 all-time in the NAIA Tournament.

For ticket information, click here.

ABOUT THE STARS: OCU dropped a 68-57 decision to Rogers State in the quarterfinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament on March 4 in Bethany, Okla. The Stars (17-9) missed their first nine shots of the game, and shot just 39.2 percent from the field in the game. OCU took its first lead of the game at 34-33 on a 3-pointer from Chris Brown with 13:54 to play in the game before Rogers State used a 13-3 run to pull away.

Brown, a 6-foot senior from Spencer Okla., was the only OCU player in double figures with 21 points. Brown made 6 of 13 shots from the field, and 6 of 8 shots from the free-throw line. Brown averages 17.5 points and 1.08 steals a game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. He ranks fifth in the conference and 31st nationally in scoring.

Kavon Lytch, a 6-7 junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., had eight points and 11 rebounds. Lytch puts together 14.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Corey Bingham, a 6-4 junior from Lynn, Mass., adds 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.19 steals per game.

The Stars rank fifth in NAIA Division I in blocked shots per game with 5.16. Bryant Williams, a 6-9 junior from Austin, Texas, leads the SAC and ranks fifth nationally with 2.28 blocks per game.

OCU and Southern Poly are meeting for the first time ever. OCU is the No. 16 national seed in the tournament.

ABOUT THE HORNETS: Southern Polytechnic earned an automatic bid to the NAIA Tournament by winning the Southern States Athletic Tournament. The Hornets have a record of 26-5 on the season.

Southern Poly rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit to defeat Lee (Tenn.) 69-63 in the championship game of the SSAC Tournament.

Brent Jennings finished with 13 point and 11 rebounds to earn all-tournament honors. Jennings, a 6-5 junior, totals 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds a game. Jas Rogers, 6-1 senior, added 19 points. Rogers leads the team with 16.2 points, 4.8 assists and 2.65 steals.

Southern Poly ranks second in NAIA Division I in offensive rebounds per game (15.4), third in total steals (359) and fourth in steals per game (12.38).

ABOUT THE COACHES: Kevin Morrissey enters his first full season as OCU head coach. Morrissey spent the previous four seasons as St. Gregory's coach. He also has been an assistant at Missouri State and Texas-Pan American. Morrissey played his college ball at Oklahoma Baptist and Oral Roberts and high school at Bishop McGuinness in Oklahoma City.

Jeff Jones is in his fifth season as head coach at Southern Poly. Jones guided the Hornets to the second round of the NAIA Tournament in 2005-06.

QUOTABLE: “The goal the team articulated at the beginning of the season was to get to the national tournament. I've challenged them since we've made it to reset their goals. Let's go up there and win games. We're talented enough to make a run and win five games in a row. We have to be ready to play.” – Morrissey

FOLLOW THE STARS: Fans can keep up on the latest on OCU athletics through several ways.

Become a fan of the Oklahoma City University Stars on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/ocustars.

Become a follower of the OCU Stars on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ocustars.

Check out video of the Stars in action at www.youtube.com/oklahomacityuniver.

STAYING IN OKC?: There will be a watch party in the Leichter Room above Abe Lemons Arena in the Freede Center.

ON THE AIR: Fans can follow the tournament via live audio on Sports Radio KC. The NAIA will provide live stats and a live video stream.