Minneapolis, MN – Higher seeds both advance in the first round of the NCCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship, with (8) Faith Baptist Bible College and (7) Bob Jones University each finding the stroke on offense. Five games will be played tomorrow as the NCCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship continues. Action begins with a consolation game at noon CT before quarterfinal play begins at 2 p.m. CT. Follow all the action here.

Game One: #8 Faith Baptist Bible College - 86 #9 Southwestern Adventist University - 79

• The championship nerves set in to start game one of the Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship, as both Southwestern Adventist and Faith Baptist Bible saw a lid on the rim through the first 10 minutes. Both teams shot under 40% with the Eagles holding an 18-11 lead at the first media timeout. Landon Brahs of Faith Baptist Bible got off to a great start, scoring 10 of the Eagles first 18 points. 
• Southwestern Adventist would settle in in the final 10 minutes of the first half behind the driving into the lane from guard AJ Aviles. Aviles would get to the line to give the Knights a 29-27 lead with 6:24 to play, their first lead since the opening minute of the game. 
• In the final minute of the first half, both sides found a three-point play. Rueben Doria would find an unconventional and-one to give Southwestern Adventist a four-point lead, which was immediately followed by a three from Landon Brahs of Faith Baptist Bible to cut it back to a one-point game. The Knights led 42-41 at the end of the first half. 
• The second half opened with another lead change as Faith Baptist Bible hit their first three shots of the period to go up 47-42. The Eagles would hold Southwestern Adventist scoreless for the first two and a half minutes of the period to regain control. 
• After Southwestern Adventist seemed to have a response for every Faith Baptist Bible attempt to pull away, the Eagles would see back-to-back threes fall from Sam Kirkman and Jackson Lockard to make the lead 60-54 with just over 12 minutes to play. 
• The Knights again responded within the next four minutes of play using an alley-oop from Domonique Wilkins to take the lead back, 68-67 with eight minutes to play. 
• Asa LaFleur would hit the dagger bucket with about four minutes to play converting an and-one after a beautiful behind the back pass to balloon Faith Baptist Bible back in front, 77-70. 
• Despite 12 lead changes and four ties throughout the game, Faith Baptist Bible would hold on for the final four minutes of the game to earn the 86-79 victory and advance to tomorrow’s quarterfinals against top-seeded Spurgeon College. 

Game Two: #7 Bob Jones University - 102 #10 Simmons College of Kentucky - 90

• Game two starting with the two sides trading punches. Bob Jones opened the game on a 9-2 run which was followed by a Simmons Kentucky 10-2 run to go in front 12-11. The Bruins immediately responded with a 13-0 run to go in front 24-12. Justin Skelton powered the run with 12 early points for Bob Jones. 
• Justin Skelton would continue his early dominance for Bob Jones with a cut and a dunk with 10:15 remaining in the first half to increase the Bruin lead to its largest of 14, 28-14.
• Justin Skelton would score 24 first half points to single handedly keep Bob Jones in front at the break. Franklin Sampson of Simmons Kentucky would show his offensive prowess though as well, scoring 10 points late in the first half to bring the deficit to just four, 48-44.
• Trevor Pittman took his turn as the Bob Jones go-to scorer early in the second half. Pittman scored four straight points to put the Bruins in front 60-52 and force Simmons Kentucky into a timeout. 
• Shad Vander Hart would hit his sixth field goal in six attempts on an and-one bucket with just under 14 minutes to play to help Bob Jones go back in front by double figures, 69-57.
• Just like in the first half, Simmons Kentucky would battle back using a full court press to create turnovers. Gavin Withrow would hit a transition three for the Falcons with 8:59 to play to cut the deficit to 78-73 and force the Bruins into a timeout. 
• The duo of Shad Vander Hart and Justin Skelton would take over for the red-hot Bob Jones offense to help increase the lead back to double digits one final time. Simmons Kentucky had no response in the final minutes as the Bruin All-Region duo finished the game with a combined 59 points on 21-25 shooting to power Bob Jones to a 102-90 victory. Bob Jones advances to place Great Lakes Christian College tomorrow in the quarterfinals. 

About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 23 national championship events, along with one national invitational for 88 member schools across 28 states and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.