Point Lookout, M.O. – Top-seeded Bethel University took home fifth place while #5 Ohio Christian University won the seventh-place game at the 2026 NCCAA DI Men’s Basketball National Championship on Friday, March 20.
 
Seventh-Place Game: #5 Ohio Christian University 80, #2 Hannibal-LaGrange University 77 (OT)
 
A last second three-pointer from Parker Penrod sent the game to overtime, as #5 Ohio Christian University defeated #2 Hannibal-LaGrange University 80-77 in the seventh-place game.

• Both teams proved the adage that basketball is a game of runs, as an 8-2 run for Hannibal-LaGrange led by two makes from distance by Ian McDonald was answered by an 8-2 run from Ohio Christian thanks to jumpers from Caleb Schmelzer and DJ Bogay to tie the contest at 10 points apiece with 12:19 left in the first frame. Landon Brewer and Josiah Talton traded makes from deep, but Brewer connected on a second chance from downtown, and Ohio Christian took an 18-15 lead with 6:08 left in the opening stanza.
• Parker Penrod kept the run going for the Trailblazers with his first make from deep, and a nifty move inside by Travis Easterly Jr. put OCU ahead 23-19 late in the first half. McDonald tied the contest back up with a jumper, and a three-ball from Kell Estep gave the Trojans the 31-28 lead at halftime.
• Ohio Christian opened the second half on a run to take back the lead, as jumpers from Penrod and Schmelzer put the Trailblazers in front 38-35. Makes from Schmelzer and DJ Bogay swelled the lead to nine, but back-to-back threes from McDonald and Kell Estep helped Hannibal-LaGrange tie the game 50-50 with 6:00 left in the game.
• Both sides traded the lead, and a Bogay layup put OCU ahead 57-53, before two scores from Davaughn Hueitt gave the advantage back to Hannibal-LaGrange, 59-57. After two made free throws from Braylon Diggs put the Trojans up 61-58, Schmelzer came up clutch for Ohio Christian, draining a three after a sky-high rebound from Brewer with 11 seconds left to send the contest into overtime. 
• The two teams continued to trade the lead in the extra period, before an and-one conversion from Schmelzer put the Trailblazers ahead 72-68 with 2:27 remaining in overtime. Up two with less than 40 seconds remaining, Sammy Detweiler forced a Hannibal-LaGrange turnover, and Penrod nailed two free throws to push the Ohio Christian lead to 76-72 with 35 seconds left. Hueitt nailed a triple with three seconds left to cut the lead to 78-77, but two free throws found the bottom of the net for Schmelzer and the last second heave to tie went wide, and Ohio Christian took the 80-77 win.
• Schmelzer finished with a double-double, scoring 27 points and hauling down 12 rebounds, while Penrod scored 20 points and had five rebounds and three assists. Bogay just missed out on a double-double, recording 19 points and 9 rebounds. McDonald finished the game with 28 points for Hannibal-LaGrange, including five makes from three.

 
Fifth-Place Game: #1 Bethel University 83, #6 Clinton College 66
 
Every player for #1 Bethel University recorded an assist, as the Pilots rolled to an 83-66 victory over #6 Clinton College in the fifth-place game

• The contest started on a torrid pace, but a nice behind-the-back pass from Jordan Snipes Campbell set up Kipp Richvine for the early score to put Clinton ahead, but a three-ball and spinning jumper inside from Austin Cripe gave Bethel the 8-7 lead. Cripe continued to score at will, nailing two straight makes from deep, and a driving layup swelled the Bethel lead to 20-11 with 12:14 left in the first frame. Freshman Carter Kent nailed a pair of makes from downtown on the other end, and his cohort Mason Bales hit a deep three, and the Pilots sailed ahead to a 31-16 lead halfway through the opening stanza. 
• Jordan Snipes Campbell willed Clinton back into the game, connecting on a pair of layups, before converting a four-point play to cut the Pilot lead to 31-27. Bethel then ripped off a 17-4 run, thanks to another three-ball from Cripe and a lob by Kent helped Beau Jacquay slam it down, and a Bales hit from distance gave Bethel the 48-33 lead at halftime.
• The ship continued to sail smoothly for the Pilots in the second half, opening the second frame with threes from Cripe and Colin Comer, and back-to-back treys from Kent pushed Bethel ahead 67-43. Kent added another three, and Andrew Hedrick picked up one from beyond the arc himself halfway through the second half. Jaquise Richmond and Daquan Amlett added a pair of dunks for Clinton, but Bethel finished off the game with a layup from Al Peciulius, and the Pilots took home fifth place with the 83-66 win.
• Every Pilot player recorded an assist in the win, led by Hedrick with five. Cripe led all players with 22 points, draining six three-pointers and recorded seven rebounds, while Kent scored 17 points with five makes from beyond the arc, along with three rebounds and four assists. Snipes Campbell continued to shine for Clinton, scoring 16 points and hauling down six rebounds while recording three steals.

 
The 2026 Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship game between #3 Lancaster Bible College and #4 Columbia International University tips off from Keeter Gym on the campus of the College of the Ozarks at 2:00 PM CT. The third-place game starts the day at 10:00 AM CT. Box scores, full schedule, and streaming information for every game of the 2026 NCCAA DI Men’s Basketball National Championship can be found here.
 
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.