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The bracketology is all calculated, the tournament field is released and now it’s time to get ready for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Check out the what to know about the two NCAA Tournament play-in matches that will take place Tuesday, May 2 at Ohio State.
No. 3 seed BYU (24-4, 16-2 MPSF) vs. No. 6 seed Barton (23-5, 16-2 ConfCarolinas)
Match vitals: 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 2 in Columbus, Ohio
Season series: First meeting this season
Last meeting: First all-time meeting
NCAA Tournament record: BYU (9-4); Barton (0-0)
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: BYU (2016); Barton (never)
Last NCAA Tournament title: BYU (2004); Barton (never)
How they reached NCAA Tournament: BYU earned one of the two at-large bids after winning a share of the MPSF regular season title and losing in the conference tournament semifinals. Barton won the ConfCarolinas Tournament to earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Historical stats to know: Barton is not only attempting to become the first ConfCarolinas school to win a NCAA Tournament match, but the first to just win a game at the championship event. BYU has lost only four times this decade against teams unranked in the national coaches poll.
No. 4 seed Hawai’i (26-5, 14-4 MPSF) vs. No. 5 seed Penn State (21-10, 9-3 EIVA)
Match vitals: 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 2 in Columbus, Ohio
Season series: First meeting this season
Last meeting: Penn State defeated Hawai’i in four games in the 2015 NCAA Tournament play-in match.
NCAA Tournament record: Hawai’i (3-4); Penn State (16-30)
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: Hawai’i (2015); Penn State (2015)
Last NCAA Tournament title: Hawai’i (2002); Penn State (2008)
How they reached NCAA Tournament: Hawai’i received one of the two at-large bids after finishing in third place in the MPSF and reaching the conference tournament finals. Penn State won the EIVA Tournament to earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Historical stats to know: Hawai’i has played Penn State in the opening round every time it has qualified for the NCAA Tournament and is 2-2 in those matches. Penn State’s victory against Hawai’i in 2015 remains the only time a lower seed won a NCAA Tournament play-in match since the field expanded to six teams in 2014.