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The field is set and now it’s a matter waiting for the NCAA Tournament to start next week.
Check out the match-ups and the historical tidbits to know about the opening round before filling out a bracket in the Off the Block/Frisco Mo NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge.
Play-in match
Penn State (21-3, 16-2 EIVA) vs. Belmont Abbey (15-7, 9-5 ConfCarolinas)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. Monday in Columbus, Ohio
Broadcast: Big Ten Network-Plus (online stream)
Announcers: Luke Wood Maloney and Ben Spurlock
How they reached the NCAA Tournament: Penn State defeated George Mason in the EIVA Tournament finals, while Belmont Abbey defeated Mount Olive in the ConfCarolinas Tournament finals.
Season series: First meeting this season
All-time series: First all-time meeting
NCAA Tournament championships: Penn State (1994, 2008); Belmont Abbey (none)
NCAA Tournament record: Penn State (31-16); Belmont Abbey (0-0)
NCAA Tournament appearances: Penn State (1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017); Belmont Abbey (first appearance)
Stats to know: Penn State is 18-0 all-time against ConfCarolinas teams. The Nittany Lions are making their fourth appearance in an opening round match since the tournament expanded in 2014 and are 2-1 in those matches. A ConfCarolinas team has never won a NCAA Tournament match and has won one combined set since the conference started receiving an automatic bid in 2014. Belmont Abbey is 1-7 all-time against the EIVA with that only victory coming against Charleston in 2016.
Opening round matches
UC Santa Barbara (15-4, 7-3 Big West) vs. Pepperdine (13-6, 11-5 MPSF)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 in Columbus, Ohio
Broadcast: Big Ten Network-Plus (online stream)
Announcers: Luke Wood Maloney and Ben Spurlock
How they reached the NCAA Tournament: UC Santa Barbara defeated UC San Diego in the Big West Tournament finals, while Pepperdine received the final at-large bid after losing in the MPSF Tournament finals.
Season series: First meeting this season
All-time series: Pepperdine leads 70-40 (last meet in 2020)
NCAA Tournament championships: UC Santa Barbara (none); Pepperdine (1978, 1985, 1986, 1992, 2005)
NCAA Tournament record: UC Santa Barbara (7-10); Pepperdine (15-17)
NCAA Tournament appearances: UC Santa Barbara (1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1988, 2011); Pepperdine (1976, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2019)
Stats to know: This is the first time in both program histories that they will meet in the NCAA Tournament. Pepperdine won its program’s first NCAA championship at Ohio State in 1978, but in its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance at Ohio State suffered an upset loss to Purdue Fort Wayne in 2007.A Big West team has never lost to a MPSF team since the Big West added men’s volleyball in 2018. In addition, UC Santa Barbara has never lost its opening match in the NCAA Tournament since the event changed to a single-elimination format in 1974.
Lewis (20-2, 12-2 MIVA) vs. Play-in match winner (Penn State or Belmont Abbey)
Match vitals: 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 in Columbus, Ohio
Broadcast: Big Ten Network-Plus (online stream)
Announcers: Luke Wood Maloney and Ben Spurlock
How Lewis reached the NCAA Tournament: Lewis swept Loyola in the MIVA Tournament finals
NCAA Tournament championships: Lewis (2003)
NCAA Tournament record: Lewis (4-7)
NCAA Tournament appearances: Lewis (1996, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019)
Stats to know: The No. 3 seed has advanced to all but one NCAA Tournament finals since the tournament expanded from four teams in 2014. The MIVA champion also has won at least one NCAA Tournament match every season since 2013. Lewis is 1-1 all-time against Penn State in the NCAA Tournament, including beating the Nittany Lions to reach the 2015 NCAA Tournament finals.