MBB Draws Swarthmore in NCAA First Round

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team will face host Swarthmore College in the first round of the NCAA Championship on Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.

The Mariners (19-9 overall) will make their second NCAA appearance against one of the top teams in the country. Swarthmore (24-3 overall) is making its third NCAA appearance and is ranked sixth in the country in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll. The Garnet, who earned an NCAA bid by winning the Centennial Conference Championship, have won 10 straight games heading into the match-up with the Mariners.

Mitchell earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship by winning the New England Collegiate Conference Championship. The fourth-seeded Mariners defeated sixth-seeded Newbury College by a 77-69 final in the title game to secure the league's automatic bid.

Swarthmore will host the first and second round of the tournament, which begins on Friday at 5:30 p.m. with a contest between Skidmore College (19-7 overall) and No. 7 MIT (22-4 overall). The winners of Friday's first-round games will meet on Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets, which can be purchased online or at the door, will cost $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.