The hard part is over. Soon, the wait will be as well.

On Wednesday night, the NAIA will unveil the pairings for the Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship. Pikeville secured its spot in the event by qualifying for Sunday’s championship game of the Mid-South Conference tournament.

The University of Pikeville is inviting the public to watch the selection show live with us on Wednesday night. The Watch Party will take place beginning at 8 p.m. in Booth Auditorium in Record Memorial Building on the main campus for the selection show to reveal the 32-team bracket for the 76th annual Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship, as well as the 33rd annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship. The televised event is scheduled to begin with the women's bracket at approximately 8 p.m. (EST) with the men's following at approximately 8:15 p.m. 

The Bears will enter the tournament with a record of 26-6, the owner of one of the league’s two automatic bids. One of those went to Lindsey Wilson College, which beat the Bears 77-73 in overtime on Sunday. Because Lindsey was also the regular-season champion, Pikeville – as tournament runner-up – receives the second bid.

Pikeville will be returning to the tournament and to Memorial Coliseum for the first time since winning the 2011 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship on March 22 with an 83-76 win in overtime over Mountain State University.

Head Coach Kelly Wells is excited to see fans of the Bears on Wednesday.

“This celebration got us off on the right foot two years ago,” he said. “We hope to see all our students and fans in Booth Auditorium as we prepare for the 2013 national tournament. We invite everyone who is able to be there to help us celebrate another trip to Kansas City.”