The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team secured the program’s fourth trip to the Elite Eight with an 82-70 victory over Missouri Southern State University in the NCAA Central Region final Tuesday in Bearcat Arena. Sophomore Ryan Hawkins tallied a game-high 28 points as Northwest improved to 35-0 on the season.

Northwest will travel to Evansville, Indiana, and take part in the NCAA Elite Eight March 27-30. Northwest will be the No. 1 seed and will take on Mercyhurst on Wed., March 27, at 2:30 p.m. in The Ford Center.

Elite Eight seedings and schedule:

1. Northwest Mo. St.
2. West Tex. A&M
3. Queens (NC)
4. Nova Southeastern
5. St. Anselm
6. Point Loma
7. Southern Indiana
8. Mercyhurst

The schedule for Wednesday’s quarterfinals will be:12 p.m.: (4) Nova Southeastern vs. (5) St. Anselm
2:30 p.m.: (1) Northwest Mo. St. vs. (8) Mercyhurst
6 p.m.: (2) West Tex. A&M vs. (7) Southern Ind.
8:30 p.m.: (3) Queens (NC) vs. (6) Point Loma