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BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Bruins earn at-large berth to NAIA Division II National Tournament

Bruins earn at-large berth to NAIA Division II National Tournament

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The Bellevue University men's basketball team earned an at-large berth to the 2013 NAIA Men's Basketball Division II National Championship, which will be held on Mar. 6-12 in Point Lookout, Mo. on the campus of College of the Ozarks.

The Bruins (23-10) finished second at the MCAC Tournament and will face Rochester (Mich.) in the first round at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. Rochester earned its first-ever berth into the National Tournament and currently sports a 20-4 record, while also earning an at-large bid.  

Bellevue, the MCAC co-regular season champions, will be making its 14th overall and 11th-straight appearance in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. The Bruins finished second in 2004 and 2008.

Head coach Shane Paben, who is in his fifth season at Bellevue, has guided the Bruins to five-straight NAIA National Tournament appearances. The Bruins reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2011 and 2012, the semifinals in 2010 and the quarterfinals in 2009 in Paben's first season. 

The Bruins tied York College for the MCAC regular season crown, finishing with a 12-4 league record. College of the Ozarks claimed the MCAC Tournament title with a 65-58 win over Bellevue on Feb. 26. 

Bellevue owns a 19-13 all-time record at the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship.