NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - The Wichita, Kan. host site for the NAIA Opening Round features two nationally ranked teams and a team receiving votes. Saint Francis is the highest ranked team headed to Wichita finishing at 16th in the last NAIA poll. The Threshers finished the season ranked 20th in the NAIA poll. Briar Cliff finished the season receiving votes. Here is a breakdown of the four teams competing in the Wichita, Kan. pod.

#4 St. Francis Cougars

The Cougars are 23-8 overall, 13-6 in the Crossroads League. St. Francis opened up the 2021-22 campaign winning their first ten contest before losing four straight in to start December. After following up their four game skid with a nine game winning streak, the Cougars rode a three game winning streak headed into the Crossroads League tournament. USF droped their first round matchup with Huntington 80-74. USF averages 84.2 ppg on 47.1% shooting from the field and 37.4% from three point range. The Cougars average 36.3 rebounds and 14.8 assists per game. St. Francis has two players averaging 20+ points this season led by 5'8 junior guard Antwaan Cushingberry at 22.2 ppg on 47% shooting. David Ejah, a 6'7 sophomore forward, averages 20.2 ppg on 54% shooting including 43% from three. The Cougars have two other players averaging double-digits who have hovered right around the 10.5 points per game mark. Dan Mckeeman, a 6'0 junior guard, shoots 75% of his shots outside the three point line, averages 10.6 points per game. While Jalan Mull, a 6'0 junior guard, is the exact opposite with nearly 70% of his shots coming inside the arc. Ejah leads the Cougars on the glass pulling in 268 up to this point in the season, 120 more than the closest Cougar. Cushingberry (142) and Mull(106) are the only two Cougars with over 100 assists on the season. The Cougars will matchup with Northwestern (IA) on Friday at 6:00 PM.

#13 Northwestern Red Raiders

The Red Raiders are 21-10 overall, 13-7 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The Red Raiders opened up their 2021-22 campaign winning seven straight as they entered conference play. Northwestern rode a three game winning streak heading into the GPAC Tournament Quarterfinals where they fell 64-61 to Doane at home after knocking off the Tigers in their two conference matchups. NWC averages 79.0 ppg on 51.1% shooting from the floor and 39.3% from three point range. The Red Raiders average 35.1 rebounds and 16.8 assists per contest. Northwestern has three players that average double-digit scoring led by forward Alex Van Kalsbeek. Van Kalsbeek, a 6'6 sophomore, averages 22.5 ppg while shooting nearly 65% from the floor. Trent Hillbrands, a 6'0 senior guard, is the Red Raiders second leading scorer averaging 18.3 ppg while shooting 44.3% from the field and 40.5% from three point range. Matt Onken is the final Red Raider averaging double-digits at 11.4 ppg. Onken, a 6'5 sophomore forward shoots 55.6% from the field and 35% from three point range. Van Kalsbeek leads NWC in rebounding pulling in 8.0 per contest. Grant DeMeulenaere, a 6-1 senior, leads the Red Raiders with 3.9 assists per game with Van Kalsbeek right behind him with 3.6 per contest. The Red Raiders will face off with St. Francis on Friday at 6:00 PM.

#5 Bethel Threshers

The Threshers are 26-7 overall, 19-5 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Threshers strung together a 13 game winning streak following a two point loss at home to #9 Oklahoma Wesleyan. During the Threshers 13 game winning streak, they knocked off the #4 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles on the road. BC rode a five game winning streak entering the KCAC Postseason Tournament. In the tournament, the Threshers knocked off McPherson and Southwestern at home before taking on the Eagles for the third time. #3 OKWU got the best of the Threshers once again as they won the KCAC Tournament with an 81-68 victory. Bethel averages 79.5 ppg while shooting 44.7% from the field and 35.3% from three point range. The Threshers average 38.2 rebounds and 14.3 assists per contest. Bethel is led in nearly every category by 6'5 senior guard Jaylon Scott. Scott averages 18.9 ppg on 44.2% shooting. The Threshers next highest scorer is 6'1 senior guard Clifford Byrd II averaging 13.7 ppg while shooting 50.3% from the field and 33.3% from three point range. Bryant Mocaby, a 6'5 senior forward, averages 11.9 points per game on 43.9% from the floor and 40.1% from three point range. Scott leads the Threshers with 365 rebounds, the second highest total across the country. Scott has amassed 190 assists this season averaging 5.8 per contest, also the second most across the country. Byrd II leads Bethel in steals with 89, the second highest total in the country. The Threshers will square off with Briar Cliff on Friday in the late session. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 PM in the Garvey Center.

#12 Briar Cliff Chargers

The Chargers are 19-11 overall, 15-5 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. After stringing together a 9 game winning streak through the middle of their season, the Chargers were on a two game losing streak heading into the GPAC Tournament where they lost by 8 points to Dakota Wesleyan 85-77. Briar Cliff averages 74.0 points per game on 49.6% shooting from the field and 47.0 from three point range. The Chargers average 28.2 rebounds and 13.2 assists per contest. Briar Cliff is led in scoring by a pair of 12.5 ppg performers. Kyle Boerhave, a 6'6 senior forward, shoots nearly 60% from the floor. Jaden Kleinhesselink, a 6'2 senior guard, shoots 48.7% from the field and 43.3% from three point range. Quinn Vesey(11.7), a 6'1 junior guard and Conner Groves(10.6), a 6'1 junior guard, both average double-figures for the Chargers as well. Boerhave leads BCU with 159 rebounds averaging 5.3 per game. Quinten Vasa, a 6'7 forward, leads the Chargers in assists with 67. The Chargers will face off with Bethel at 8:00 PM in Wichita, Kan.

Tickets for both NAIA Men's Basketball Opening Round contests can be found HERE.

Live streams will be available for purchase ($9.99) on the KCAC Network.