The NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament selection committee finally showed a little love to Cabrini College and the Colonial States Athletic Conference.
The Cavaliers will be at home for the opening weekend of the D-III Tournament and the CSAC received two bids to the small college version of the Big Dance. League runnerup Gwynedd-Mercy received an at-large bid, or Pool C as it is known in Division III circles, to the tournament.
It is Cabrini's second straight trip to the D-III tourney and 11th in program history. The Cavaliers qualified by winning the CSAC title for the second year in a row.
The Cavaliers (22-5) will host NJAC champion New Jersey City (19-9) in the second game of a doubleheader Friday night at the Dixon Center. Tipoff is 8 p.m. Skyline Conference champion SUNY-Purchase (23-4) takes on Empire Eight champ Hartwick (17-10) in the opener at 5:30. The winners play Saturday night (7 o'clock) to advance to the Sweet 16.
New Jersey City won the NJAC title for a record 12th time. This is the Gothic Knights' 18th trip to the Division III Tournament and first since 2004-05. NJCU has won 16 of its last 19 games after a 3-6 start.