CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho men's basketball team is set to host the opening rounds of the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship on March 14-15 at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The Yotes will welcome three visiting teams to Caldwell as they begin their quest for another deep postseason run.
The Yotes received the top overall seed in the tournament and will face No. 16 UC Merced in the Naismith Bracket on Friday, March 14, at 7 p.m. The other first-round matchup will feature Friends (Kan.) taking on Florida Memorial at 5 p.m. The winners will advance to the regional championship game on Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m., with the title of regional champion and a spot at the NAIA final site in Kansas City on the line.
College of Idaho secured its sixth consecutive championship berth after claiming the Cascade Collegiate Conference's regular-season title at Warner Pacific in February and following it up with a CCC Tournament championship. The Yotes defeated Bushnell, Southern Oregon, and Lewis-Clark State en route to the title.
Since head coach Colby Blaine took over the program, the Yotes have made an Elite Eight appearance, two Fab Four finishes, and captured the 2022-23 NAIA National Championship. In 2020, they entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed before the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the following year, the championship was not held.
The Yotes will look to continue etching their names into the history books as the postseason progresses.
