Posted: Mar 11, 2026

RRAC's LSUS, LSUA, TAMUT, and XULA set for NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament

WACO, Texas (March 11, 2026) – The RRAC proudly congratulates the men's basketball teams that have punched their ticket to the opening rounds of the 2026 NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament. Earning their spot are LSU Shreveport, LSU Alexandria, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, and Xavier University of Louisiana. The first and second rounds will take place at various campus sites from March 13-14. Winners will advance to the 88th Annual Men's Basketball Championship from March 19-24 at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

LSU Shreveport - RRAC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions

LSUS, led by RRAC Coach of the Year Kyle Blanckenship, will host the Shreveport Bracket of the Duer Quadrant. The Pilots qualified for nationals after capturing both the RRAC Regular-Season and Post-Season Tournament.

The Pilots posted a 20-2 conference record, and they currently have a 26-5 overall record. Anchoring the team is RRAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year Hayden Brittingham, who has accumulated 222-of-390 field goals, 104-of-181 free throws, 274 rebounds, 89 assists, 51 blocks, 50 steals, and 548 points. The Pilots will also look to RRAC Newcomer of the Year Khi Wallace, who averages 64.5 percent from the field, 56.8 percent from the charity stripe, and 16.1 points/game.

The Pilots have qualified for the national tournament 22 times:

2005-2011 – Round of 32
2012 – Elite Eight
2013, 2018 – Fab Four
2014-2016 – Round of 32
2017 – Round of 16
2019 – First Round
2020 – canceled
2021, 2022, 2023 – Second Round
2024, 2025 – First Round

As the No. 2 seed, the Pilots will face No. 15 Tougaloo College (Miss.) (19-9) on Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. The first game is scheduled for 5 p.m. between No. 7 Morningside University (Iowa) (22-7) and No. 10 Texas Wesleyan University (19-9). The winners will then advance to the Shreveport Bracket Championship game on Saturday, March 14, at 5 p.m.

LSU Alexandria - RRAC Regular-Season and Tournament Runners-Up

LSU Alexandria is participating in the Liston Quadrant. The Generals qualified for nationals after a second-place finish in the regular season and as runner-up in the tournament championship. LSUA posts a 23-8 overall record and is making its 11th appearance at nationals:
2015 – First Round
2016 – Second Round
2017 – Fab Four
2017 – Fab Four Finalist
2019 – Quarterfinalist
2020 – canceled
2021 – First Round
2022 – First Round
2024 – First Round
2025 – Elite Eight

Dimario Jackson is the head coach for the Generals and will rely on the leadership of EJ McQuillan and Jordan Decuir for success at nationals. McQuillan boasts team-leading stats with 187-of-467 field goals, 86-of-223 three pointers, 174-of-210 free throws, 74 assists, and 634 points. Decuir tallies 157-of-373 field goals, 39-of-126 three pointers, 115-of-146 free throws, 109 rebounds, 51 assists, 37 steals, and 468 points.

LSUA will travel to Langston, Okla., for the Langston Bracket as the No. 5 seed. The Generals will play No. 12 Eastern Oregon (21-8) on March 13 at 7 p.m. In the first game of the bracket, No. 4 Langston (24-7), which is hosting the tournament, will face No. 13 Bethel University (Tenn.) (19-12) at 5 p.m. Winners will advance to the second round on March 14 at 6 p.m.

Xavier University of Louisiana - RRAC Tournament Semifinalists

Xavier University of Louisiana received an at-large bid to nationals. The third seed, Gold Rush, lost in the semifinal round of the conference tournament and is now 20-10 overall.

The Gold Rush is part of the Duer Quadrant and will travel to Williamsburg, Ky., for the Williamsburg Bracket. No. 12 XULA will play No. 5 William Carey University (Miss.) on March 13 at 6 p.m. The game is preceded by No. 4 University of the Cumberlands (Tenn.) vs. No. 13 Indiana Tech University at 3 p.m. The winners advance to the Williamsburg Bracket Championship game on Saturday, March 14, at 4 p.m.

XULA is led by Head Coach Alfred Williams and team standouts Bentravin Phillips and Jamal Gibson. Gibson leads the Gold Rush with 64 offensive rebounds, 96 defensive rebounds, 160 total rebounds, and 14.9 points/game. Phillips tops his team with 127-of-306 field goals, 143-of-175 three pointers, 93 assists, and 55 steals.

The Gold Rush has made 24 appearances in nationals:
1972, 2007, 2021, 2022 – Second Round
1973 – Fab Four
1981, 1982, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020 (Canceled), 2023, 2025 – Opening Round

Texas A&M-Texarkana - RRAC Tournament Semifinalists

Also, part of the Duer Quadrant, No. 14 Texas A&M University-Texarkana will head out to Wichita, Kan., for the Wichita Bracket. The Eagles earned an at-large bid after finishing third in the RRAC. TAMUT was the fifth seed in the postseason tournament and reached the semifinal round, where the Eagles lost to LSUS.

The Eagles (20-10) have qualified for their third nationals, last appearing in 2023, where they fell in the Opening Round. In 2021, the Eagles made their first appearance and lost in the opening round. In 2023, they earned an at-large bid after reaching the conference semifinals but lost in the first round.

Head Coach Darion Brown, only in his second year, will lead the No. 14 Eagles to a first-round game against No. 3 Ave Maria University (Fla.) (26-4) on March 13 at 6 p.m. The winner of the game will face the second-game winner at 8 p.m. between No. 6 Friends University (Kan.) (25-6), which hosts the Wichita Bracket, and No. 11 Indiana University Southeast (15-16), at 8 p.m. Both winners advance to the Wichita Bracket Championship game on Saturday, March 14, at 5 p.m.

TAMUT will look to Deovaunta Williams and Daryl Houston for their leadership. Williams goes into nationals with 170-of-440 field goals, 57-of-203 three pointers, 75-of-98 free throws, 133 rebounds, 74 assists, 10 blocks, 67 steals, and 472 points. Houston has posted a 52.6 field-goal percentage and a 57.4 free-throw percentage, and added 244 rebounds, 70 assists, 11 blocks, 58 steals, and 321 points.

For schedules, results, live stats, brackets, tickets, and broadcasts, visit here.