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Loyola, Xavier basketball teams punch tickets back to NAIA Tournament

The 64-team national brackets for both men's and women's championship tournaments were announced on Thursday night.

NEW ORLEANS — Three local men's and women's college basketball teams received official invitations to the 2024 NAIA National Championship Tournament beginning next week.

Loyola University New Orleans hosted a watch party for the Wolf Pack as both teams were selected.

The Wolf Pack are no stranger to the NAIA Tournament, with the men earning an automatic berth after winning a Southern States Athletic Conference-record four games in four days to claim their third straight conference championship tournament. 

The men, who lost in the first round of last year, are just two years removed from winning the national title in 2022.

The 16-seed Pack (14-17) will face off against No. 1 seed Freed-Hardeman (26-4) next Friday for the first round of the tournament.

"We're really excited about the opportunity," said second-year men's head coach Donald Reyes. "Truthfully, it didn't matter where we go. We'll be ready to go."

As for the 6-seed women (24-4), the Pack enjoys homecourt advantage as the tournament's opening two rounds in the four-team bracket will be held in 'The Den' at Loyola, where they are 12-1 this season.

The Pack draws No. 11 Southeastern (Fla.) in the first round. Loyola defeated SEU 55-53 in November.

"At this point in time, it's who's playing well and what your matchups look like and who's playing the best," said Coach Kellie Kennedy, who has guided the Pack to three consecutive SSAC regular-season titles and three conference tournament championships in four years. "So, you know, we just got to go out there and prove it, really."

Across town in Mid-City, Coach Bo Browder earned his 18th postseason invite in 25 years with the selection of the Xavier Gold Nuggets (25-6) in the women's bracket.

XULA earned the Red River Athletic Conference's second of two automatic bids based on its position in the Southwest Area Ranking Committee.

The Gold Nuggets will play bracket host and No. 3 seed John Brown (28-3) in Siloam Springs, Ark.

John Brown defeated Xavier's cross-town rival Loyola in the first round of the NAIA Tournament last year.

"I'm always excited about playing in March," Coach Browder told WWL Louisiana. "A lot of teams are at home in March, and I get an opportunity to play in March is very special. I'm excited about it. 18 years. You know, it feels like day one."

Watch the complete interviews below:

Donald Reyes, Loyola men's head coach

Kellie Kennedy, Loyola women's head coach

Bo Browder, Xavier women's head coach

The women's finals will be held in Sioux City, Iowa on March 22, while the men's finals will be held in Kansas City on March 26.

See the complete men's bracket here.

See the complete women's bracket here.

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