MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- The 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament Final Site is always a competitive atmosphere, but this year's final site field holds a 432-86 overall record, which equates to an 83.4% win percentage as teams arrive to Kansas City this week.

The No. 14 Bethel Pilots (24-8, 14-4) advance further into the Liston Bracket and face the No. 2 LSU-Alexandria Generals in the Municipal Auditorium Friday, March 21 at 6 p.m. est. on the NAIA Network, Urban Edge Network and 91.1 FM The Globe with the voice of the Pilots Paul Condry.


SCOUTING LSU-ALEXANDRIA

The Generals landed second in the NAIA after the final Coaches Poll on March 5 and advanced out of their own First and Second Round pod of Nelson (Tex.), Middle Georgia State, and Stillman (Ala.). In the final ARC rankings, LSU-Alexandria is first in the Southwest Region, compared to the Pilots who are sixth in the Great Lakes / South Region.

The regular season saw only one NAIA Top-25 opponent in the No. 20 Our Lady of the Lake in a road win in San Antonio, Tex. on Dec. 21 but would not face any other ranked opponents until facing the No. 14 Pilots in KC.

The Generals outscored their opponents 83.6 to 69.7 this season and hold a team shooting percentage of 44% from the floor and 34% from beyond the arc, LSU-A holds a 67% Free Throw percentage. The Pilots compare with a team 48% shooting percentage from the floor, 35% from deep, and 66% from the charity stripe.

LSU-A holds the slight rebounding advantage averaging 41 per game to the Pilots 37.9; off the offensive glass, the Generals average 14.9 per game to the Pilots 12.3. 

The most common starting five is a typical guard and big mix with fifth-year senior Brayden Thompson being the tallest at 6-8 and Kaleb Pouncy at 6-7, but the average height of the players that see the court is 6-3.

Natt Kashie is the leading scorer with 20 points per game and hitting 48% of his shots and 32% from distance and played in all 32 games for the Generals, while EJ McQuillan averages 12.5 on 40% shooting from the floor. Abney Jakemin is the top three shooter at 42%.


For more information about Bethel Pilots Athletics, check out bupilots.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube by searching @bupilots or using the hashtag #AnchorUp for updates on all 28 Bethel Pilots sports.