MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- The No. 14 Bethel Pilots (22-8, 14-4) are hosting the NAIA First and Second Round in the Gates Gymnasium from March 14-15 with Peru State (22-8, 17-7) and Bethel kicking off the Mishawaka Pod on Friday, March 14.

The Pilots face the Peru State Bobcats for the first time in program history. They will come from Peru, Neb., for the first game on Friday, March 14, at 4:30 p.m., with the Morningside Mustangs (24-7, 14-6) playing the Hope International Royals (22-7, 10-4) at 7:00 p.m. to round out the NAIA First Round matchups in the pod. The winners of both games will play on Saturday, March 15, at 3:30 p.m. for the NAIA Second Round.

Bethel makes their third trip to the NAIA National Tournament under the direction of Steve Drabyn since he took over the program in the 2019-20 season.

Last season, the Pilots defeated LSU Alexandria 85-67 in the 2023-24 NAIA First Round, then lost to Central Baptist 79-76 in the Second Round to fall short of advancing to Kansas City.

Previously, in the 2022-23 season, the Pilots fell to Dordt (Iowa), in the pod hosted by Freed-Hardeman, 101-92 in the First Round.

The last time the Pilots made it to the final site was in the 2020-21 season, where they defeated Texas A&M Texarkana 73-69, then defeated University of Providence 85-81 to advance.

In Kansas City for the Round of 16, Bethel upset first-seeded Indiana Wesleyan as a 16-seed 83-77 before being knocked out in the Quarterfinal by the Saint Francis Cougars (ninth seed) 89-81. The Cougars were defeated by the 2021 NAIA Champion Shawnee State in the Semifinal.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION

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Peru State vs Bethel Live Stats

Hope International vs Morningside Live Stats

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