Neumann University Heads To Ohio For D3 NCAA Tourney Opener

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- For the first time in program history the Neumann University men's basketball team is headed to the NCAA Division III NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. In the first round they will visit Alliance, Ohio, to take on the Mount Union Purple Raiders on Friday.

The Knights punched their ticket to the dance by winning the Colonial States Athletic Conference title game at Cabrini on Friday night, 93-92, in overtime.

"Our guys are extremely excited," Neumann head coach Jim Rullo tells KYW Newsradio. "Obviously Cabrini, what they've done over the last five years (five straight CSAC championships), is something to be extremely proud of. Tremendous program. For us to be able to go into an environment like that and to come out with a one-point win in overtime says a lot about the character of our players."

Listen to the entire interview with Neumann's Jim Rullo

Neumann brings a 17-10 record into this year's tournament and Rullo says breaking into the field for the first time in program history really is something special.

"I think first and foremost it validates what we do day in and day out," Rullo says. "I think as a coach you're always trying to let your players know that what you're doing, there is a method behind the madness. For us to kind of see that and the fruits of our labor, it speaks volumes for what we do, day in and day out. Just overall, we're just extremely excited for our players, for what they've done and what they've accomplished. It's about the experience and for them to enjoy the ride."

Neumann features a balanced attack which is led by sophomore guard DeShawn Lowman and his 14.3 points per game average. Sophomore forward James Butler adds 13.4 points per game and Butler is coming off a dominant performance in that CSAC title game as he led the way for the Knights with 31 points and 13 rebounds.

Mount Union is probably best known for its dominant college football program, but they can hoop it up as well. The Purple Raiders are 22-6 and champions of the Ohio Athletic Conference.

"Very, very good three-point shooting team," Rullo says. "Almost 40% of their total shots are from three. They have (four) individuals that are averaging double-digits. They like to score the ball, getting into the upper-eighties, low-nineties. They try to spread you out and they have a real good point guard, they try to penetrate and drive and if you help too much then you're going to get burned in the corners. But I think we'll have some success scoring the basketball against them. I think defensively there is some opportunity. But it's on their home court, and we're going to have to be prepared and we're going to have to be ready and focused to do what we do well. And I think what we do pretty well is we guard. So we're going to have to be on-point from that aspect."

The winner of the Neumann/Mount Union game gets the winner of Calvin and Oswego St. in the second round on Saturday.

Neumann and Mount Union will tip at 7:30pm on Friday.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.