By: Jeff Evans, Director of Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – March Madness is coming to Bellingham and Carver Gymnasium.
Western Washington University and the city of Bellingham welcomes 12 teams to town this week for the 2023 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Championships. The three-day, 10-game tournament will run Thursday-Saturday (March 2-4) with all games played on WECU Court in Carver Gym in the heart of the WWU campus.
This marks the second time Carver Gym has hosted the tournament and first time since 2019. The top six teams in both the men's and women's standings at the end of the regular season qualified for the GNAC Championships. The 2023 edition of the tournament will feature the men's games first, with games at noon and 2:15 pm Thursday and Friday, and women's games at 5:15 pm and 7:30 pm. Championship Saturday will feature the men's title game at 5:00 pm and the women's game at 7:30 pm, with the winner of each tournament earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championships.
Tickets and tournament passes can be purchased online at GNACtickets.com with free parking available in the 12 A/G Lot off South College Drive. A free shuttle service will be provided to deliver fans directly to the front doors at Carver Gym.
The nationally ranked WWU women's basketball team is the No. 1 seed in the women's bracket following a 22-3 overall mark and 16-2 GNAC record during the regular season to win the regular-season title for the second consecutive season. The Vikings are ranked No. 2 in the West Region and are looking to repeat last season's postseason success that led to a trip to the national title game.
The men's bracket features two-time defending regular-season champion Saint Martin's as the No. 1 seed and Montana State Billings as the No. 2 seed. The No. 1 and No. 2 seed in each bracket earned a quarterfinal bye.
All games during the GNAC Championships will steam live (and free) on YouTube via GNAC.tv. Shawn Walli and Robert Lowery are back in the broadcast booth calling all the action courtside from carver Gym. Live stats are also available with direct links available at GNACSports.com.
Here are links to bookmark to help follow the GNAC Basketball Championships:
GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the schedule for the 2023 GNAC Women's Basketball Championships that will be held over three days, March 2-4, on WECU Court in Carver Gym in Bellingham. Women's games will be played at 5:15 and 7:30 pm Thursday (March 2) and Friday (March 3), with the championship game at 7:30 pm on Saturday (March 4). Tickets can be purchased at GNACTickets.com with more info available at GNACSports.com.
Quarterfinals (March 2)
- Game 1: 12:00 pm - Men's Quarterfinal #3 Seattle Pacific vs. #6 Northwest Nazarene
- Game 2: 2:15 pm - Men's Quarterfinal #4 Central Washington vs. #5 Western Oregon
- Game 3: 5:15 pm - Women's Quarterfinal #3 Central Washington vs. #6 Simon Fraser
- Game 4: 7:30 pm - Women's Quarterfinal #4 Alaska Anchorage vs. #5 Seattle Pacific
Semifinals (March 3)
- Game 5: 12:00 pm - Men's Semifinal 3/6 winner vs. #2 Montana State Billings
- Game 6: 2:15 pm - Men's Semifinal 4/5 winner vs. #1 Saint Martin's
- Game 7: 5:15 pm - Women's Semifinal 3/6 winner vs. #2 Montana State Billings
- Game 8: 7:30 pm - Women's Semifinal 4/5 winner vs. #1 Western Washington
Championship Games (March 4)
- Game 9: 5:00 pm - Men's Championship Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
- Game 10: 7:30 pm - Women's Championship Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8
Fans are advised park in the 12 G lot (also labeled 12 A in places) off South College Drive as you enter the WWU campus from the South. A free shuttle will be provided for fans to be dropped off at the front of Carver Gymnasium. All signage around the lots are labeled 12 G with a recent change (WWU Parking Map).
Tickets will be sold at the Carver Gym Box Office opening one hour prior to the first game each day (11 am Thursday and Friday, 4 pm Saturday). Advance session passes and tournament passes can be purchased online at GNACtickets.com.
FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE ONLINE
For fans that can't make the games in person, a free webcast and live statistical updates will be provided free of charge. The webcast will stream live in HD on YouTube, accessible by searching "GNAC Sports" on your smart TV.
The top six teams in the GNAC standings at the end of the regular season advance to the GNAC Championships. The top two seeds earn byes to the semifinal round. The quarterfinal round will match the Nos. 3 and 6 seeds in one game and the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the other game. Quarterfinal winners will advance to Friday's semifinals. Semifinal winners will meet on Saturday for the championship. The winners of the GNAC Championships will automatically qualify for their respective NCAA Division II Championships events.
All results and game statistics will be posted on GNACSports.com following the completion of each game. Assistant Commissioner for Communications Blake Timm will serve as the media coordinator for the tournament and can be reached via email at btimm@gnacsports.com with any media inquires.
