Third-seeded Midland continued to play the role of spoiler, as they upset top-seed Morningside, 89-67, in the title game of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Men’s Basketball Tournament.
It was all Warriors from the opening tip, as they jumped out to a 12-0 lead just over four and a half minutes into the game. The Mustangs battled back, closing to within three, 40-37, with 1:53 left in the first half, but that proved to be as close as they would get the rest of the way.
Midland secures an automatic berth to the NAIA Men’s Division II National Tournament in Point Lookout, Missouri, which runs March 11-17 at Keeter Gymnasium/College of the Ozarks. Morningside garnered the other automatic berth as via a coin flip after finishing as the regular season co-champion with Dakota Wesleyan.
The Warriors will be making the trip to Branson for the third -consecutive season, including finishing as runner-up at last year’s NAIA Men’s Division II National Tournament.
