INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University's men's basketball team will be returning to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the third year in a row. The Gothic Knights have been selected to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament for the 21st time in school history and the 19th time as a Division III program. The 64-team bracket was released on February 25. It is the third consecutive year NJCU has reached the field as an at-large Pool C bid.
 
NJCU (20-7) will be making NCAA Tournament appearances in three consecutive seasons for the first time since being selected five straight years from 1994-95 to 1998-99. It's the 12th time in program history the Gothic Knights have qualified in back-to-back years and marks the third time in school history the program has reached the NCAA Tournament in three or more consecutive years (1977-78 to 1979-80).
 
NJCU will head 494 miles southwest to Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio for a four-team pod on Friday, March 1 and Saturday March 2 at Ban Johnson Arena. NJCU will face Arcadia University (22-5) of Glenside, Pa. in the NCAA first round while host Marietta (20-6) meet a 21-7 Maryville College (Tenn.) squad. Game times and ticket information is TBD.
 
After facing the Liberty League champion in the last two years, the Gothic Knights will face a different league champion and another set of Knights when NJCU meets Arcadia, winners of the Middle Atlantic Commonwealth Conference. It will be the 41st NCAA game in program history.
 
It will be only the second-ever meeting between the programs. NJCU defeated Arcadia on December 30, 2003 on a neutral court (80-70) in the consolation game of the 2003 Weenie Miller/Hampden-Sydney College Memorial Holiday Hoops Tournament in Hampden-Sydney, Va.
 
Marietta, which lost in the Ohio Athletic Conference Quarterfinals on February 19, received another of the 20 at-large bids available. The Pioneers hosts Maryville; the Scots won the USA South Tournament championship to claim the program's 20th bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Should NJCU advance out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since reaching the Sweet 16 in 2004, the Gothic Knights will meet the Marietta/Maryville winner on Saturday, March 2 in the NCAA Second Round with a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 at stake.
 
Marietta is 13-2 at home this year. NJCU has played Marietta just once in its history when they Jersey City State lost to the Pioneers on December 28, 1991 in the consolation game of the Marietta College Tournament by a 99-81 count. The tournament marked the only time NJCU has ever played in Marietta, Ohio (0-2). Interestingly, it was the final loss before the Knights won 20 consecutive games that season en route to a 27-5 record and a berth in the NCAA Final Four.
 
NJCU and Maryville, two of the programs that have made the most appearances in the NCAA Tournament, have never met. Maryville has won back-to-back USA South titles and has won six consecutive games. The Scots are 5-0 on a neutral court this year.
 
Check back for further updates, NCAA Tournament history, game times, live coverage and ticket information.