Follow Wingate Men’s Basketball Team At Elite Eight

Wingate, N.C. -- The Wingate University men's basketball team will make its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on Wednesday, March 21, as the Bulldogs journey to Springfield, Mass. to battle California State University, San Bernardino at 2:30 EDT. The contest will be played in the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

CSTV will broadband video stream the quarterfinal games from Springfield. Click here to watch the game live.

Additionally, the two men's Division II Semifinals Games will be aired on CSTV and via broadband streaming.

Finally, CBS will air the men's Division II Finals Game at 1 p.m. Eastern time, Saturday, March 24. This game will also be available via broadband streaming.

On Tuesday night (March 13), Wingate senior forward Shaun Kirkland (Allendale, S.C.) exploded for career-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulldogs defeated number 16 Virginia Union University 73-56 in the championship game of the 2007 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional men's basketball tournament at Augusta State University in Augusta, Ga.

Wingate enters the Elite Eight at 25-8 overall. Cal State San Bernardino is 25-5 overall. Wingate is the first men's basketball team from the South Atlantic Conference to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Prior to 2007, only three other SAC men's basketball teams (Catawba in 1998, Carson-Newman in 2002 and Presbyterian in 2003) had advanced to the Sweet 16.

The Wingate University Sports Network will follow the Bulldogs throughout the Elite Eight. For the third year in a row, Wingate athletic events can be heard at Red Zone Media at the following Internet address: http://www.redzonemedia.com/

On Wednesday, the pre-game show will begin at 2 p.m. The Wingate University Sports Network thanks its sponsors for an outstanding season. The sponsors include Coca Cola, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Holiday Inn Express Matthews, Holloway's Music, Hometown Trophies, Jersey Mike's, Lawrence Chevrolet-Pontiac, Mar-Key Specialized Staffing, Medicap Pharmacy, Ortho Carolina, Petals Plus, Pizza Hut, Quincy's Steakhouse, Sagebrush Steakhouse, Signs Now, Sprint, Subway, Sun Trust Bank, Tire Country and Western Sizzlin.

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution offering students active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, faith nurturing, career development, community service and study abroad.

Wingate offers more than 37 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers pre-professional programs and graduate degrees in business, education, physical education and sport administration.

In the spring of 2007, Wingate University will award its first-ever doctor of pharmacy degrees. Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports.

NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Elite Eight
(All times listed is Eastern Daylight Time)

Wednesday, March 21
Noon: Grand Valley State (29-4) vs. Barton (28-5)
2:30 p.m.: Wingate (25-8) vs. Cal State San Bernardino (25-5) Watch Live Listen Live
6 p.m.: Montevallo (28-5) vs. Central Missouri (30-3)
8:30 p.m.: Bentley (32-0) vs. Winona State (33-0)

Thursday, March 22
6 p.m.: GVSU/Barton winner vs. Wingate/CSUSB winner (Live on CSTV)
8:30 p.m.: Montevallo/Central Missouri winner vs. BC/WSU winner (Live on CSTV)

Saturday, March 24
1 p.m.: Championship game (Live on CBS)