The 2018-19 HCAC men's basketball regular season has come to a close and the action shifts to tournament play this weekend.
The winner of the six-team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament will earn the conference's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament.
Hanover College (19-6, 14-4 HCAC) captured their third-straight men's basketball regular season conference title.
The Panthers posted a 7-3 record against the five other schools involved in the conference tournament. Transylvania went 6-4 against the field, while Rose-Hulman finished 5-5. Bluffton, Anderson and Franklin each earned a 4-6 mark against the tourney teams.
The top seed Panthers finished the season with an 8-2 record down the stretch. Hanover will take on the winner of Anderson and Bluffton Saturday evening in the HCAC semifinals. The Panthers earned a split against the Ravens and the Beavers during the regular season.
Bluffton (16-8, 11-7 HCAC) enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed and has won five out of its last 10 games heading into tournament play. The Beavers will look to move into the semifinals with a win over No. 5 Anderson on Friday night. Bluffton was swept by the Ravens during the regular season. Anderson (11-14, 10-8 HCAC) also claimed a 5-5 mark down the stretch this season. Bluffton and Anderson will tip at 6 p.m. on Friday night from Collier Arena at Hanover College.
Transylvania (16-9, 13-5 HCAC) earned the No. 2 seed in this weekend's tournament, and the Pioneers finished the regular season with a 7-3 mark. Transy will face the winner of Franklin and Rose-Hulman in the other semifinal game on Saturday night at Hanover. The Pios split with Franklin and swept Rose-Hulman during the regular season.
Rose-Hulman (17-8, 13-5 HCAC) claimed the No. 3 seed and will play No. 6 Franklin Friday night. The Fightin' Engineers won the two contests against the Grizzlies (11-14, 9-9 HCAC) during their regular season series. Entering tournament play, Rose-Hulman and Franklin both finished the regular season with a 7-3 mark down the stretch. Rose-Hulman and Franklin will tip at 8 p.m. on Friday night at Hanover College.
The HCAC tournament championship game will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hanover College's Collier Arena.
Admission to the HCAC Tournament is available for $8 for adults and $5 for senior citizens and non-HCAC affiliated students. Children under 11 and HCAC students, faculty and staff are admitted free with valid campus identification.
