Pikeville, KY -  The gym echoes with the sound of basketball's hitting the floor as Head Coach Clifton Williams prepares his team for their NAIA Tournament appearance this weekend against Indiana Tech.

The Bears make their first appearance since 2018-19 on Friday night at Summers Gymnasium in Dayton, Tenn. The Duer Quadrant matchup places the No. 12 seed Bears against the No. 5 seed Warriors and the game will be the first ever contest between the two teams.

The Bears

After spending part of their season receiving votes in the national poll, the Bears have put together a season track record that includes wins against four nationally ranked teams. The squad has seen several players step into their roles this season and when it all comes together, can compete with anybody in the country. Led by one of the best players in the NAIA, Morgan Stamper, the Bears have built a reputation of being a hard-nosed unit that fights on the interior.

Stamper, who recently nabbed First Team All-MSC honors, is an unstoppable force on the hardwood. The sophomore is currently tied for fourth in the country with 12.2 rebounds per game and her 6.5 offensive rebounds per game is the best in the nation. Averaging 13.5 points per game and shooting an efficient 47% from the floor makes the Ashland, KY native an all-around threat capable of taking over any game.

The other half of the Bears' one-two punch is Mary Englert who leads the team with 450 points scored this season. The Ohioan averages 14.5 points per game, averaging just under 32 minutes per contest. Englert is also the distributor, dishing out a team-high 93 assists which is top-10 in the MSC.

Weapons extend beyond Englert and Stamper, including Sierra Feltner who was named MSC Honorable Mention at the end of the regular season. Feltner is a jack-of-all trades, quick guard with a toughness that wears on opponents. The Kentucky native averages right at 10 points per game, is second on the team in assists (76) and second in steals (33). Bailey Frazier also averages 10 points a game and is a defensive guru, rejecting a team-best 26 shots this season.

The Warriors

Indiana Tech is coming off their fourth straight WHAC title with Head Coach Jessie Biggs winning Coach of the Year. The Warriors come in with a record of 30-2 (19-1 WHAC) and are currently in the midst of a 14-game win streak.

In contrast to the Bears, Indiana Tech is a quick, shooting-centric team. Indiana Tech have outscored their opponents by an average of 23.5 points per game and shoot 46% from the floor. UPIKE will look to their MSC-tough play style to stifle the Warriors' attack.

Leading scorer Emma Tuominen averages 15 points per game and comes fresh off winning WHAC Co-Player of the year honors. The graduate student is also second on the team with 7.7 points per game and leads the team with a 56% shooting percentage. Kyra Whitaker is the next leading scorer at 13.1 points per game, while 5-11 Erika Fox mans the post and averages 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds per game.

Friday

The NAIA Opening Round on the campus of Bryan College starts with No. 1 seed Bryan College taking on the No.4 seed Webber International Warriors at 6:00 PM. UPIKE will follow up at 8:00 PM in their matchup with Indiana Tech. Ticket and parking can be found on the Bryan College website's Tournament Central Page. Live streams will be available for free here, and live stats can be found here.