A busy week for Coach Grey Giovanine's Augustana basketball team ended on a high note Monday, when the program earned its 16th NCAA Division III Tournament bid. The 19-8 Vikings will face a familiar foe when it opens NCAA play in Whitewater, Wisconsin on Friday, March 3. Defending national champion St. Thomas (19-7) will be Augustana's first round opponent, with the winner taking on the UW-Whitewater (21-6) versus Northwestern (20-7) winner on Saturday, March 4.
 
The Vikings and Tommies will be meeting in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in seven years. St. Thomas won a quarterfinal battle at Carver Center 72-56 in 2011 on its way to a national title. In 2014, in a UW-Whitewater pod with the same four participants as this year's, Augustana defeated the Tommies 88-77. Last year, in another quarterfinal matchup, it was again St. Thomas coming away victorious 86-76 on its way to another national crown.
 
The Vikings will be making their fourth consecutive Division III Tournament appearance. The last time that happened was from 1980-83. Augustana is 34-16 all-time in 15 previous appearances, with five final four trips and three second-place national finishes. Interestingly, the Vikings have been eliminated by the eventual national champion 11 times, including each of their last five appearances (2008, '11, '14, '15, '16).