ST. PAUL – On the brink of arguably the most exciting month of the year for sports fans, the University of Northwestern men's and women's basketball teams will be vying for an opportunity to participate in March Madness, playing in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament Championships on Saturday. 

The Lady Eagles will square off with their new foe, the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets, at 7 p.m. in what should be an exciting contest, while the men will be playing just across the bridge in Duluth against the College of St. Scholastica. Tip-off in Reif Gymnasium is also set for 7 p.m. Both teams will look for redemption after regular season sweeps were completed by UWS and CSS – who are the No. 1 seed's in the tournament.

Women's Preview
No. 1 UWS vs. No. 2 UNW – 7 p.m. (Superior, Wis.)

The Yellowjackets have reigned superior in their inaugural UMAC run, putting together an unblemished 16-0 league mark, with the Eagles giving UWS two of its toughest tests to date. UNW is playing with a rejuvenated purpose, as junior guard Tiffany Stubbs (Ames, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) returned to the lineup Wednesday night after a seven-game absence. In her return, Stubbs poured in 13 points – including three triples – in 14 minutes of action. Look for Saturday's showdown to go down to the wire in a battle of the top two seeds in the tournament.

Live Video
Live Stats
UMAC Tournament Page

Men's Preview
No. 1 CSS vs. No. 2 UNW – 7 p.m. (Duluth, Minn)

The top-seeded Saints stand in the way of UNW's quest for six-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The two teams played a pair of thrillers during the regular season and Saturday shouldn't be any different. Both teams have posted nearly identical averages in points per game, as the Eagles (80.9) hold a slight upper hand over the Saints (80.1) and rebounds per game. Head Coach Tim Grosz will rely on his veteran lineup and balanced attack to carry the Eagles to their 22nd win of the year.

Live Video
Live Stats
UMAC Tournament Page

Fans can find more information on Saturday's championships at www.unweagles.com.