Just two teams are still dancing in the 2026 DII men's basketball championship, and one of them is quite surprising. The Cinderella Lander Bearcats did the unthinkable and took down defending champion Nova Southeastern in the semifinals to face Gannon on Sunday, April 5.
🏆THE TOURNAMENT, SO FAR: Bracket, scores, history
Here's a breakdown of both teams, as well as a prediction for the big game.
Lander vs. Gannon: How to watch
The DII men's basketball championship is part of a big weekend in Indianapolis. Lander and Gannon will be joining a loaded March Madness weekend, playing the championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in between the Division I Final Four and the DI national championship game. The DII men's basketball national championship will be decided on Sunday, April 5, at 1 p.m. ET. You can catch the action on CBS Sports.
The final two, by the numbers
| Team | Scoring offense | scoring defense | Rebounds | Assists | Points off TOs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gannon | 95.4 | 73.0 | 42.9 | 18.4 | 27.3 |
| Lander | 80.8 | 69.7 | 37.1 | 15.7 | 15.1 |
Lander vs. Gannon, previewed
A quick look at the above numbers will show a lopsided advantage for Gannon... on paper. Lander has been the underdog before, and we've seen how the Bearcats responded. Lander was the No. 2 seed in the Southeast and snuck by Lincoln Memorial by five points, and then defeated Columbus State by eight. The Bearcats put up an utterly dominating performance in the Southeast Region finals, defeating Lenoir-Rhyne by 24 points. The Bears were the No. 7 scoring offense in DII men's basketball, and Lander held them 27 points below their season average. This was a precursor of things to come.
The defense has been relentless, smothering opponents and taking down two stacked offenses since entering the DII Men's Elite Eight. After defeating Daemen, the Bearcats hardly trailed against Nova Southeastern, leading for 80 percent of the game. More than half of the eight minutes they didn't lead was a tie ball game. The Sharks attack by not allowing their opponents to find their rhythm and by running them out of the gym in a high-paced system, but it was Lander that flipped the script and never let Nova Southeastern settle in. Greyson Pritzl has been a spark this tournament, averaging 21.2 points per game after averaging roughly 13 for the season. He has been deadly from 3, going 22-for-47, with each shot being bigger than the last. This is a total team effort, though, and freshman sensation Jacob Daniels has also been on fire, while Dylan Conoville had arguably his best game of the season against Nova Southeastern.
Gannon is an equally intriguing story. Three years ago, the Golden Knights weren't even part of the conversation, a three-win team that didn't even sniff tournament season. Three seasons later, they have piled up 92 wins, two PSAC tournament championships, and are in their second DII Men's Elite Eight in three years, this time playing for their first national championship.
Just how good could Gannon be? Earlier this year, the Golden Knights were . That's largely because they are Northeast Nova Southeastern. Former Jim Crutchfield assistant Jordan Fee brought the Shark attack with him three years ago, and current head coach Easton Bazzoli has kept it going. Gannon is No. 3 in DII in scoring offense, No. 8 in assists, No. 1 in offensive rebounds, No. 3 in total rebounds, No. 1 in turnovers forced per game, and No. 2 in turnover margin.
Minus its fourth bout with PSAC rival Indiana (PA) in the Atlantic Region championship game, Gannon has had a smooth ride to the finals. The Golden Knights have won their games by 25 points, 16 points, seven points (against IUP), 26 points, and 18 points. Some of these games have seen a slower start from the Golden Knights, but they have such depth that they just keep it going. Five players score in double figures in their relentless attack, led by player-of-the-year candidate Pace Prosser, who scores 18.3 points per game, is second on the team in rebounds, tied for the team lead in assists, and leads the team in steals as one of five players with more than 55 steals on the team.
The DII men's basketball championship, predicted
I am very rarely at a loss for words, but this one has me stumped. Lander is on the biggest stage for the first time, and Gannon, just the second. However, the last time the Golden Knights were here, their head coach wasn't even born, so it may as well be their first time.
On paper, this is Gannon's ball game to lose. However, we have seen that Lander has the secret recipe to success against high-octane offenses. If this were a normal DII Men's Elite Eight, where they play five games in three days, it would be an easier pick; it would seem, as is with most Cinderellas, that the steam would run out for Lander. But this is different. Both teams have had a week to rest and adjust.
That said, I still think Gannon has the firepower to win this ball game. Lander will make it tough for the Golden Knights to get going, but that has happened a couple of times this tournament. Bazzoli has made some nice adjustments, and Gannon has delivered. It will be close, but Gannon should win its first natty.
Final score: Gannon 83, Lander 78
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