ST. PETER, Minn. – Gustavus claimed its eleventh Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Men's Basketball Playoff title on Saturday night with a 75-66 victory over No. 2 Saint John's in St. Peter.
| Box Score |
Gustavus now heads to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament as the automatic qualifier from the MIAC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Gusties battled back from a 12-point second-half deficit, taking the lead for good with seven-and-a-half minutes to play.
-Gustavus was led by a 29-point effort from guard Myles Barnette. Barnette shot lights out, going 14-for-17 (82.4 percent) from the floor in the win.
-Saint John's guard Peyton Podany scored 26 points to lead the Johnnies. Twelve of his 26 points came from beyond the arc.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
-With the victory, Gustavus earned the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This is the 15th time in program history that the Gusties will head to the national tournament.
-The Playoff title is the eleventh for the Gusties, and the program's second in the last three seasons.
-Gustavus is two playoff titles shy of the most in MIAC men's basketball history, trailing only St. Thomas (13).
CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL
Official playoff team-champion apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop, powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament.
NPI OUTLOOK
-The NCAA Power Index (NPI) is used to select the 21 at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Tournament after the 43 automatic qualifiers have been determined on March 1.
-The most recent NPI rankings on February 28, 2026, listed Gustavus at No. 13. No other MIAC program cracked the top 80. Last season's NPI cut line was 37.
UP NEXT
-The 64-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship tournament will be revealed during the NCAA.com annual selection show on Monday, March 2, at noon Central time.
-The opening rounds of the national tournament are scheduled for Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7. Sectionals will be played the following weekend, with the national quarterfinals and semifinals scheduled for March 19-21 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The national championship will be played on Sunday, April 5, in Indianapolis.
-The MIAC will announce its annual men's basketball awards, including All-Conference, All-Playoff, and individual honors, on Tuesday, March 3, at 2:00 p.m. Central time.
2026 MIAC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026
No. 6 Augsburg 69, No. 3 St. Olaf 68 | Box Score |
No. 4 Concordia 74, No. 5 Carleton 52 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026
No. 2 Saint John's 75, No. 4 Concordia 68 | Box Score |
No. 1 Gustavus 84, No. 6 Augsburg 68 | Box Score |
Championship | Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
No. 1 Gustavus 75, No. 2 Saint John's 66 | Box Score |