DAYTON, OH - The Prairie View A&M Panthers men's basketball will take center stage on Wednesday evening as they face the Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's basketball in the First Four of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton.

Tipoff is set for 6:40 p.m. EST (5:40 p.m. CT), with the game airing nationally on truTV.

Wednesday's contest features a No. 16 vs. No. 16 matchup and marks the first ever meeting between the two programs. Prairie View A&M enters with an 18-17 overall record (9-9 SWAC), while Lehigh comes in at 18-16 overall (11-7 Patriot League).

Panthers Riding Momentum into March

Prairie View A&M heads into Dayton as one of the hottest teams in the field, winning seven straight games, including a 72-66 victory over Southern U. to capture the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament title. Entering the tournament as the No. 8 seed, the Panthers made a remarkable run to secure the automatic bid.

This appearance marks the third NCAA Tournament berth in program history and continues a resurgent stretch for the Panthers on the national stage.

The Panthers are powered by a dynamic offensive unit led by first-team All-SWAC, SWAC Tournament MVP and All-SWAC Tournament selection Dontae Horne, who averages 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

He is joined by second-team All-SWAC honoree Tai'Reon Joseph, who contributes 18.2 points per contest. Additional scoring comes from Cory Wells (13.1 ppg) and SWAC All-Tournament team selection Lance Williams (10.1 ppg), giving Prairie View A&M four players averaging double figures.

Scouting Lehigh
Lehigh returns to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history and the third under head coach Brett Reed. The Mountain Hawks secured their bid by winning the Patriot League Championship with a 74-60 victory over Boston University in front of a packed home crowd.

Nasir Whitlock led the charge in the title game, finishing with 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds to earn Tournament MVP honors.
Lehigh features a balanced attack with multiple contributors, including:

• Joshua Ingram – 15 points, six rebounds, three three-pointers in the title game
• Edouard Benoit – 15 points, seven rebounds
• Hank Alvey – 14 points, nine rebounds

Both Ingram and Alvey earned All-Tournament Team honors.

What's at Stake
The winner of Wednesday's First Four matchup will advance to face No. 1 seed Florida Gators men's basketball on Friday in Tampa, with tipoff scheduled for 9:25 p.m. EST.

National Stage Awaits
With momentum, scoring depth, and championship confidence, Prairie View A&M enters the First Four ready to compete on college basketball's biggest stage. The Panthers will look to carry their late-season surge into Dayton as they aim to make history in the NCAA Tournament.

Fans can follow along with live coverage on truTV and stay connected through Prairie View A&M Athletics social media platforms for updates throughout the tournament.