Bracket Watch: Semifinal win puts LIU in. Tennessee State qualifies for the first time in 32 years - WTOP News
The first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament came a little bit early. Long Island University claimed the Northeast Conference's berth by beating Wagner in the semifinals of that league tournament Saturday. The Sharks will play in the NEC men's title game Tuesday night, but their opponent (Mercyhurst) is ineligible for the NCAAs because it is still a reclassifying Division I institution. When Mercyhurst topped Stonehill to advance to the championship game, that meant the other semifinal between LIU and Wagner -- Brooklyn vs. Staten Island -- would determine who reached the NCAA field of 68.