RAMS ARRIVE IN KANSAS CITY
March 18, 2008

KANSAS CITY, MO:  The Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team has arrived in Kansas City for the 2008 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.  The Rams will have one more practice on Wednesday, before they take on 11th seeded McKendree University.  Texas Wesleyan will meet the Bearcats at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday in Municipal Auditorium.

The Rams arrived Monday afternoon in time for a practice at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  On Tuesday the team had a morning practice before going to Pleasant Ridge Elementary School as part of the NAIA’s Champions of Character community outreach.

At Tuesday night’s NAIA Tip-Off Banquet, Evan Randall, the Rams’ freshman point guard, was one of 32 student-athletes honored as his team’s Champion of Character.  The award recognizes athletes who exemplify qualities of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.  Of the 32 recipients, Randall was one of only five to be singled out by Dr. Phil and Mary Pattison to receive the Pattison Family Foundation Scholarship.

Randall, who was an Academic All-State selection at Mansfield Summit High School, is a Deans Academic Scholar at Texas Wesleyan.  He has also been involved with the Mansfield All-Star Special Olympic Basketball Team for three years.  David Jimenez, who coaches the Mansfield All-Stars said, “When Coach Waldrop told me Evan was receiving this award, I can honestly say it came as no surprise.  I was very proud when Evan came to me and asked if he could help coach the Special Olympic team.  Before I could tell Evan anything, he was helping our kids in drills, teaching our special athletes the game of basketball.”

Coach Waldrop said that Randall epitomized the student-athlete.  “His family has done an outstanding job of teaching him not only life skills, but skills necessary to succeed in society.”

Now the Rams have their sights set firmly on the McKendree University Bearcats.  McKendree was ranked 10th in the final NAIA national poll this season.  They enter Thursday’s game with a record of 26-6 after winning the American Midwest Conference regular season and tournament titles.  The Bearcats, who hit 272 three-pointers at a rate of 43.7% this season, are making their 12th appearance in the NAIA National Tournament with all of those appearances coming since 1988.

The Rams are making their ninth appearance in the national tournament.  Their tournament history dates back to an elite eight appearance in fourth annual tournament in 1940.  With a tournament record of 11-7, only six institutions in this year’s field have posted more national tournament wins than the Rams.  Texas Wesleyan is also one of only eight former champions in the field.

Texas Wesleyan fans who cannot make it to Kansas City, can follow the action in a number of ways.  The NAIA will be providing live video and free live stats through their website.  McKendree will also be broadcasting audio through their website.  Links to live stats, video, and audio can also be found at www.ramsports.net.