Tickets available Tuesday to watch Broncos in NCAA Tournament

KALAMAZOO—Tickets are available for the general public beginning Tuesday, March 18, for Western Michigan University's first game of the men's basketball NCAA Tournament Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Broncos, entering as a 14-seed, will face the three-seed Syracuse University at 2:45 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Niagara Falls Center. Tickets are $84 for the lower reserve and $66 for the upper reserve and are available by calling the WMU Athletic Ticket Office at (269) 387-8092.

The game can be viewed locally on CBS affiliate WMMT Channel 3.

The University will host a watch party starting at noon in the South Ballroom of the Bernhard Center. Snacks will be provided, and fans can enjoy March Madness on the big screen.

Watch parties will be held for fans across the country; locations and other details can be found here.

Fourth NCAA Tournament bid in program history

WMU clinched its trip to the NCAA Tournament by winning the 2014 Mid-American Conference Tournament title with a 98-77 victory Saturday over the Toledo Rockets.

The trip to the NCAA Tournament will be the fourth in program history for the Broncos, and the first since the 2003-04 season. It is the second time WMU has won the MAC's season-ending event.

Seniors David Brown of Roscoe, Ill., and Shayne Whittington of Paw Paw, Mich., were each named to the MAC All-Tournament team, with Brown earning Tournament MVP honors.

Coach Hawkins named MAC Coach of the Year

Head Coach Steve Hawkins also was named the 2013-14 MAC Coach of the Year.

In his 11th season at WMU, Hawkins led the Broncos to a 23-9 overall record and a 14-4 conference record that resulted in the sixth MAC regular season championship in program history.

Hawkins becomes the third coach in program history to be named MAC Coach of the Year, joining Eldon Miller in 1976 and Bob Donewald in 1992.