MARIETTA, Ohio - Prior to 2011, Marietta College played host to just one NCAA basketball tournament. Things have really changed since those games in 1975.

Marietta (25-3) is hosting its third in the past five years, including two in a row as four of the 62 NCAA Division III men's basketball teams in the postseason will converge on Ban Johnson Arena for the first round on Friday, March 4.

Oswego State (20-8), who is making its second straight appearance in the postseason, faces Delaware Valley (20-7) at 5 p.m. Friday. Gwynedd Mercy (21-6), who won its fifth Colonial States Athletic Conference championship, faces sixth-ranked Marietta (25-3) at 8 p.m.

The winners will square off at 7 p.m. Saturday to see who advances to the Sweet 16.

The Pioneers, who won the regular season Ohio Athletic Conference championship, reached the Elite 8 last year. Oswego lost its first game last year against to Calvin. The other two programs did not qualify last year.

Oswego State vs. Delaware Valley

The Lakers, who lost to Cortland in the SUNYAC championship, reached the NCAAs as an at-large team. Junior Brian Sortino has been an offensive force all season. He leads Oswego with 20.4 points a game, and has made 57 three-pointers. Sortino also leads the Lakers with 95 assists.

Seniors Walter Sampson (11.9) and Kyle Covley (10.3) have also scored double digits this season for an Oswego squad that is averaging 71.8 points. Senior Alex Rawa and junior Mykelle Krecko lead the Lakers with 5.7 rebounds a game.

Oswego State has won eight of its last 10 games, including an 81-74 win over Plattsburgh State - which entered the SUNYAC Tournament as the top seed.

Delaware Valley defeated Wilkes 75-72 to win the MAC Freedom Championship game last Saturday. Senior Chris Moran, who averages 35.4 minutes a game, leads the Aggies with 19.5 points a game and 9.9 rebounds. He was named the MAC Freedom Player of the Year.

Junior Tyliek Kimbrough, a second team All-MAC Freedom selection, is averaging 13.2 points, while senior Barry Brockington is averaging 11.5 points and 4.6 rebounds a game.

DelVal has won three of its last four, including a 58-57 victory over Misercordia in the conference semifinals.

Gwynedd Mercy vs. Marietta

The Griffins have won 16 of its last 17, including an 84-70 victory over Neumann in the Colonial States Athletic Conference championship game. Gwynedd Mercy has a potent offense - averaging 87.0 points a game.

Leading the way on offense is 6-foot-7 Julian Hyden, who is averaging 18.6 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. Hyden and fellow senior Darnell Artis were both first team all-conference selections. Artis is averaging 13.6 points and led the Griffins with 118 assists. Junior Cedric Elleby was named second team after averaging 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds.

Gwynedd Mercy's run to a championship is even more impressive after the Griffins opened the season 1-3 and as late as Dec. 29 they were 5-5.

Marietta was expected all season to be in the NCAA Tournament. The Pioneers have been ranked all season and before losing to John Carroll 87-85 in the OAC championship game, Jon VanderWal's team was fourth in the nation.

The Pioneers lost to JCU twice and St. Vincent - both who reached the postseason. Marietta is averaging 87.2 points a game and eclipsed 100 points four times. Marietta's offense is balanced as four players are averaging more than 10 points a game.

Leading the way is OAC Player of the Year A.J. Edwards (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg), a junior post player. Edwards is averaging 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds. Senior Luis Garcia (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian), a serious deep threat, is averaging 14.5 points, while sophomore Dillon Young (Laurelville, Ohio/Logan Elm) is averaging 12.2 points and leads Marietta with 105 assists. Both Garcia and Young were named second team All-OAC.

Senior Eddy Grenert (Wooster, Ohio/Triway), who has battled injuries all season, was named honorable mention All-OAC after averaging 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. Senior Brennan McKean (Jeromesville, Ohio/Northwestern) chipped in with 7.4 points.

Marietta had been enjoying a 17-game winning streak until the loss to John Carroll.