GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Even after winning the North Region, the Sabercats have been given the #8 seed for the NCCAA DII National Tournament.

Maranatha will open play against the three-time defending national champions, #1 Randall University, with a 12 p.m. (EST) tipoff Thursday.

Here is a closer look at what the Sabercats will be up against as they compete for their first DII title since capturing the national championship in 1990:

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#1 Randall

• Overall Record: 17-13
• NCCAA Record: 14-1
• Insider: Randall is the three-time defending NCCAA DII National Champion, and they have shown their dominance in the NCCAA DII this year by posting 14 wins from 15 
• Key Results:
  • L 56-86 to #2 Grace Christian (Nov. 16)
  • W 69-59 over #5 Arlington Baptist (Southwest Regional Championship)
• NCCAA Charts: The Saints have the 6th-best offense (82.4 PPG) and the 8th-best defense (75.2 PPG) in the NCCAA DII
• Opener: Randall will face the #8 Sabercats in the opening round 

#2 Grace Christian 

• Overall Record: 19-12
• NCCAA Record: 11-2
• Insider:
  • The Tigers not only qualify for the NCCAA DII National Tournament, but they earn the #2 seed despite failing to qualify for their Mideast Regional Championship. GCU was unceremoniously knocked off by #3 Johnson University in the Mideast Regional Semifinal
  • Grace won four consecutive national championships from 2009-2012
• Key Results:
  • W 92-84 over #3 Johnson (Nov. 9)
  • W 85-56 over #1 Randall (Nov 16)
  • W 73-71 over Taylor (NCAA DIII) at Taylor's Silent Night - it was the first time in the history of the event that Taylor had lost
• NCCAA Charts: The Tigers boast the 8th-best offense (82.1 PPG) and the 7th-best defense (75.2 PPG) in the NCCAA DII
• Opener: Grace Christian will face #7 Bob Jones, who qualify as the host institution

#3 Johnson

• Overall Record: 16-15
• NCCAA Record: 12-3
• Insider:
  • Despite beating Grace Christian in the regional semifinal, Johnson has been seeded lower than Grace for the National Tournament. Johnson qualified for nationals after topping Great Lakes Christian 84-78 in the Mideast Regional Championship
  • Johnson beat the Sabercats 90-73 in the opening game of last year's national tournament
• Key Results:
  • W 98-71 over #7 Bob Jones (Nov. 3)
  • W 91-82 over #2 Grace Christian (Mideast Region Semifinal)
  • W 84-78 over #4 Great Lakes (Mideast Region Championship)
• NCCAA Charts: The Royal's offense (93.2 PPG) is the best in the NCCAA DII
• Opener: Johnson will deal with a first-round game against #6 Trinity Baptist

#4 Great Lakes

• Overall Record: 19-11
• NCCAA Record: 11-2
• Insider: This is the first time in school history that Great Lakes has qualified for the NCCAA National Tournament
• Key Results:
  • W 88-85 over #3 Johnson (Nov 10)
  • W 88-75 over the Sabercats (Jan. 8)
  • W 91-79 over #2 Grace Christian (Feb. 6)
• NCCAA Charts: The Crusaders boast the 5th-best offense (84.4 PPG) in the NCCAA DII
• Great Lakes will take on #5 Arlington Baptist in the opening round

#5 Arlington Baptist

• Overall Record: 15-15
• NCCAA Record: 9-3
• Insider: Arlington Baptist has qualified for the national tournament four times since 2010
• Key Results:
  • Arlington lost all three of their regular-season games against NCCAA ranked opponents this year, falling by an average of 22.3 points
  • W 71-58 over No. 5 Kansas Christian (Southwest Region Semifinal)
• NCCAA Charts: The Patriots shoot the ball better than anyone at the tournament (47.0 percent)
• Arlington Baptist will face #4 Great Lakes in the opening round

#6 Trinity Baptist

• Overall Record: 15-15
• NCCAA Record: 9-5
• Insider: Trinity Baptist knocked off Bob Jones to win the ever-competitive South Region title this year. TBC has ranked as high as No. 4 in the NCCAA Rankings this year
• Key Results:
  • Nine wins against NCCAA South Region opponents
• NCCAA Charts: The Eagles have the 4th-best defense (73.0 PPG) in the NCCAA DII
• Trinity Baptist will compete with #3 Johnson in the opening round

#7 Bob Jones

• Overall Record: 9-17
• NCCAA Record: 9-3
• Insider:
  • Bob Jones is the only team in the field with a losing record, as they qualify for the tournament as tournament hosts. BJU fell in the NCCAA South Region Championship to Trinity Baptist after finishing as national runners-up last season
  • All nine of the Bruins wins have come against NCCAA opponents this season
• Key Results:
  • L 98-71 at #3 Johnson (Nov. 3)
  • W 75-69 over #3 Johnson (Jan. 25)
• NCCAA Charts: The Bruins have the 11th-best defense (77.7 PPG) in the NCCAA
• Bob Jones will have to get past #2 Grace Christian in the opening round

#8 Maranatha 

• Overall Record: 15-9
• NCCAA Record: 6-2
• Insider: The Sabercats have the least experience against NCCAA teams this season, as they hold a 6-2 record against NCCAA teams and a 5-5 record in NCAA DIII competition. Maranatha qualified for the tournament last year for the first time since 2003
• Key Results:
  • L 88-75 at #5 Great Lakes Christian (Jan. 8) 
  • W 72-58 over Moody (North Region Championship)
• NCCAA Charts: The Sabercats have the best defense (72.7 PPG) of anyone at the tournament
• Maranatha will match up with #1 Randall in the opening round

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Catch details of the Sabercats' games at mbusabercats.com/composite.