MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University wheelchair basketball team opens play at the 42^nd annual National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 14, as the No. 7 seed and will face No. 2 seed and defending national champion University of Alabama at 6 p.m.
 
The tournament, hosted by the University of Illinois, will be held at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
 
If SMSU wins, they'll play on Friday at 4 p.m., versus the winner of No. 3 seed Illinois and No. 6 seed Texas-Arlington. If the Mustangs suffer a loss on Thursday, they'll play at 10 a.m. on Friday versus either Missouri or Edinboro.
 
SMSU is 10-10 overall and will be facing Alabama for the second time this season with the Crimson Tide earning an 81-45 victory in November.
 
The nine teams competing in the tournament include the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Nebraska-Omaha, Edinboro University, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, University of Missouri, Texas-Arlington and SMSU.
 
The NWBA has held a national tournament since 1977 with SMSU winning national titles in 1981, 1983 and 1986.
 
SMSU hosted the national tournament last season.