MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University wheelchair basketball team is scheduled to open play this Friday at the 43rd annual Toyota National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament as the No. 4 seed and will face No. 5 seed Eastern Washington University at 10 a.m.
 
The tournament, hosted by the University of Alabama, will be held at Stran-Hardin Arena for Adapted Athletics.
 
If the Mustangs win their opening game, they'll play again on Friday at 4:45 p.m. versus No. 1 seed UT-Arlington. If SMSU loses its first game it will play on Saturday at 10 a.m.
 
Due to COVID-19, only five teams will be competing in this season's tournament with the University of Alabama and Auburn University, joining SMSU, UT-A and EWU.
 
This weekend will be SMSU's first of the 2020-21 season. The team had two games scheduled last weekend versus Nebraska-Omaha, but the games were canceled due to COVID protocols at UNO.
 
Last season's national tournament scheduled in Wichita, Kan., was canceled due to COVID-19.
 
The NWBA has held a national tournament since 1977 with SMSU winning national titles in 1981, 1983 and 1986. SMSU hosted the national tournament in 2018.