KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College men's basketball team already knew they were headed to Las Vegas in December just days before Christmas, and now they know what opponents they will meet as the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) launches their first-ever series of Division III basketball tournaments this season.

The organization will host events in two cities – Las Vegas and San Antonio – as landmark opportunities for programs across the country during the holiday season before the bulk of conference play.

"A core element of the NABC's mission is to advance the game of basketball across all levels of the sport," said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. "The NABC Division III Tournaments will provide players, coaches and fans alike with a first-class event experience while introducing a series of marquee cross-region matchups to the Division III men's basketball landscape."

The Las Vegas event presented by D3hoops.com will take place December 21 and December 22 at a still-to-be-determined venue, and will feature two brackets of four teams, with all matchups having the goal of increasing strength of schedule metrics and adding chances for significant resume-boosting victories.

The Owls will take on the University of Chicago, an NCAA Elite Eight team who fell to eventual national champion University of Mary Washington 81-73 in Fort Wayne, Ind., in their first game on Monday, December 21 and will then meet either Randolph-Macon College, a 27-4 Sweet 16 qualifier in 2025-2026, or Wabash College, who made the Final Four in 2022, on the tournament's second day (December 22).

"We are thrilled to be included in this event...it will be a great test for our team and an incredible experience for our players," said KSC head coach Steven Enright.  "The field is filled with elite, national-level Division III programs and we want to continue testing ourselves against the best teams we can in non-league play.  The NABC is providing us a first class opportunity to do so."

Including Keene State, the four teams in the bracket have combined for 46 NCAA tournament appearances: Randolph-Macon 22 including a national championship in 2022, KSC ten including a pair of Elite Eight appearances, Wabash seven including a national title in 1982, and Chicago seven including their first appearance in 17 years last season.

The NABC will also have a separate four-team bracket hosted in Vegas at the same venue, featuring Elmhurst College, the University of Redlands, Trine University, and Emory University.  The San Antonio brackets – set to take place January 1 and January 2 – will see Wheaton College (Ill.) meet Williams College and Johns Hopkins University battle Hardin-Simmons University in one bracket while Clarkson University takes on Washington University (St. Louis) and host Trinity University (Texas) meets Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the other.

The Owls, Enright now in his third season, will aim to get right back in the national picture this season after coming up short in the Little East championship game last season and seeing their quest for five consecutive league titles end (four had already set a new LEC men's basketball record).  KSC, who has eight NCAA tournament appearances since 2015, had made the big dance in four straight seasons.  The Owls did get their returners experience in winning the ECAC championship and won 20 or more games for the fifth consecutive season in 2025-2026.  Junior transfer Jordan Cooper was named to the All-Region team and will look to make his mark again this year, while Denis Wainaina broke Jeff Hunter's single-season KSC blocks record as a sophomore.

Stay tuned for more information related to the Owls' Vegas trip, including the game venue, as well as their complete schedule and roster.  KSC, who began their season in Virginia last year, will open 2026-2027 against Lehman College on November 7 at Spaulding Gymnasium.