The #23 Valparaiso University bowling team looks to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship this weekend as it competes at the 2018 Southland Bowling League Championship in Dallas, Texas.

The Crusaders enter the tournament as the sixth seed out of the eight competing teams, with seeding determined by current RPI ranks. Valpo will open the double-elimination bracket against third-seeded Sam Houston State on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Each tournament match will follow a best-of-three format – teams will bowl one standard five-person game for total pinfall, then five baker games for total pinfall. If one team wins both the traditional game and baker games, they advance. If both teams split the standard and baker games, they will move on to a best-of-seven series of baker games.

The tournament will take place at USA Bowl in Dallas, Texas, starting on Friday and continuing through Sunday’s championship match. The tournament champion will earn the SBL’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, as for the first time in 2018, the NCAA Tournament has expanded to 10 teams – six automatic bids to conference champions, and four at-large berths.