If the UAA men's basketball team harbors any hard feelings about losing last week's Great Northwest Athletic Conference title game to Montana State-Billings, the Seawolves can take solace in not having to wait long for a rematch.

The Seawolves and Yellowjackets will play again Friday in the first round of the NCAA West Region tournament in Bellingham, Wash.

Tipoff is 1:30 p.m., the same time the UAA women are set to begin a first-round game against Cal State-Los Angeles in San Diego.

The UAA men and women are both No. 2 seeds facing seventh-seeded opponents in the eight-team Division II tournaments.

From here on out, it's win or go home. Each team needs to win three games this weekend to claim the West Region title and advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Three wins there nets the national championship.

The UAA women (27-4) are making their 12th appearance in the NCAA tournament and their sixth straight, a run that includes Final Four appearances in 2008 and 2009.

The Seawolves, led by junior Haley Holmstead's 15.3 points per game, are coming off their second straight GNAC title, defeating Western Washington in last weekend's tournament final.

There is a chance UAA could meet fourth-seeded Western Washington again, but not until Monday's West Region championship game. First the Seawolves will have to get by an opponent they haven't faced since 1996.

Cal State-Los Angeles (18-11) has played well of late, winning three of its last four games, including a road upset of top-seeded UC San Diego in the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament semifinals. Senior Lacy Ramon leads the Golden Eagles with 14.2 points per game.

The UAA men (22-6), led by West Region player of the year Taylor Rohde and his 19.9 points per game, will look to bounce back from last weekend's tough loss to the Yellowjackets (18-11).

The Seawolves held the lead deep into the second half but faded down the stretch, succumbing to hot shooting from Billings and strong play from GNAC tournament MVP Robert Mays (11.6 ppg). Antoine Proctor leads the Yellowjackets with 18.9 points per game.

While Billings is making its first NCAA tournament appearance since joining the GNAC in 2007, the UAA men are making their fifth appearance in seven years and 16th overall.

Twice the Seawolves have reached the NCAA Final Four, most recently in 2008. The Seawolves reached the national title game in 1988.