Tonight's NAIA Division I Championship finals features two first-time teams: Vanguard (CA) and Trevecca Nazarene (TN).

#6 seed Trevecca moved in to the finals with a with a 69-59 victory over TranSouth Athletic Conference rival Freed-Hardeman University (TN). (A little historical flashback -- FHU is the alma mater of two of Margaret Wade's AAU teammates: Mary Nelle Brumley Chalk and her sister Dew Drop Rowlett, both members of the FHU Hall of Fame.) T-N was led by K.C. Van Atta with 16 points and Mariska Reed scored 14.

Vanguard earned its trip to the finals by stunning #1 seed, and previously undefeated, Union. Union had vanquished all they had faced this season (including the tornado that wiped out most of their campus) but they couldn't overcome the stubborn Lions.

The Lions led by nine at the 5:58 mark, 71-62. Over the next five minutes and 30 seconds, Union posted a 10-1 run to tie the game at 72-72 following two made free throws from Josephine Owino with 20 seconds remaining. Owino posted 30 points and 10 rebounds in the game.

Vanguard's Melissa Cook recorded the game-winner on a driving lay-up six seconds left to break a 72-72 tie. A potential game tying shot by the Lady Bulldogs went up after the final buzzer sounded.

This marks the third straight season the national championship will not feature any of the tournament's four No. 1 seeds. The eventual 2008 champion will be the fourth straight program that entered the tournament as a non-No. 1 seed.

Tonight's NAIA championship will tip off at 6:30 p.m. (Central time), and the contest will be televised live on College Sports Television (CSTV).

Of note: The semifinals doubleheader drew an attendance of 3,515, bringing the tournament's total attendance to 18,766 after five days and 30 games of action.