DAYTON, Ohio — Neither Alabama State nor Morehead State has been to the NCAA tournament recently. But Alabama State's five-year absence pales to that of Morehead State, which hasn't played in the tourney for a quarter century.

"It makes it very special," Morehead State coach Donnie Tyndall said yesterday.

The two teams meet today in the opening round of the tournament for the right to take on top-seeded Louisville on Friday.

The school from Morehead, Ky., is making its first tournament appearance since 1984, when it defeated North Carolina A&T only to lose to Louisville in the second round.

"When I took over three years ago, I feel the community had kind of lost touch with the basketball program," Tyndall said.

Morehead State (19-15) qualified for the tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference tourney, defeating Austin Peay 67-65 in double overtime.

Alabama State (22-9), from Montgomery, made the tournament in 2004, losing in the first round to Duke. It won the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

"We have good athletes," Alabama State coach Lewis Jackson said. "However if we don't get anything on the break, we have guys we go to around the basket."