The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team captured its third Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship in the 15-year history of the event with a 66-55 win over UW-Platteville in Kachel Gym of Williams Center in Whitewater Saturday night.
UW-W, 23-4 and the defending NCAA III champion, earned the league’s automatic berth in the national tournament. Whitewater will open up at home Saturday against the University of Dubuque (22-6).
Platteville led the entire first half. After getting out to a 10-4 lead on a three by Chas Cross at 13:49, the Pioneers extended the lead to 15-8 at 8:16 on Jake Manning’s jumper, and then 22-13 on a jumper by Jim Stocki with 4:40 left in the half.
UW-W closed to within 26-21 on Patrick Souter’s jumper that ended the half.
Platteville shot 40 percent in the half and limited Whitewater to just 31 percent. Eric Bryson had seven first-half points to pace the Warhawks.
Whitewater used two second-half spurts to change the complexion of the game. The Warhawks came out of the locker room with a 6-0 burst to take a 27-26 lead on a Luke Knoble jumper at 17:26.
The teams traded a one-point lead for three minutes, when the second burst, the one that proved fatal to the Pioneers’ hopes, came. Patrick Souter’s three pointer gave UW-W a 34-30 lead at 13:53. Harris drained back-to-back threes, at 13:01 and 12:09, to give Whitewater its first double digit margin, 40-30.
UW-W had the lead back at ten at 51-41 with 4:34 left, and still maintained the margin at 55-45 with 2:21 on the clock. The Warhawk lead reached thirteen, 63-50, on a pair of Souter free throws with 0:47 remaining.
Harris led all scorers with 20 points, notching a double-double with 10 rebounds, his third of the season. Bryson chipped in with 17 points, and Souter was also in double figures with 10.
The No. 5 ranked team will begin defense of their national title as they host the first round of the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament, taking on the University of Dubuque Spartans at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2 in Kachel Gym of Williams Center.
Tournament times
UW-Whitewater is hosting the following NCAA Division III women’s and men’s basketball tournament games this weekend.
All games are in the Kachel Gym of Williams Center on the UW-W campus.
Friday, March 1
· Women’s NCAA III Tournament First Round: Carthage College vs. Thomas More College at 5:30 p.m.
· Women’s NCAA III Tournament First Round: UW-Whitewater vs. Wisconsin Lutheran College at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 2
· Men’s NCAA III Tournament First Round: UW-Whitewater vs. University of Dubuque, 3 p.m.
· Women’s NCAA III Tournament Second Round: winners of Friday’s game, 7 p.m.
