UW-Whitewater Basketball: FINAL FOUR BOUND — Warhawk Men Punch Ticket to Fort Wayne
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball is still dancing as they knocked off sixth-ranked Oswego State 77-74 in Ashland, Virginia Saturday evening. The Warhawks’ Cinderella season will continue in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the Final Four. UWW will play the second of the two semifinals Thursday, March 16 against Mount Union (OH). Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
The Warhawks (25-7) will take on the Purple Raiders (29-2) who defeated UW-Oshkosh 78-67 Saturday. The first semifinal, slated for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff March 16, features Christopher Newport (VA) (28-3) and Swarthmore (PA) (28-3). More information regarding tickets and live coverage will be provided soon.
History was on UW-Whitewater’s side Saturday. The Warhawks have won every Elite 8 game they’ve played in – advancing to the Final Four in 2014, 2012, 1989, 1984 and 1983. UWW went on to win the national title in four of those seasons (2014, 2012, 1989, 1984). Pat Miller was part of three of the program’s four national titles — hoisting the trophy as a player and twice as the head coach.
The Warhawks held the lead for the majority of the first half. A 6-0 run for Oswego State to close the period sent the teams into the locker room with UW-Whitewater facing a 34-30 deficit.
UWW narrowed the gap and eventually knotted the game at 39 on a Carter Capstran (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) triple with 17:24 on the clock. From that point, UW-Whitewater rattled off 12 of the next 17 to open up a seven-point advantage, 51-44, with just under 13 to play.
The Warhawks’ lead ballooned into double digits where it hovered for the nearly nine minutes. With under five minutes to go, UWW enjoyed a 70-60 advantage. Oswego State whittled away eventually pulling to within three, 74-71 with just over a minute left.
Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) hit a pair from the free throw line with 26 seconds on the clock to push the lead to five, but a foul was called on a three-point attempt for Oswego. Knocking down all three, the gap was cut to two, 76-74 with 14 seconds to play.
A foul on the inbounds sent UWW to the line but a missed pair gave Oswego a chance trailing by two. A jumper in the paint bounced high off the rim and Jameer Barker (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine’s) skied in for the rebound. He was fouled on the rebound with 1.4 seconds on the clock.
Barker drained the first of the pair and missed the second with time expiring before either team gained complete possession.
Barnstable led UWW with 23 points on 7-13 from the floor, 3-5 from downtown and a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe. Capstran registered a double-double with 21 points on 9-15 from the field and 15 boards. Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) added 12 points and 10 boards while Barker dished out a game-high five assists.
