By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
UPDATE: 3/16/23 @ 10:40 P.M. – After the Warhawks led by as much as 20 points in the first half, Mount Union was a different team in the second half and ultimately defeated UW-W by a score of 83-79. At the post game press conference Coach Pat Miller said, ” Really proud of my team. What they’ve done the last four weeks is nothing short of amazing.”
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Division III Final Four. The Warhawks will take on Mount Union Thursday, March 16 in semifinal action in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Tipoff at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. CDT.
GAME INFORMATION
Round: NCAA Division III Final Four – Semifinal
Date: Thursday, March 16
Site: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Opponent: Mount Union
Tipoff Time: 7 p.m. CDT
Live Video | Live Stats
Tickets: Section 212 is behind the UWW bench for Thursday’s game. Sections 211 and 213 are across from the Warhawk bench.
WHITEWATER WATCH PARTY
Can’t make it to Fort Wayne but want to cheer on UW-Whitewater with other Warhawk fans? Head to 841 Brewhouse in Whitewater to watch the game live.
UW-WHITEWATER’S PATH TO FORT WAYNE
The Warhawks, 25-7, punched their ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a huge 92-79 victory over #12 UW-Oshkosh in Oshkosh to claim the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title. That victory secured the league’s automatic bid into the postseason to get UWW dancing.
Road Warriors: UWW headed to Cleveland, Ohio for first and second round action. The Warhawks took down Wabash 90-83 followed by a 78-75 win over host #8 Case Western Reserve. Next came the Sweet 16 and a trip to Ashland, Virginia as Randolph Macon hosted the pod. A thrilling 83-82 overtime victory over Johns Hopkins led to a 77-74 Elite 8 win over #6 Oswego State and the Warhawks keep dancing all the way to Fort Wayne. Since the WIAC Tournament semifinal in La Crosse, the Warhawks have traversed over 1,600 miles over a six-game span — they’ll add another 270 to that total this week with the trip to Fort Wayne.
The Series: Thursday will be the second meeting between Mount Union and UW-Whitewater on the hardwood. The lone other game featuring the Warhawks and Purple Raiders resulted in a UWW win — 76-58 on December 28, 1998, in Whitewater.
The History: The Warhawks are in the midst of their 22nd appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament and first since 2014. The Final Four has been good to the Warhawks — rather the Warhawks have been good in the Final Four. UW-Whitewater has gone on to win the national title the last four times they have advanced to the Final Four (2014, 2012, 1988, 1984).
Head Coach Pat Miller enters Thursday’s game with a 21-7 mark in the NCAA Tournament. He’s won two national titles as a coach and one as a Warhawk student-athlete (1984).
Doing it for Derek: The Warhawks are playing for something bigger than themselves this season after teammate Derek Gray (Madison, Wis./La Follette) tragically passed away in the summer due to a cardiac event. DG4 is the story behind our story this season.
Key Player Accolades: Miles Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Howards Grove) – D3hoops.com Third Team All-Region 9, All-WIAC, WIAC Newcomer of the Year; Trevon Chislom (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) – NABC Second Team All-District 9, All-WIAC; Jameer Barker (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine’s) – Honorable Mention All-WIAC; Delvin Barnstable (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Lutheran) – Honorable Mention All-WIAC; Elijah Lambert (Racine, Wis./St. Catherine’s) – WIAC All-Defensive Team
MOUNT UNION’S PATH TO FORT WAYNE
The Purple Raiders, ranked third according to D3hoops.com, won the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles to secure an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Mount Union has hosted all the way through. Surviving a late push, MU defeated Anderson 73-65 to open the tournament. The Purple Raiders downed Lancaster Bible College 90-66 in round two. The Sweet 16 saw Mount Union topping North Park 102-85 before the Purple Raiders punched their ticket to Fort Wayne with a 78-67 win over UW-Oshkosh in the Elite 8.
Their History: Mount Union is making their fifth NCAA Division III Tournament appearance but the Final Four is uncharted territory for the Purple Raiders. The program is making its first trip to the semifinals.
Key Player Accolades: Christian Parker – D3hoops.com Region 7 Player of the Year, First Team All-Region, NABC District 7 Player of the Year, First Team All-District, OAC Player of the Year, First Team All-OAC; Collen Gurley – D3hoops.com Second Team All-Region 7, NABC Second Team All-District 7, First Team All-OAC; Darrell Newsom – OAC Defensive Player of the Year, Honorable Mention All-OAC; Braedon Poole – Honorable Mention All-OAC; Jeffery Mansfield – Honorable Mention All-OAC
