Men's Basketball

UW-Whitewater Headed To NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater secured a spot in the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship with a 77-74 victory over Oswego State University (N.Y.) at Crenshaw Gym on the campus of Randolph-Macon University (Va.) on March 11.
 
The Warhawks (25-7) will make their sixth Final Four appearance against University of Mount Union (Ohio) (29-2) at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind., on March 16. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. (eastern). It is the 18th appearance in the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship by a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) program.
 
The Warhawks reached the national quarterfinal contest with an 83-82 overtime victory over Johns Hopkins University (Md.).
 
UW-Oshkosh also reached the national quarterfinals in Alliance, Ohio, but dropped a 78-67 decision to University of Mount Union (Ohio). The Titans posted a 91-72 victory over Rowan University (N.J.) in the Sweet 16.
 
UW-Oshkosh completed the 2022-23 campaign with a 24-7 record and made the program’s 12th NCAA appearance, including the fourth Elite Eight showing. The Titans won the WIAC regular-season title for the 15th time.
 
In UW-Whitewater’s victory over Oswego State, the Warhawks held the lead for the majority of the first half. A 6-0 run for Oswego State to close the half sent the teams into the locker room with UW-Whitewater facing a 34-30 deficit. 

UW-Whitewater narrowed the gap and eventually knotted the game at 39 on a Carter Capstran 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, UW-Whitewater enjoyed a 70-60 advantage. Oswego State whittled away eventually pulling to within three, 74-71 with just over a minute left. 

Miles Barnstable 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 State. Knocking down all three, the gap was cut to two, 76-74 with 14 seconds to play.

A foul on the inbounds sent UW-Whitewater to the line but a missed pair gave Oswego State a chance trailing by two. A jumper in the paint bounced high off the rim and Jameer Barker 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 UW-Whitewater with 23 points on 7 of 13 from the floor, 3 of 5 from downtown and a 6 of 6 from the charity stripe. Capstran registered a double-double with 21 points on 9 of 15 from the field and 15 rebounds. Delvin Barnstable added 12 points and 10 boards, while Barker dished out a game-high five assists. 
 
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