The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 23-4, will begin defense of its NCAA Division III championship at home, hosting the University of Dubuque, 22-6, Saturday, March 2 at 3:00 in Kachel Gym of Williams Center.  Click here to go to the UW-Whitewater Division III championship website.

UW-Whitewater is making its eighteenth NCAA III postseason tournament appearance.  The Warhawks have advanced to the Final Four four times (1983, 1984, 1989, 2012), winning national titles in 1984 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1989 in Springfield, Ohio, and last year in Salem, Virginia.  Whitewater is 30-15 all-time in NCAA III tournament play.

UW-W defeated Northwestern College (MN) 83-68, the University of Saint Thomas (MN) 91-62, Wheaton College 67-56, and Virginia Wesleyan 76-62 to advance to the Final Four last year.  The Warhawks defeated MIT 71-56 in the national semifinal, then came back to top Cabrini College 63-60 to win the title. 

Whitewater finished second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season, then won the WIAC Tournament to earn the league's automatic berth in the NCAA III tourney.

Dubuque earned its way into the NCAA III field by winning the Iowa Athletic Conference Tournament, defeating Wartburg College 73-60 Saturday.   The Spartans list four seniors on their twenty man roster, with former Whitewater High School standout Miles Hookstead leading the way.  Hookstead averages 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds for UD.  Junior guard Chris Frazier leads the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game, hitting 87% from the line.  Dubuque has six players with between 20 and 28 steals this season.  The Spartans faced one WIAC team this season, losing to UW-Stout 61-51 November 25 in Menomonie. 

The winner of the Whitewater-Dubuque contest will face the winner of the first round matchup between North Central College, 24-3, and Centre College, 21-5, in a second round game Saturday, March 9.

Tickets are priced at $8 for adults, $3 for students, and $3 for senior citizens.  Tickets for the game can be purchased at the ticket office in the Center of the Arts Monday-Friday during normal business hours.  Tickets will also be sold at Williams Center prior to tipoff.  Call 262-472-2222 for ticket information.

There will be free tickets to the first 150 students for each game a UW-Whitewater basketball team is playing in this weekend.  Tickets will be available an hour before tip-off.

Click here for UW-Whitewater postseason guide



TF/kk