Box Score UW-La Crosse 90, Heidelberg University (Ohio) 86

Bloomington, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned its first win in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship history with a 90-86 victory over Heidelberg University (Ohio) in the first round of the national tournament Friday night in Illinois Wesleyan University's Shirk Center.  The Eagles improve to 21-6 on the season while the Student Princes ends their season at 18-8.

UWL advances to the NCAA III Second Round to face the winner of Illinois Wesleyan/Franklin College (Ind.) Saturday, March 5 at 6:45 p.m. UWL is now 1-2 all-time in the NCAA Division III Championships after dropping first round games in 2006 and 2019.

With the win, UWL also ties the single-season school record for victories. UWL finished 21-6 in 1975-76 and 2019-20.

 

In the first-ever meeting between the two teams, the Student Princes raced out to a 6-0 lead on back-to-back three-pointers from Dylan Woods and Isaiah Young. Eric Panning's three-point basket gave Heidelberg (Ohio) a 10-2 lead. UWL cut the deficit to 13-8 on a pair of free throws from Wyatt Cook with 15:33 remaining in the first half when Heidelberg (Ohio) went on a 5-0 run to take a 18-8 advantage. Woods' jumper with 14:06 left gave the Student Princes a 21-12 lead, but the Eagles went on a 10-1 run to force a 22-22 tie on Ethan Anderson's three-point play with 12:04 remaining. 

UWL took its first lead of the game at 26-25 with 10:32 left on Torin Hannah's layup and Cook gave the Eagles a 28-25 lead with 9:51 remaining. Treohn Watkins' three-pointer with 7:32 left gave Heidelberg (Ohio) a 34-30 lead, but UWL scored the next nine points to take a 39-34 lead on Craig Steele's jumper with 4:56 remaining. Young's layup with 3:58 left cut the deficit to 39-36, but Austin Westra's three-point play, Sean Suchomel's hook shot and Cook's three-pointer gave UWL a 47-36 advantage. Heidelberg (Ohio) ended the half on a 7-2 run to cut the halftime lead to 49-43. 

UWL shot 62.1% (18-of-29) from the field in the first half, including 50.0% (five-of-10) from three-point range, and 66.7% (eight-of-12) at the free throw line. Heidelberg (Ohio) shot 59.3% (16-of-27) from the field in the opening half, including 60.0% (nine-of-15) from three-point range, and 50.0% (two-of-four) at the line. The Student Princes made their first seven 3-pointers of the game.

Ethan Anderson scored the Eagles' first six points of the second half as UWL took a 55-47 lead. Anderson's layup with 15:27 left gave the Eagles a 58-53 lead when the Student Princes went on a 10-0 run to take a 63-58 advantage after three-pointers from Zane Leitwein and Watkins. Anderson's three-pointer and Hannah's dunk tied the game at 63-63 with 12:09 remaining. 
 

The Eagles took a 70-69 lead after Seth Anderson's layup and Westra's free throw. After Emmanuel Perdue made both free throws to give Heidelberg (Ohio) a 71-70 lead, Seth Anderson's layup up gave UWL a one-point lead with 7:25 left. Perdue hit a three-point shot and a jumper to give the Student Princes a 76-72 lead with 5:35 remaining. Hannah's three-point basket cut it to 76-75, but Seth Hohman's free throw and Perdue's jumper gave Heidelberg (Ohio) a 79-75 advantage. 

Steele (3:57 left), Cook (3:14) and Ethan Anderson (2:43) each hit a pair of free throws to give UWL a 81-79 lead. Perdue's jumper tied the game with 2:33 left, but Ethan Anderson's three-point play with 2:08 remaining gave the Eagles a 84-81 advantage. Perdue converted a layup to cut it to 84-83 with :59 left. Ethan Anderson's jumper with :42 left gave UWL a three-point lead, but Perdue's layup with :33 remaining cut it to 86-85. Cook missed the first free throw with :08 left, but got the rebound. Ethan Anderson converted both free throws with :04 left to make it 88-85. Young was fouled with :02 left. He converted the first to cut it to 88-86, but intentionally missed the second and Cook grabbed the rebound. He made both free throws with :01 to secure the victory. 

UWL shot 55.4% from the field, including 41.2% (seven-of-17) from three-point range, and 75.0% (21-of-28) at the line. Ethan Anderson led five players in double figures with 29 points. Cook finsihed with 17 and Hannah 15 while Seth Anderson and Steele each had 10. Ethan Anderson and Cook each had eight rebounds. Sean Suchomel finished with seven rebounds and six assists.

Heidelberg (Ohio) shot 53.2% from the field, including 48.1% (13-of-27) from three-point range, and 50.0% (seven-of-14) at the line. Perdue led the Student Princes with 28 points while Young finished with 14 and Watkins 13. Young and Hohman each had five rebounds.