For the first time since 2012, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s basketball team is the outright regular-season champion of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). A group that was picked to finish sixth in the preseason climbed to the top of the conference standings through consistent improvement and timely performances late in the season.
The Warhawks clinched a share of the championship with their Feb. 18 victory over UW-Stevens Point, but still needed a win over UW-River Falls to claim the title outright.
River Falls built early momentum, but head coach Jarod Wichser shifted the tone of the first half by implementing a full-court press that disrupted the Falcons’ rhythm.
“The lineup we had in there was effective,” Wichser said. “They went in there and gave us a different energy and different vibe. They were scrambling a lot and running around really well on defense.”
The lineup featured four guards alongside freshman forward Tyshawn Teague-Johnson, giving Whitewater more speed against a River Falls group that often had multiple players on the floor comparable in size to the Warhawks’ tallest lineup.
(Charlie Clark)
Whitewater struggled early to find consistent offense, but senior guard Luke Bara provided a spark. Bara scored 13 points in the first half, and finished with 17.
“I just wanted to make sure I was attacking and getting downhill,” Bara said.
In the second half, junior guard Collin Madson took over offensively. Madson scored 15 points after halftime, and finished with his fourth-consecutive 20-point performance, leading all scorers.
“My teammates are doing a really good job getting me the ball, and we’re all playing really well as a unit,” Madson said.
Bara credited Madson’s impact while emphasizing his teammate’s unselfish approach.
“Collin Madson’s a humble guy, giving us the credit, but he is a killer,” Bara said.
Despite building separation late, River Falls repeatedly cut the deficit to five points in the second half. Bara said that type of resistance is expected in a competitive conference.
“There are no ‘gimme games’ in this conference. Any team can beat you any night,” Bara said.
As the final seconds expired and seniors began to check out of the game, the Warhawks secured the victory and celebrated by cutting down the nets, marking the program’s first outright regular-season title in more than a decade.
“It was a surreal feeling because I’ve never won any kind of conference championship before,” Madson said. “So it just felt amazing.”
Wichser said the team used its preseason projection as motivation throughout the year.
“I am so proud of these guys,” Wichser said. “They were picked to finish sixth and then used it as motivation, and look now.”
The Warhawks now turn their focus to the conference tournament, carrying momentum from a regular season defined by resilience, defensive intensity and balanced scoring. With home-court advantage secured for conference tournament play, Whitewater will look to build on its championship run and continue the consistency that pushed the team from a projected middle-of-the-pack finish to the top of the WIAC standings.
