Fresh off clinching the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season title, the UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team entered the WIAC postseason tournament with high expectations.
The Warhawks first battled in an exciting game versus a familiar opponent in the UW-Platteville Pioneers to advance to the WIAC championship game. This was their third matchup of the season against them and Whitewater overcame an 11-point deficit to secure the victory.
The first half was a grind with turnovers and early fouls slowing the pace. Despite it being a home game for UW-Whitewater, Platteville’s crowd fueled the Pioneers as they took a 26-23 lead into halftime. Head coach Jarod Wichser spoke on how getting a bucket was no easy task.
“Nothing was going our way the first 25 minutes,” Wichser said. “The score at halftime reflected that we both know each other very well… We know each other’s strengths, and those get taken away.”
The second half told a different story. After being down 42-31, junior guard Collin Madson found a rhythm that helped him secure his fifth-straight 20-point game. His steady hand and leadership helped Whitewater chip away at the Pioneers’ lead.
“We were down 42-31, and I grabbed the guys and said, ‘We’ve come way too far this year to go down now.’ This is the time we prove how good we are as a team,” Madson said.
Madson had help from sophomore guard Kelton McEwen, who subbed in a couple minutes into the second half. When the team needed him most, he erupted for 13 points in a five-minute span. A fire ignited in the Kachel Gymnasium and there was newfound hope.
“It was definitely really cool to experience that with all those people there,” McEwen said. “The big game that it was, I’m just super grateful I got to do that.”
Wichser credited the team’s familiarity with Platteville for giving them an edge.
“We’ve played them twice already this year, so we saw it work both ways,” he said. “We knew their bigs had given us problems in the past but we really wanted to make sure we out-rebounded them. Tonight we were plus 14 on the glass, which is really impressive,” Wichser said.
(Chase Keller)
Ahead of the championship game, Wichser listed some areas of improvement.
“Offensively, just settling in, being more patient, making the easy pass and playing off of each other,” he said.
Then only two days later, Whitewater’s postseason run continued in the WIAC championship game, where they faced another familiar opponent in the UW-La Crosse Eagles. In their third meeting of the season, the matchup once again came down to the final possessions.
La Crosse pulled away late for an 81-78 win in a game that stayed tight. The difference came down to execution in key moments.
“I thought the game came down to a few plays at the end,” Wischer said. “We had a costly turnover and some good looks that didn’t go. Sometimes that’s how it goes, and you have to give them credit because they made plays.”
One of the biggest challenges for Whitewater was containing La Crosse standout guard Sam Grieger, who finished with 33 points. The Warhawks stayed disciplined defensively, but strong players found ways to produce.
“They do a good job finding ways to get him in space,” Wichser said. “We contested his shots, but he was able to knock some down. That’s what good players can do.”
Foul trouble also played a role, specifically in the frontcourt, limiting rotations against a physical La Crosse lineup.
“Anytime you don’t have all of your weapons, it’s tough,” Wichser said. “But I love this group and how they compete. They stayed together the whole way.”
Senior guard Isaac Verges emphasized how small the margin was in a game that never felt out of reach.
“A game like that comes down to one more play,” Verges said. “They made it.”
Despite the loss, confidence around the Warhawk men’s basketball remains strong heading into the NCAA tournament. After winning the WIAC regular season title and battling through two high-level postseason games, the Warhawks believe their conference schedule has prepared them for what comes next.
“We just came out of the best league in the country,” Wichser said. “We’ll be ready for the opportunity.”
Senior guard Luke Bara echoed the same confidence despite the loss.
“This team sticks together through everything, so we’ll bounce back for sure,” Bara said.
The NCAA Tournament starts March 6, where UW-Whitewater is expected to receive an at-large bid.
