Pioneers to host opening rounds of NCAA tournament
Platteville, Wis.- For the third time in five years, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s basketball team will be hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament at Bo Ryan Court. The Pioneers will welcome Calvin University, St. John’s University, and Marian University to Platteville. Calvin and St. John’s will get the madness started on Friday, March 4 at 4:30 p.m. The Pioneers and Marian contest will follow at 7 p.m.
Platteville, Wis.- For the third time in five years, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team will be hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament at Bo Ryan Court. The Pioneers will welcome Calvin University, St. John's University, and Marian University to Platteville. Calvin and St. John's will get the madness started on Friday, March 4 at 4:30 p.m. The Pioneers and Marian contest will follow at 7 p.m.
The Pioneers (21-5), ranked #5 in the latest d3hoops.com poll, are making their fourth consecutive NCAA appearance and 14th overall, after receiving one of the 20 at-large bids. The Pioneers claimed national titles in 1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999. The Sabres (19-8) claimed an automatic berth after winning the Northern Athletics Colligate Conference (NACC) tournament championship with a 77-71 win over Concordia Wisconsin. This will be the Sabers second NCAA tournament appearance, last appearing in 2014.
St. John's (23-4), ranked #24 in the latest d3hoops.com poll, is making its fourth consecutive NCAA and 21st overall appearance. The Johnnies won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) tournament by defeating Macalester 75-71 to claim an automatic bid. Calvin (20-8) was awarded an at-large bid after dropping the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) conference title contest to Hope College. The Knights will be making their 22nd appearance in the NCAA and first since 2017. The Knights won national titles in 1992 and 2000.
The winners of the Friday night contests will meet on Bo Ryan Court on Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Team information
UW-Platteville
Jeff Gard is in his 13th season at UW-Platteville and has a career record of 209-123. The Pioneers have four players averaging double figures in scoring, led by senior Quentin Shields' 15.3 points a game. Senior Kyle Tuma (14.7), sophomore Logan Pearson (11.8) and senior Blake McCann (10.1) round out the four in double digits. Senior Justin Stovall and sophomore Ben Probst average 9.3 points a contest.
Tuma leads the Pioneers in rebounding, averaging 8.5 boards a game. Stovall averages 7.2 boards a game, while leading the Pioneers with 1.3 blocks a contest.
The Pioneers were the top defensive team in the WIAC, allowing 63.8 points a contest, while holding opponents to a league best 40.4% shooting percentage. They were fifth in the offensive scoring, averaging 74.9 points a contest, while shooting 45.5% from the floor.
UW-Platteville links:
Marian
Drake Diener is in his fourth season at Marian and has a career record of 34-54. The Sabers have four players averaging double figures, led by Senior David Britton's 19.0 points a contest. Sophomore Delvin Barnstable (16.5), junior Tyler Gouin (16.2), and senior Kivontay Shaw (10.7) round out the four double digit scorers for the Sabers.
Barnstable leads the Sabres in rebounding and blocked shots. He is averaging 5.5 boards a game and 0.9 blocks a contest. Senior Scott Paulus averages 5.5 boards a game.
Marian is the fourth best offensive team and sixth best defensive team in the NACC, averaging 77.6 points a contest, while allowing 71.5 points a contest. The Sabers are shooting 46.6% from the floor while allowing opponents to shoot 42.2% from the floor.
Marian links:
St. John's
Pat McKenzie is in his seventh season at St. John'. He has a career record of 137-36. Sophomore Ryan Thissen leads the Johnnies in scoring, averaging 13.0 points a contest. Freshman Kooper Vaughn (11.6) and senior Zach Hanson (11.3) also average double figures.
Hanson leads the Jonnies in rebounding, averaging 5.4 boards a game. Thissen and junior Mitchell Plombon are averaging 4.6 boards a game.
St. John's is the best defensive team in the MIAC and third best offensive team. They allow opponents 60.6 points a contest, while scoring 73.3 points a contest.
St. John's is fourth in the nation in field goal percentage, hitting at a 50.5% clip from the floor. They are holding opponents to 42.8% shooting from the floor.
St. John's links
Calvin
Bill Sall is in his third season at Calvin. He has a career record of 43-23. Senior Luke Morrison leads the Knights in scoring, averaging 18.6 points a game. Senior Thad Shymanski (12.5) and sophomore Uchenna Egekeze (11.6) average double figures for the Knights.
Senior Jordan Katje leads the Knights in rebounding, averaging 5.8 boards a game. Senior Emmett Warners is pulling down 5.3 boards a contest.
Calvin is the top scoring team in the MIAA, averaging 78.9 points a contest. The Knights also lead the MIAA in field goal percentage, making 47.5% of their attempts from the floor. They are second in the MIAA in team defense, allowing 69.4 points a game, while allowing opponents to shoot 44.2% from the floor.
Calvin links:
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