Spartans Host IIAC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship
Feb 22, 2013 | UD Sports Info
DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque men's basketball team learned late Friday night, they would be hosting the 2013 IIAC Tournament Championship for the first time in school history. The #3-seeded Spartans upset #2-seeded Buena Vista in Storm Lake by a score of 64-61. UD swept the BVU Beavers during both contests in Storm Lake this season. The #1-seeded Luther was upset by #4-seeded Wartburg in Decorah. The highest remaining seed would host the championship game and the Spartans will be the lucky recipient of upset Friday! Tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m. in Stoltz Sports Center on Jon Davison Court.
The Spartans picked to finish third by the IIAC coaches in the pre-season polls will match-up against the team picked to finish last in league play, the Wartburg College Knights. Against Wartburg, UD lost the opening game of the IIAC season in Waverly by a score of 58-69. UD captured the home tilt by a score of 77-64.
The Spartans won their sixth consecutive contest on Friday night and were led by Chris Frazier who finished as the game's highest scorer with 19 points. Mitch Michaelis finished with 12 points and Miles Hookstead added 10 points, but led UD with three blocks and eight rebounds.
The Beavers kept the contest within reach at the free throw line. The host Beavers made it to the free throw line 21 times (15-21, 71.4%) and the Spartans just 14 times (8-14, 57.1%). Both squads made six baskets from the three point arc and rebounding was nearly the same with UD holding a slim 41-38 edge. The lead swapped 10 times and the score was tied five times. UD out scored the Beavers in the paint 18-12, but it was BV's bench who out scored the Spartans bench 22-16. UD's largest lead of the night was eight points early in the second half.
The Spartans have averaged 70.9 points a game and have held their opponents to 61.4 points a game in 2012-13. UD enters Sunday's championship game with a 21-6 record and Wartburg enters with a 15-11 overall record.
