Add another epic game to Whitewater-Stevens Point rivalry

You really can’t ask for much more out of a rivalry than what you get from UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point baseball.

This season, the teams played 10 times. And this season, each team won five games each. The teams played each other to the final game of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) tournament, where Whitewater won twice on the final day to claim the title.

Point turned the tables on the Warhawks and got the final laugh this weekend during the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional May 23 at Prucha Field at Jim B. Miller Stadium in Whitewater. But UW-W made them work for it.

To set up the scenario, Stevens Point (33-16 overall) beat Whitewater, 12-4, Friday morning to advance to the final day of the double elimination regional with an undefeated record. The Warhawks (42-7) recovered by beating St. Thomas, 5-4, to earn a rematch with the Pointers.

UW-W made the most of its opportunity, coming out hot against the Pointers. Jeff Donovan homered in the first inning and Riley Tincher pitched a complete game to guide the ‘Hawks to a 9-3 win and force a final game.

So that’s how the teams got to the final game with one loss apiece.

The teams played to a 3-3 deadlock and it appeared extra-innings may be needed to decide which of the WIAC teams would advance out of the Midwest to play in the NCAA Division III World Series. But that changed when Stevens Point coach Pat Bloom made a gutsy call.

With pinch runner Ryan Iverson on third base with one out, catcher Steve Considine laid down a bunt and executed the suicide squeeze flawlessly.

Iverson broke for home. Warhawk catcher Rob Coe scooped the ball and moved back toward the plate, but slipped and runner scored safely.

The tally gave the Pointers a 4-3 lead, the win, the Regional championship and a ticket to the World Series.

After watching the teams trade punches all season – after all the Pointers gave Whitewater five of its seven losses this year – it comes as no surprise this is how the Regional would end.

The schools have created an incredible rivalry. Though UW-SP is focused on the World Series, there is no doubt Whitewater has their sights set on Point next season to avenge this loss.

WIAC title game tonight

Round three – grudge match.

That’s the atmosphere that will be on the gym floor in the Kachel Gym in Whitewater tonight.

The No. 1 seeded UW-Whitewater men’s basketball team will face rival and No. 2 seed UW-Stevens Point for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament title and an automatic bid to the national tourney.

With a conference championship and national bid on the line, there really doesn’t need to be much more to get players, coaches and fans excited.

The rivalry between the teams and the Warhawks’ (22-4 overall, 13-3 WIAC, ranked No. 8 in the latest D3hoops.com poll) close wins earlier in the season will have both teams focused on winning the automatic bid and WIAC bragging rights.

The Pointers (22-4, 12-4, No. 9 in D3hoops.com poll) lost heartbreakers to Whitewater earlier in the season.

Dec. 10 at UW-Whitewater, 67-60 F/OT

Tied 55-55 at the end of regulation, the Warhawks went on a 7-0 run to start the five minute overtime period. Jerrel Harris’ bucket brought the Pointers within three, but UW-W hit 3-of-4 free throws to pull away to the final 67-60 score.

Dustin Mitchell scored a game-high 19 for Whitewater while Dan Tillema had a team-high 15 for UW-SP

Jan. 27 at UW-Stevens Point, 61-58

Mitchell hit two free throws with four seconds left to put Whitewater up by three. Matt Moses couldn’t get a last second 3-ponter to fall and Whitewater took the game.

Mitchell (15 points) was one of three UW-W players to score in double-digits. Phil Negri finished with a game-high 16 points and Dupree Fletcher scored 14.

Moses finished with 12 points while Jared Jenkins and Louis Hurd scored 13 for the Pointers.

Feb. 27 at UW-Whitewater

It goes without saying tonight’s game will be a tight one. UW-W leads the WIAC averaging 78.8 points per game, while the Pointers allow a league low 60 points per game. The teams are practically even in most other statistical categories.

Both teams shoot well, both rebound well. The game could come down to turnovers. Whitewater has a -1.46 turnover margin to Steven Points’ +2.96. But the Warhawks have proven they can rise to the challenge the Pointers offer.

Prediction – Whitewater 62, Stevens Point 55.

It should be noted on the women’s side there is a nearly identical situation. No.1 UW-Whitewater (20-6, 12-4) and No. 2 UW-Stevens Point (20-6, 11-5) will play each other at Whitewater for the women’s WIAC conference title. The teams split the season series with the road team winning each matchup. Point won 68-51 at Whitewater and the Warhawks won 76-71 at Stevens Point.

The women tip-off at 3 p.m.

Warhawk men win WIAC title outright, set sights on conference tourney

Everyone interested in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) basketball had Feb. 20 circled on their calendars. The conference’s top teams UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater played their final league games of the season, looking to win while keeping their fingers crossed that they might claim the WIAC title outright.

That’s exactly what happened for the Warhawk men, as they topped UW-Superior, 70-63, and got some help from UW-La Crosse, who beat the Pointers, 88-76.

UW-SP and UW-W were tied atop the WIAC standings, but after Saturday Whitewater took the conference title with a 13-3 WIAC finish, a game ahead of Point.

Whitewater, who earned the No. 1 seed in the WIAC tournament, did not look great against Superior on Saturday and will need to play sharper basketball if they hope to gain the tourney championship.

The Warhawks led 41-26 at halftime, but allowed the Yellow Jackets to creep back into the game late. Superior got to within four points with less than a minute to play before Whitewater made eight free throws down the stretch.

UW-W escaped with a win but could face Superior again in the conference tournament as the Yellow Jackets secured the final spot in the bracket. With the No. 1 tournament seed, Whitewater earns a buy and will play the lowest remaining seed after round one. The Pointers have the No. 2 seed and will play the highest remaining seed from the opening round.

The conference tourney will kick off Tuesday when Superior plays at No. 3 La Crosse. No. 4 UW-Stout will host No. 5 UW-Platteville. Both games tip-off at 8 p.m. Semi-final games will be played Thursday at UW-W and UW-SP. The championship game is Saturday at the gym of the highest seeded team.

If the high seeds prevail it will set up a highly anticipated match up between Stevens Point and Whitewater, who are currently ranked five and nine respectively in the latest D3hoops.com poll. The Warhawks beat the Pointers twice in the regular season, though both games were closely contested. Whitewater won 67-60 (F/OT) Dec. 10 at Whitewater and 61-58 at UW-SP Jan. 27.

Check back with I Am Sportacus for results of the WIAC tournament.