The
1997 Tournament
All-Tournament Team
MVP - Bryan Crabtree, Illinois Wesleyan
Damien Hunter, Alvernia
Michael Nogelo, Williams
Mitch Mosser, Nebraska Wesleyan
Korey Coon, Illinois Wesleyan.
Illinois Wesleyan, led by Division III's winningest active coach Dennie Bridges, won its first-ever NCAA Tournament Men's Basketball National Championship with an 89-86 win over Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday night in the Salem Civic Center. IWU ends the year 29-2, while NWU finishes 25-6.
Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to a 49-30 halftime lead and held as much as a 23-point cushion during the first half of play. Nebraska Wesleyan countered with a 56-point second half, but was never able to take a lead during the second frame. After whittling the score down to 70-59 with 9:56 to go, NWU went on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 70-69 with 6:43 to go. Chris Boesiger hit a 3-pointer to start the run, Chad Ideus hit a lay up, and then Mitch Mosser hit a 3-pointer and two free throws to cap the run. But the Plainsmen were never able to get over the hump. Brent Niebrugge then converted a lay up for IWU and Nathan Hubbard converted two free throws to get the score back to 74-69. After a made jumper by Chad Ideus hit a jumper, Nathan Hubbard drained a 3-pointer for the Titans and IWU was not threatened again.
In the first half, IWU star Bryan Crabtree poured in 19 points, including 7-of-10 field goals, 2-2 3-pointers and 3-3 free throws. Freshman point guard Korey Coon also contributed 12 points and he controlled the flow of the game. The Titans ended up hitting 66.7 percent from the field (18-27) and held NWU to 38.7 percent. NWU opened the second half by draining four 3-pointers on their first four scores. The 3-point barrage was led by Mitch Mosser, who hit 7-of-9 treys in the second half.
All of Moser's 23 points came in the second half, on 7-of-13 3-pointersand 2-for-2 free throws. Center Nate Thomas contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Chad Ideus scored 21 points and Kipp Kissinger had 14 points. Crabtree led all scorers with a game-high 28 points and forward Brent Niebrugge fired in 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Korey Coon finished up with 17 points and Nathan Hubbard contributed 10.
First Round: Widener 70, Dickinson 62; Salisbury St. 101, Wilkes 90; Brockport St. 64, St. Lawrence 63; St. John Fisher 77, Cortland St. 70; Alvernia 69, Lebanon Valley 55; Goucher 67, Cabrini 60; Buffalo St. 70, Hamilton 66; Rochester Inst. of Tech. 65, Rochester 64; Chris. Newport 79, Hampden-Sydney 74; Methodist 67, Roanoke 63; Chicago 59, Benedictine 52; Wabash 69, Lawrence 63; Sewanee 68, Rust 61; Bridgewater (Va.) 64, Maryville (TN) 62; Rose-Hulman 86, Washington (MO) 69; Illinois Wesleyan 105, Maryville (MO) 66; Rowan 72, Mt. St. Vincent 53; New York University 94, Jersey City St. 84; Tufts 65, Mass-Dartmouth 63; Salem St. 69, Springfield 61; William Paterson 51, Merchant Marine 43; Richard Stockton 78, York (NY) 71; Amherst 83, Colby 60; Williams 76, Wentworth Inst. 51; Hope 69, Denison 66; Wooster 84, Ohio Northern 58; Gustavus Adolphus 82, Wis.-Whitewater 67; Nebraska Wesleyan 93, Buena Vista 54; Wittenberg 82, John Carroll 68; Mount Union 77, Alfred 69; Wis.-Stevens Point 68, Pomona-Pitzer 58; Wis.-Platteville 51, Wis.-Oshkosh 43.
Second Round: Salisbury St. 77, Widener 65; Brockport St. 73, St. John Fisher 68; Alvernia 60, Goucher 55; Rochester Inst. of Tech. 111, Buffalo St. 106 (2 OT); Methodist 72, Chris. Newport 67; Chicago 78, Wabash 70; Bridgewater (Va.) 65, Sewanee 62; Illinois Wesleyan 54, Rose-Hulman 53; Rowan 56, New York University 53; Salem St. 83, Tufts 63; Richard Stockton 64, William Paterson 60; Williams 86, Amherst 63; Hope 67, Wooster 56; Nebraska Wesleyan 61, Gustavus Adolphus 59; Mount Union 73, Wittenberg 65; Wis.-Stevens Point 46, Wis.-Platteville 43.
Sectional Semifinals: Salisbury St. 79, Brockport St. 78; Alvernia 77, Rochester Inst. of Tech. 71; Methodist 74, Bridgewater (Va.) 60; Rowan 82, Salem St. 72; Williams 85, Richard Stockton 61; Nebraska Wesleyan 92, Hope 75; Wis.-Stevens Point 68, Mount Union 67 (OT)
Sectional Finals: Alvernia 89, Salisbury St. 84; Illinois Wesleyan 95, Methodist 63; Williams 71, Rowan 62; Nebraska Wesleyan 69, Wis.-Stevens Point 66.
Semifinals
Illinois Wesleyan 85, Alvernia 82
Nebraska Wesleyan 101, Williams 90.
Third Place
Williams 78, Alvernia 77
Championship
Illinois Wesleyan 89, Nebraska Wesleyan 86