Titans to play for an NCAA National Title

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: Mar 16, 2018 10:59 PM CDT

Adam Fravert, Brett Wittchow, Ben Boots and Jack Flynn combined for 63 points and 29 rebounds as UW-Oshkosh advanced to the final of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship with a 73-57 victory over Ramapo College (N.J.) on Friday (March 16) at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

Friday's win, the 200th in the coaching career of UW-Oshkosh head coach Pat Juckem, moves 24th-ranked Titans (25-7) to the national title game at 5 p.m. (CDT) Saturday (March 17) against Nebraska Wesleyan University (29-3) in Salem. Nebraska Wesleyan University qualified for the final with its 90-78 overtime win over Springfield College (Mass.).

Juckem has a 200-151 record across 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including a six-year mark of 95-72 at UW-Oshkosh.

Fravert recorded his eighth double-double of the season and the second this NCAA postseason with 21 poiints, 13 rebounds and five assists. He made 10 of 18 shots from the field, including a pair of second-half dunks that gave the Titans leads of 39-32 and 55-47.

Wittchow scored 18 points, including 11 in the second half, while totaling four rebounds and two assists. He converted 6 of 9 shots from the field, including consecutive 3-pointers that provided UW-Oshkosh with a 69-54 lead.

Boots reached double-figure scoring for the ninth straight contest by counting 13 points. He made three 3-pointers while grabbing three rebounds and notching a pair of steals.

Flynn tallied 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots to finish just shy of his ninth double-double of the season.

Ramapo College (25-7), a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh received 11 points and two assists from Thomas Bonacum, 11 points and one steal from Patrick Peterson, and 10 points, three rebounds and three assists from Josh Ford.

UW-Oshkosh shot 44.4 percent (28-63) from the field, 37 (10-27) behind the 3-point line and 70 (7-10) from the free throw stripe. The Titans have now made eight or more 3-pointers in their last nine games.

Ramapo College converted 33.9 percent (21-62) of its shots from the field and 33.3 (5-15) from 3-point range. The Roadrunners sank 10 of their 12 (83.3 percent) free throws.

UW-Oshkosh posted advantages in rebounds (45-34), assists (13-8) and blocked shots (3-2). Ramapo College owned the advantage in steals (6-3) and turnovers (8-10).

UW-Oshkosh is appearing in its third straight NCAA postseason tournament and eighth overall. The Titans advanced to the semifinal round of the Division III Championship for the first time in school history. UW-Oshkosh previously reached the 1968 Final Four in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, finishing third in Kansas City, Mo.