SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Crossroads League rivals Indiana Wesleyan University and University of St. Francis will meet on the basketball court for the fourth time this season tonight.
This time there is an NAIA DII national title on the line.
IWU advanced to the championship game of the 32-team tournament by beating overall No. 1 seed IU-East 75-72 Monday night in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Wildcats led 23-9 at one point in the first half, but had to battle down the stretch to advance to the title tilt for the third time in five years.
IWU, the national champion in 2014 and 2016, has a chance to become the fourth NAIA DII men’s hoops program to win three national championships. The others are fellow Crossroads League member Bethel, Cornerstone and Oregon Tech.
The Wildcats improved to 30-7, while IU-East saw its win streak snapped at 28 and the Wolves finished the season at 34-3.
Former Warsaw Community High School standout Kyle Mangas, the only freshman ever named Crossroads League Player of the Year, led IWU with 20 points and nine rebounds, while backcourt mate Joel Okafor was 6 of 6 from the field and 6 of 6 at the free throw line en route to 18 points.
Evan Maxwell, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Kansas University, tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats, while Grant Smith finished with 12 points.
Freshman phenom Mangas upped his school-record of points in a season to 795.
He hit a go-ahead jumper with just over a minute to play, giving IWU a 71-69 lead.
The Wildcats beat St. Francis in both regular season meetings, as well as the championship game of the conference tournament.
St. Francis advanced to tonight’s national title game by beating College of Idaho 70-59 in Monday’s second semifinal game.
The Cougars improved to 29-8 and will play in the national title game for the fourth time, all since 2010 when they won their only championship.
St. Francis was the national runner-up in 2011 and 2016, when it lost to IWU.
Former Columbia City High School standout Derek Hinen, a senior, led the Cougars with 21 points and eight rebounds, playing nearly the entire 40 minutes, and doing so on an injured ankle.
Bryce Lienhoop tallied 18 points and nine boards in the win, while former Carroll High School star Chandler White chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds.
The rosters of IWU and St. Francis feature 20 players from the Hoosier State, and both head coaches – IWU’s Greg Tonagel and USF’s Chad LaCrosse – were Indiana All-Stars during their prep careers.
Tonight’s championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN3.
