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Day 3 Recap for the 2018 NIWBT

By NWBA, 03/17/18, 4:30PM CDT

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University of Alabama Men and University of Texas-Arlington Women Win Second National Championship

MARHSHALL, MINNESOTA – The University of Alabama Men and the University of Texas-Arlington Women win their respective National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament titles. The University of Alabama overcame two, double-digit deficits, to defeat the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 69-65. Alabama, last won the national title in 2013, and was in its third title game Saturday.

The Crimson Tide were down in the first half by 13 points, and closed the difference by two to close out the first stanza, 30-28. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, making its 23rd appearance in the championship game, increased its lead to 12 points in the second half with 15:42 remaining, 43-31, and tide changed as Alabama stormed back on the shooting of Michael AuPrince of Sydney, Australia, who scored 31 points, and snared 15 rebounds. Dequel Robinson of Mobile, Alabama, finished the game with 21 points, and Ryan Morich of Perth, Australia, found double the bottom of the net for 13 points. AuPrince was named the Men’s NIWBT most valuable player.

The Warhawks were led by Dylan Fischbach of Vermillion, South Dakota, who finished with another triple-double – 19 points, 18 assists, and 11 rebounds. Christian Seidel of Malmo, Sweden, scored 14 points, and was joined by Collin Evans of Mondovi, Wisconsin, and Micah Sprain of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, with 11 points apiece.

The University of Texas-Arlington women’s team gained the lead in the first quarter and never relinquished it to win its second National title in the last three years by defeating the University of Alabama, 65-55. The Lady Movin’ Mavs, who have been in the championship game for the last three years, returned to the winner’s circle, led by three U.S. Paralympic gold medalists. Rose Hollerman of Elysian, Minnesota, and Abbie Dunkin of New Braunfels, Texas, paced the Mavs by combining for 44 points. Darlene Hunter of Commerce Township, Michigan, provided a strong defensive front forcing turnovers and confusion. Hollermann was named the 2018 NIWBT Women’s most valuable player. Two-time U.S. National Team member Morgan Wood of Gordonsville, Tennessee, finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and dishing out 12 assists.

The Crimson Tide, who has reached the championship game nine times, were led by Arinn Young of Legal, Alberta, Canada, with 24 points, with Rosalie Lalonde of Saint-Clet, Quebec, Canada, with 14 points, and Barbara Gross of Pohlheim, Germany, with 11 points.

The 2019 National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament returns to the University of Illinois campus.

 

Men’s Championship Game Recap:

University of Alabama def. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 69-65

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater built a 15-4 lead through the first 10 minutes, by spreading the scoring across five players. The Crimson Tide rolled back in the final 10 minutes of the half with 14 points by Dequel Robinson of Mobile, Alabama. At the half, the Warhawks held a 30-28 advantage.

UW-Whitewater build a 12-point lead in the first four minutes of the final stanza of the season as Christian Seidel of Malmo, Sweden, scoring 6 points. Whitewater maintained its advantage at the halfway point as 2018 NWBA college player of the year Dylan Fischbach of Vermillion, South Dakota, reached double figures with 8 of 14 points, being scored in the second half. Alabama rallied back in the second half to bring the score within three, 54-51 with just under 7 minutes remaining, as Michael AuPrince of Sydney, Australia, scored 6 points in three minutes.

Seidel fouled out of the game with just over 5 minutes remaining, and finished with 14 points. Alabama took its first lead of the game with 4:11 remaining after a AuPrince short jumper, 57-56. The game remained close down the stretch, as Fischbach hit a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining to be within two, 67-65.

Michael AuPrince of Sydney, Australia, scored 31 points, and snared 15 rebounds. Dequel Robinson of Mobile, Alabama, finished the game with 21 points, and Ryan Morich of Perth, Australia, found double the bottom of the net for 13 points. AuPrince was named the Men’s NIWBT most valuable player.

The Warhawks were led by Dylan Fischbach of Vermillion, South Dakota, who finished with another triple-double – 19 points, 18 assists, and 11 rebounds. Christian Seidel of Malmo, Sweden, scored 14 points, and was joined by Collin Evans of Mondovi, Wisconsin, and Micah Sprain of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, with 11 points apiece.

 

Women’s Championship Game Recap:

University of Texas-Arlington def. University of Alabama, 65-55

The first quarter went back and forth between the top two seeds, with five ties and University of Texas-Arlington getting its first lead with 4:52 remaining off a jumper by 2016 Rio Paralympic gold medalist Rose Hollermann of Elysian, Minnesota. Barbara Gross of Pohlheim, Germany sank a long last second three-pointer to narrow the score up, as the Lady Movin’ Mavs held a narrow 18-17 lead.

UTA increased its lead through the second quarter, 40-29, spurred by Hollerman’s 18 points in the first 20 minutes. Arinn Young of Legal, Alberta, Canada, is the leading scorer for the Crimson Tide at the half-way point.

Alabama cut into Texas-Alington’s with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter, 50-43, but the Lady Movin’ Mavs finished with a 4-2 run for a 54-45 lead going into the final quarter. The fourth quarter belonged to Texas-Arlington, and never relinquished their lead to win their National Championships, the second in the last three years.

Hollerman scored 30 points to lead the Lady Movin’ Mavs. Also finding double digits was 2016 Rio gold medalist Abbie Dunkin of New Braunfels, Texas, with 14 points, and two-time U.S. National Team member Morgan Wood of Gordonville, Tennessee. The Crimson Tide were led Young who scored 24 points, with Rosalie Lalonde of Saint-Clet, Quebec, Canada, with 14 points, and Gross with 11 points.

 

2018 NIWBT 3rd Place Game Recaps

Men’s 3rd Place Game

University of Texas-Arlington def. University of Missouri, 49-35

A trio of Movin’ Mavs propelled Texas-Arlington over Missouri, 49-35, for the third-place finish at the 2018 NIWBT. The Mavs were consistent in spreading the ball with seven players scoring, and gained the lead at 10:20 of the first half and maintained the rest of the way, 10-8. Fabian Romo of Houston, Texas, scored 14 points to lead Texas-Arlington, while Clarence Grogan of Darwin, Australia, scored a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Daisuke Mitsumoto of Shiga, Japan, found the bottom of the net for 12 points. Tyler Buysee of Gunter, Texas, led the Tigers with 12 points.

Women’s 3rd Place Game

University of Illinois win by forfeit over University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater played for third versus the University of Illinois and won the 51-34, however due to an illegal line-up due to athlete classification the game was forfeited. In the game, two-time U.S. National Team member Lindsay Zurbrugg of Portland, Oregon, led the Warhawks in scoring with 19 points, and Marissa Bartels of Delano, Minnesota, scored 18 points. For the Fighting Illini, two-time U.S. National Team member Emily Oberst of Brookfield, Wisconsin, led the way with 15 points.

NOTE regarding Women’s 3rd Place Game: The University of Illinois won the 3rd Place Game by forfeit due to an athlete classification point violation by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Unfortunately the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater had an athlete become ill earlier this week, causing the Lady Warhawks from fielding a legal line-up. The NWBA wanted to ensure all athletes and teams were able to compete until the final whistle of the 2018 NWBA season.

 

2018 National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall, Minnesota

Results

Men’s NIWBT

National Championship

Alabama def. Wisconsin-Whitewater, 69-65

Placement Games

3rd Place – Texas-Arlington def. Missouri, 49-35

5th Place – Edinboro def. Southwest Minnesota State, 62-47

7th Place – Illinois def. Auburn, 53-31

Preliminaries

Auburn def. Nebraska-Omaha, 69-64

Quarterfinals

Texas-Arlington def. Illinois, 79-39

Wisconsin-Whitewater def. Southwest Minnesota State Univ., 94-65

Missouri vs. Edinboro, 52-35

Alabama def. Auburn, 66-45

Semi-Finals

Alabama def. Missouri, 55-45

Wisconsin-Whitewater def. Texas-Arlington, 86-70

Consolations

Illinois def. Nebraska-Omaha, 80-61

Edinboro def. Auburn, 55-40

Southwest Minnesota State def. Illinois, 61-55

 

Results

Women’s NIWBT

National Championship

Texas-Arlington def. Alabama, 65-55

3rd Place – Illinois wins by forfeit over Wisconsin-Whitewater

Semi-Finals

Texas-Arlington def. Wisconsin-Whitewater, 78-44

Alabama def. Illinois, 69-19