FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The no. 3 nationally ranked Mount Union men's basketball team overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat Wisconsin-Whitewater 83-79 in the Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship Thursday night.
The Raiders will play for the National Championship for the first time in program history on Saturday, March 18 against No. 2 Christopher-Newport at 4:07 PM.
Mount extended its school record for wins in a season to 30.
The Purple Raiders (30-2) had four players score in double figures with junior
Christian Parker (Canton / GlenOak) leading the way with a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double, seniors
Jeffery Mansfield (Wilmington) and
Collen Gurley (Akron / Hoban) added in 20 and 15 respectively. With senior
Braedon Poole (McDonald) rounding out the Raiders double digit scorers with an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double.
The Warhawks (25-8) were led by Trevon Chisholm, Carter Capstran and Miles Barnstable who all scored 17 points apiece.
Mount Union and Whitewater opened the game trading baskets over the first four minutes of the game, before the Warhawks would go on a 22-6 run over the next 8:15 of game time to take a 30-12 lead with 8:19 to play in the first half. The Raiders would start to cut into the Whitewater lead over the final eight minutes of the half, including a layup by graduate student
Logan Hill (Massillon / Massillon Jackson) in the final seconds. The Warhawks took a 13-point, 41-28 lead into the halftime break.
Mount Union would open the second half with a 10-3 run over the first 3:54 of the second half to cut the lead down to five with 15:56 remaining in the game. Whitewater would answer with back-to-back threes to push the lead back to 11. The Raiders and Warhawks would go on to trade baskets over the several minutes before back-to-back baskets from Mansfield and Parker sparked a 14-4 run over the next 5:48 to give Mount Union their first lead of the night 59-58 with 7:44 left play.
The Raiders would maintain their lead over the next 6:09 of game time, leading 76-72 with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Mount Union held off the Warhawks the rest of the game and would go on to win 83-79 to advance to the National Championship game.
