ALLIANCE, Ohio – The no. 3 Mount Union men's basketball team beat the no. 12 Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans 78-67 in the Timken Gymnasium Saturday night in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III tournament. 

The Purple Raiders (29-2) were led by junior Christian Parker (Canton / GlenOak) who had a 26-point, 11-rebound double-dobule. Seniors Jeffery Mansfield (Wilmington) and Collen Gurley (Akron / Hoban) finished with 14 and 12 points respectively. Senior Braedon Poole (McDonald) would score 10 points.

Wisconsin Oshkosh (24-7) was led by Levi Borchert with 19 points. Cole Booth and Hunter Plamann would finish with 14 and 11 points respectively.

To open the game, both teams would exchange a few baskets each before Mount Union would go on the first run of the game, 7-0 at 15:40 with the help of Mansfield and Gurley. Wisconsin Oshkosh would then respond with their own 7-0 run at 8:38 to give the Raiders a one-point 18-17 lead. Mount Union would hit back-to-back shots at 1:55. As both teams seemed to not pull ahead, the Raiders would go into halftime up nine points, 35-26, the largest lead of the half.

Both teams would continue trading basket-for-basket as Mount Union would be able to contain their lead in the first five minutes of the second half. Mansfield, Gurley, and senior Chris Painter Jr. (Akron / St. Vincent-St. Mary) managed to put points on the board for the Raiders. Mount Union's largest lead of the game was 10 points and managed to be too much for Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Parker would make two free throws to ice the game as the final horn blew. This will be Mount Union's first appearance in the NCAA Final Four in school history.

Mount Union's next game is Thursday, March 16th against Wisconsin-Whitewater in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The time of the game is yet to be determined.