When Marcus Kahn watches the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men’s basketball team, it’s almost as if he’s looking in a mirror.
Not only do the programs share the same Eagles mascot, the University of Mary Washington head coach sees a UWL squad that averages roughly the same amount of points per game (81.0) as his Eagles (80.6).
Much like UMW’s offense, Kahn spies a UWL attack led by a dynamic scorer, but with multiple players capable of filling up the basket on any given night. He sees a team that, similar to UMW, doesn’t overwhelm its opponents in the rebounding department, so it stresses limiting them to one shot every time down the floor.
UMW (26-3) hosts UWL (24-6) at 6 p.m. Saturday in a NCAA Division III Sweet 16 matchup at Ron Rosner Arena.
“We’re very, very similar in a lot of ways,” Kahn said Friday afternoon. “And because of that, I think it’s going to be an absolute battle of wills.”
UWL is led by Sam Grieger. The junior guard is averaging 25.8 points per contest, and on Thursday was named one of 11 finalists for the Jostens Award, which is presented to the top player in Division III. He’s shooting 51.8% from the field, 85.5% from the free-throw line, and has scored in double figures in all 30 of UWL’s games this season.
“He’s really crafty getting to the basket,” Kahn said of Grieger. “He finishes with both hands and can go both directions. So, he’s going to be a really tough matchup for us. “We’re going to have to be really locked in as a team on sticking to our principles and making sure that we’re helping when we need to help.
“I don’t think you shut him down completely, but you’ve got to be able to contain him a little bit and not let him go crazy, either.”
UWL has two other players who average double figures: senior guard Dustin Derousseau (15.7) and senior forward J.J. Paider (14.4).
“They’re really smart,” Kahn said. “And not just [Grieger, Derousseau and Paider] … All of their players are really smart. They are a smart team that makes the right play more often than not.”
The Eagles also have three players who average double figures, led by dynamic sophomore guard Kye Robinson at 24.6 per contest. Junior forward Jay Randall checks in at 12.8, while sophomore guard Ulysses Young is at 10.6.
Robinson and Young took over in the second half of UMW’s 81-64 second-round victory over visiting Amherst (Massachusetts) College last Saturday, combining for 21 points during a 38-7 run that turned a 37-33 deficit into a commanding 71-44 lead.
Robinson finished the night with 22 points, and Young had 19. The latter connected on five 3-pointers.
Not to be overlooked was Randall, who posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Randall’s presence on the glass could be key for the undersized Eagles, who sometimes find themselves in a dogfight in the rebounding department. While their 36.1 boards per outing are a hair better than UWL’s 35.4, the visitors don’t have a starter shorter than 6-3. Paider, who stands 6-7, averages 7.7 rebounds per game, and the 6-4 Grieger checks in at five.
Randall is UMW’s tallest starter at 6-4, and he pulls down 6.3 boards per contest.
The Eagles are hoping to limit UWL’s opportunities with another suffocating defensive effort. They held Amherst to just 20-of-57 (35.1%) shooting and won the rebounding battle 40-28.
“When we do defend well and get them to miss, we’ve got to limit them to that one shot,” Kahn said. “We can’t let [Paider] get in there and scoop out an offensive rebound for them to give them another opportunity. It has to be one and done.”
The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to the Elite Eight. The Elite Eight and semifinal rounds will be held next Thursday and Saturday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The national championship game is on April 5 in Indianapolis.
