Gorloks To Face Titans In Division III First Round

The Webster University men's basketball team will face the host Illinois Wesleyan Titans at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 7, in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division III Basketball Championships in Bloomington, IL. The Gorloks enter the NCAAs with a 20-7 record after winning the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, upsetting host Spalding University, 55-51, in the SLIAC final on March 1.

Webster has won 15 of its last 17 contests entering into the NCAA Regional.  The Gorloks are led in scoring by Ahmad Smith, a 6'2" junior guard, who is averaging 16.5 points per game, and Kevin Miller, a 6'8" sophomore center who averages 14.7 points per game and leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game.  Miller, the SLIAC Tournament MVP, was second in the SLIAC in rebounds while Smith was second in scoring.

This will be Webster's second Tournament appearance in the last four years.  In 2010-11, the team travelled to Rock Island, IL, to face host Augustana College and fell to the Vikings in the first round.  This will be the Gorloks fourth appearance overall in the team's history.

Earning an at-large bid into the tourney, the Titans (23-4) are making their fifth straight and 23rd overall NCAA tournament appearance and have a 49-22 record in tournament play, including a national championship in 1997.  The Titans are led by a pair of 6'6" senior forwards, Andrew Ziemnik (12.8 pts/6.0 rbs) and Victor Davis (11.4 pts/6.4 rbs).  Guard Dylan Overstreet (6'3") averages 10.2 pts and 4.2 assists per game.

Ohio Wesleyan (20-7) will play St. Norbert (24-1) in the 5:30 p.m. game in the other Regional semi-final.  With a win, the Gorloks would meet the winner of this contest on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.

COURTESY OF WEBSTER SPORTS INFORMATION