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Nebraska Wesleyan University scored all six points during the game’s final 137 seconds to pull away and defeat UW-Oshkosh, 78-72, in the title game of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship held Saturday (March 17) at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

The Prairie Wolves (30-3), who captured their first national title in 15 NCAA postseason appearances, went ahead of the Titans, 75-72, on a 3-point basket by Jack Hiller with 2:17 remaining. Following turnovers on the next three possessions, including two by UW-Oshkosh, Nebraska Wesleyan University grabbed a 77-72 advantage on a jump shot by Nate Schimonitz with 32 seconds to play.

UW-Oshkosh (25-8) missed a pair of 3-point shots on the ensuing possession before the Prairie Wolves’ Ryan Garver closed the game’s scoring by sinking one of two free throws with four seconds left.

The Titans made things interesting down the stretch by creating a tie at 72 after trailing 68-58 with 8:27 to go. Ben Boots led UW-Oshkosh’s dramatic rally by counting 12 of the team’s 14 points, including consecutive 3-point baskets that made the score 72-72 with 2:52 remaining.

Boots scored 24 points, including six 3-point baskets, to pace all players. He also tallied five rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot while playing all 40 minutes of the game. Boots now has 1,194 career points for the 17th-highest total in UW-Oshkosh history.

UW-Oshkosh, which concluded its eighth NCAA postseason journey with a Final Four appearance, also received 14 points and five assists from Charlie Noone; 12 points and two rebounds from Brett Wittchow; 10 points and six rebounds from Jack Flynn; and nine points and two rebounds from David Vlotho. Noone concluded his career as UW-Oshkosh’s 23rd all-time leading scorer with 1,133 points.

Nebraska Wesleyan University, which entered the Final Four averaging 96.2 points per game, obtained 16 points, three rebounds and two assists from Cooper Cook, the Most Outstanding Player of the semifinals and final.

The Prairie Wolves also acquired 15 points, six assists and four rebounds from Schimonitz; 14 points and three rebounds from Hiller; 11 points and five rebounds from Deion Wells-Ross; and 11 points, three assists and two rebounds from Garver.

All five double-digit scorers for Nebraska Wesleyan University, a first-time opponent of UW-Oshkosh, were starters.

The teams put on a 3-point shooting clinic as UW-Oshkosh made 17 of 40 attempts (42.5 percent) from long range while Nebraska Wesleyan University converted 14 of 22 (63.6 percent).

In addition to the six 3-point shots from Boots, UW-Oshkosh also received four 3-point shots from both Noone and Wittchow and three from Vlotho.

Nebraska Wesleyan University reached its 3-point total with the four from both Cook and Hiller, three from Schimonitz, two from Wells-Ross and one from Garver.

UW-Oshkosh shot 46.3 percent (25-54) from the field and 62.5 percent (5-8) from the free throw line while posting advantages in rebounds (28-26) and assists (15-13).

Nebraska Wesleyan University made 52.1 percent (25-48) of its shots from the field and 70 percent (14-20) of its free throws while leading the turnover tally, 10-13. The Prairie Wolves entered the Final Four leading the nation with its 51.4 field goal percentage.

UW-Oshkosh jumped to leads of 20-12, 22-14 and 30-22 before Nebraska Wesleyan University snatched a 45-43 advantage at intermission on Schimonitz’s 3-point shot at the buzzer. The opening 20 minutes of play featured 18 3-point baskets, including 10 by UW-Oshkosh.

Trailing 55-53 at the 13:41 mark of the second half, Nebraska Wesleyan University stages a 15-6 run to take its 68-58 lead.

Titans Boots and Wittchow were named to the five-member all-tournament team.

UW-Oshkosh, which recorded its most wins in a season since going 25-7 in 2003, entered the game ranked 24th in the country by D3hoops.com. Unranked Nebraska Wesleyan University ended the year with a 13-game winning streak.