Maroons win title in basketball

Post-season play begins on campus tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Playing to a roaring crowd in a packed field house, the men's basketball team -- already declared University Athletic Association champions -- finished its season Saturday with a victory over Washington University. Ranked 14th in the most recent Division III poll, the Maroons finished the regular season with a 21-4 record, marking the team's first 20-win season since 1919-20.

Making their first post-season appearance in two decades, the Maroons will host Benedictine College in NCAA Division III Championship Midwest Region play today, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Henry Crown Field House. Tickets are $4 for general admission, $1 for students with UCID, and will be on sale at the Reynolds Club Box Office today until 4 p.m. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Chicago enters the post-season with a 16-game winning streak and an 11-0 record at home -- all without a single fourth-year student on the squad. The fact that the top scorers will all be returning players certainly bodes well for next season, said Head Coach Pat Cunningham, who, along with Assistant Coach Mike McGrath, was named last year's UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. The pair led the Maroons to its most successful season in 35 years.

"These kids are smart and play smart," Cunningham said. "They know what to do to score when they have the ball. They know how to share when a fellow teammate is in a better position to score. They are hardworking and dedicated, and they deserve to take it all the way to the finals."

The Maroons' top five scorers are third-year students Aaron Horne, Rusty Loyd, Jason Milesko and Matt Morycz, and second-year student Craig Kelleher.

For information about post-season play, plus player profiles and season statistics, see the Men's Basketball Web page at athletics.uchicago.edu/men_basketball/mbasketball.html.