Men’s basketball team hosts NCAA second round March 9

Senior center Robert Burnett playing defense in NCAA First Round win over Spalding March 2. (Credit: JAMES BYARD, WUSTL PHOTO SERVICES)
The No. 17 Washington University in St. Louis men’s basketball team will host No. 10 Illinois Wesleyan University in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship Saturday, March 9, at the Field House. Game time is 7 p.m.

WUSTL (21-5) advanced to the second round for the 15th time as an NCAA Division III member with a 70-61 victory over Spalding University Saturday at home. The Bears are making their 17th NCAA appearance as an NCAA Division III school and 20th overall, and sport a 31-14 (.689) all-time postseason record in Division III play. WUSTL has made three Final Four appearances in school history, and captured back-to-back national championships in 2008 and 2009.

Illinois Wesleyan (22-5) posted an 80-71 win over Transylvania University in the NCAA first round Saturday in Bloomington, Ill. The Titans are making their fourth-straight and 22nd overall NCAA Tournament appearance and have a 48-21 (.696) record in tournament play. Illinois Wesleyan has made five Final Four appearances in school history – a national championship in 1997, third-place finishes in 1996, 2001 and 2006, and a semifinal appearance in 2012.

WUSTL and Illinois Wesleyan met once in the 2012-13 season – with WUSTL winning 67-57 Dec. 1 in the championship game of the 29th Annual Lopata Classic. The two teams have met four previous times in the NCAA Tournament — 1995, 1996, 2003 and 2010 – with Illinois Wesleyan winning all four matchups. The Titans also have won both meetings at the Field House in the NCAA Tournament – 85-73 in the NCAA Second Round in 2003 and 75-70 in the NCAA Second Round in 2010.

The box office will open at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Ticket prices are $3 for students with an ID and $6 for adults. WUSTL undergraduate students with an ID will be admitted free courtesy of the Student Union. Tickets will not be sold prior to the box office opening.