The Gusties are playing in the MIAC Playoff Championship game for the third time in the past four years.
The Gustavus men’s basketball team will look to continue its surprising run through the MIAC Playoffs when it battles St. Thomas in the championship game on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm in St. Paul. The winner of the game will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins next weekend.
The Gusties have advanced to the MIAC Playoff Championship game for the 16th time. Ironically it will also be the 16th MIAC Title game appearance for the Tommies and the two long-time rivals have posted identical 9-6 records in MIAC Championship game play.
This will be the seventh time that Gustavus and St. Thomas have locked up in the MIAC Playoff Championship game and the Gusties have posted a record of 5-1 in the previous six meetings. Gustavus won the first five meetings by the scores of 53-52 in 1989, 62-49 in 1992, 66-62 in 1998, 62-36 in 2003, and 68-58 in 2005. St. Thomas won the last meeting with a 76-73 win in 2008.
Both teams are making their third MIAC Title game appearance in the last four seasons of play with the Gusties advancing the playoff finale in 2008, 2010, and 2011 and the Tommies in 2008, 2009, and 2011.
The Tommies swept the 2010-11 regular season series winning 68-64 in overtime on January 8 in St. Paul and 81-70 on February 12 in St. Peter.
Mark Hanson has directed the Gusties to the MIAC Playoff Title game 13 times in his 21 seasons as head coach.
The game will be broadcast on KNUJ 860 AM with play-by-play announcer Tom Wheeler on the call. You can also listen to the broadcast on the internet through the Gustavus athletics website.
St. Thomas will be providing live video of the game and Matt Higgins, Assistant to the Executive Director of the MIAC, will be providing a live blog during the game.