Men's Basketball | Sports
Men’s basketball beats UChicago to finish the season strong and earn postseason spot

Will Grudzinski drives to the hoop in the win over UChicago. (Bri Nitsberg | Student Life)
The script for the Washington University men’s basketball team has been pretty much the same lately: overcome early struggles, make clutch shots, and leave with a win. That’s the pattern they’ve been following for much of the past season, and it’s one they followed once again in their regular-season finale against the University of Chicago.
After allowing the Maroons to start the game on a 9-0 run, the Bears dug in and kept the score close all night, with six score ties and nine different lead changes. Once again, it was junior guard Hayden Doyle who came up clutch. His mid-range jumper with 47 seconds to go bounced on the rim for what seemed like an eternity before a gratuitous bounce let the ball fall in, giving the Bears a lead they would not relinquish.Ending a game that had been tight the whole way, a layup by junior Kyle Beedon and a late defensive stand sealed a key 61-58 victory.
“Our coach drew up a nice set,” Doyle said after the game. “[Luckily], it bounced in and not out — you know, I didn’t know which way it was gonna go.”
Two days after the win, the Bears got some more good news. When the NCAA Division III bracket was revealed Monday afternoon, the Bears were one of 64 teams included, and one of the Top 16 teams who earned the ability to host first- and-second round games. The Bears will host Wisconsin Lutheran College on Friday, March 1 at 6:50 p.m., and the winner will take on either Illinois College or the University of Dubuque Saturday evening.
Sitting at 17-7 heading into the game against University Athletic Association (UAA) rival UChicago, the Bears were already in good shape to make the postseason. However, their seeding and chances of hosting a regional were still in the air, making their final game of the season even more important.
“They don’t shy away from the moment,” head coach Pat Juckem said. “They rise to it — I think this was a microcosm of UAA play. On a day where, quite honestly, I didn’t think we had our best [game], you just gotta push through and figure it out.”
It was a tight and controlled play that ultimately let the Bears leave with a win. Despite the Maroons shooting more efficiently at 47.2% from the field compared to WashU’s 40.7%, the Bears won the possession game by six and were able to lock down the perimeter in the second half. Chicago shot an abysmal 12.5% from three in the final 20 minutes.
While WashU’s defense stole the show, the team also had a strong game on the other side of the court thanks to its balanced offense. Doyle, who has been the team’s leading scorer throughout UAA play, led the way with 12 points, while Beedon added 10 for his fourth-straight double-digit performance. Sophomore Calvin Kapral and first-year Jake Davis, the two 6’8” centers anchoring the Bears’ frontcourt, scored 21 points combined in addition to grabbing seven rebounds.

Kapral goes up for a contested shot in the paint. (Bri Nitsberg | Student Life)
While who they play certainly makes an impact, where the Bears play has had the greater effect on their wins and losses this season. WashU has been nearly unbeatable at home this season with a 13-1 record in the fieldhouse, but sports a paltry 3-6 record on the road (the Bears are 2-0 at neutral sites this year).
“It’s just hard to win on the road,” Juckem said. “You look across college basketball at all levels…there’s a lot of parity, there’s good players everywhere. [We’ve] had 25 games, two scrimmages, 76 practices, 70 film sessions — it’s a constant process of learning, improving, and growth.”
All that time spent working has allowed WashU to reach its gritty identity going into a difficult playoff competition.
“Throughout this year, we weren’t sure we were going to make [the postseason],” Doyle said. “The opportunity to compete in that is really special.”
As Doyle mentioned, it wasn’t obvious that the Bears would make the NCAA tournament for much of the season. After three straight losses to start February, they had a 4-6 record in the UAA and an unremarkable record right in the middle of the conference.
When it really mattered, they managed to lock in and show off their tremendous growth. The Bears finished off the year with four straight conference wins, including an away triumph at the University of Rochester and a victory against nationally ranked New York University. WashU finished the regular season third in the UAA with an 8-6 record, two games behind NYU and Case Western Reserve University: two of the best teams in the nation that split the UAA title.
The Bears will need to continue their strong play to have a shot at making a deep run, but their recent results leave little room for doubt that they are ready for the postseason.