First-year guard Josh Kim drives to the net against UChicago. (Ella Giere | Photo Editor)

The last day of February means only one thing in college basketball: Madness is coming. In its final regular season game, No. 24 WashU men’s basketball beat No. 4 University of Chicago 82-73 on Feb. 28, all but certainly clinching the Bears a spot in the NCAA Division III tournament.

After five consecutive wins, the Bears finished the regular season with an 18-7 record and third in the University Athletic Association (UAA). This is an impressive result considering WashU graduated its two leading scorers from the year prior, when WashU made it to the Final Four after going just 19-6 in regular season play. 

This season, sophomore Connor May made a huge impact offensively, averaging 17.2 points a game. Fellow sophomore Anthony Przybilla and junior Ryan Cohen also made major contributions, both recording 11 points per game. Despite all the success in the beginning of the season, WashU struggled in some of its conference games, especially in its 85-62 loss to UChicago on Jan. 10.

“In early January, they thumped us,” head coach Pat Juckem said. “They were way more physical than us, and there’s been growth along the way. It’s really just awesome to see your team continue to improve.” 

Hoping to get revenge and prevent UChicago’s seventh UAA championship, the Bears came into a packed Field House firing. They quickly got out to a 6-2 lead, which they held onto for the rest of the game. Layups from junior George Gale, first-year Josh Kim, and Przybilla extended the advantage to 18-8, eight minutes in. 

WashU maintained momentum, with a 15-5 run fueled by baskets from May and first-year Theo Rocca. By the five-minute mark of the first half, the Bears were dominating 35-18. The intensity of the matchup was on display with the level of physicality each player brought. UChicago strung together consecutive baskets, cutting into the double-digit lead. A Rocca 3-pointer right before halftime put WashU up 42-28 going into the break.

In the first half, WashU shot 56% from the field, while its strong defense held the Maroons to only 28 points and 37% from the field. Rocca led the way with 10 points, followed by May with 8. 

“I thought the guys were super locked in, and we needed it,” Juckem said. “We knew [UChicago was] going to make a run, and for our guys to answer and keep them at arm’s length was impressive.”

The Bears carried their energy to the second half, going on a 9-0 run with three 3-point possessions, extending their lead to 23 points. Gale scored 7 of WashU’s next 10 points, maintaining a comfortable 61-42 advantage with 12 minutes left in the contest. With a conference championship on the line, UChicago wasn’t done yet, fiercely attacking WashU’s defense. This resulted in an 11-2 Maroon run, cutting the Bears’ lead in half. As the clock ticked towards five minutes left, UChicago continued its comeback push, leaving WashU with a small 64-57 advantage. Clutch free throws and layups from Gale, Kim, and May kept the game out of reach from the Maroons, never giving them a lead in the game. WashU finished with a critical 82-73 victory over one of the best teams in the country.

Offensively, Kim played a huge role in the win, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Gale ended with 16 points, while Rocca and May both had 14. The defense was a team effort, holding the physical and explosive Maroons, who usually average 81, to just 73 points. As they have throughout their five-game win streak, the Bears commanded the game from start to finish.

“We executed our gameplan well,” Kim said. “ We trusted our process and got to share the ball, doing what’s best for us.”

WashU will enter March Madness hot, and will face Transylvania University on March 6 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Bears are just focused on continuing to play their style of basketball, which has given them success thus far. 

“It doesn’t matter [if] whoever you play at this point is either a champion of their league, a champion of their tournament, or had a great season, or all three of those,” Juckem said. “It’s less about who we play and more about us being us.”