TOURNEY TIME! #19 @MUCrusadersMBB set to host Siena Heights in WHAC Quarterfinals

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: MU Activities Center

COST: $7 per person; The first 100 MU students, with ID, will be admitted free of charge thanks to Fins Kitchen and Bar, located inside Detroit Marriott Livonia, and the MU Student Senate.

HOW TO WATCH: The Madonna Athletics Network will cover the game live at www.mucrusaders.com/live. 

SERIES HISTORY: Siena Heights leads the all-time series 35-22 and is 4-1 against MU in the WHAC tournament, but all four wins came in Adrian. The teams split the season series, each winning on the road as SHU defeated MU in the final 10 seconds back in November.  

Madonna has reached the WHAC Tournament every season except for two since joining the conference in 1997. The first win came over Indiana Tech, 85-84, in overtime in 2006. The first home win came in 2008, a 70-67 win over Siena Heights. 

Overall, MU is 5-2 at home in the conference tournament with the most recent loss coming in the semifinals last season to Indiana Tech. The Blue and Gold have won the quarterfinal matchup five times and played for one conference title, a 72-58 road win over Davenport University in 2013. 

The Crusaders are led by 2018-19 NAIA All-Americans Dwight Burton and Joshua Reynolds. Burton is averaging a league-best 23 points per game which ranks seventh in NAIA Division II while Reynolds is fifth in the WHAC at 19.8 points per contest and also leads the league in steals per game at 1.73 with 52 on the year. 

The Blue and Gold also feature a pair of inside threats, led by Mark Mettie who is averaging a WHAC-best 2.44 blocks per game with 61 on the year and is sixth in rebounds per game at 7.44. Henry Speight also does work inside and is third on the team in scoring at 13.3 points per contest to go with 6.8 rebounds per game. 

As a team, the Crusaders lead the WHAC in scoring at 83.47 per game and are second in scoring margin at 7.63 as they allow the eighth-most points per contest at 75.83. MU ranks inside the top five in almost every other statistical category and leads the league in field goal percentage at .484. 

The Saints are led by DeMarco Dickerson, the man who hit the game-winning shot in November. Dickerson averages 20.47 points per contest, second in the WHAC, while teammate Keith Jordan, Jr. ranks sixth in the league at 17.87 points per contest. Jordan is also fifth in the league in steals per game (1.43) and rebounds (7.60) while Kevin Rice is fifth in blocks per contest (1.25).

As a team, SHU is third in the league in scoring at 76.5 per game, but ninth in points allowed at 77.03. They rank just ahead of MU in free throw percentage (.735 to .732) and just behind MU in field goal percentage (.465). While they average 4.27 blocks per game, SHU ranks in the bottom half of the league in most other categories. 

Indiana Tech claimed the regular-season title and the top seed in the tournament and host eighth-seeded University of Northwestern Ohio while the 4-5 matchup features Cornerstone at Lourdes and third-seed Rochester hosts sixth-seeded UM-Dearborn on Wednesday.

The semifinals, which are hosted by the higher seed, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 29 and will feature the 1/8 winner vs. the 4/5 winner while the Crusaders/Saints winner will face the Rochester/UMD victor. 

The Championship game, hosted by the highest remaining seed, is slated for Monday, March 2. 

All fans who show their game program at Fins Kitchen and Bar, located inside Detroit Marriott Livonia Hotel at Laurel Park, located at 17100 N. Laurel Park Dr. in Livonia, will receive a free appetizer.

WHO THEY ARE: Retro inspired FINS is a casually cool restaurant and bar. We serve creative American fare in a space full of nostalgic touches highlighting Michigan's rich history. You'll find creative comfort food as well as selections for seafood lovers and vegetarians alike. They are open 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday-Sunday with the lounge open until midnight. Hours may vary pending demand/holidays.

You can also order online at www.FinsKitchenAndBar.com.