SAINT PETER, Minn. — After one of the greatest semifinal rounds in MIAC Men's Basketball Playoff history, the Gustavus men's basketball team (17-10 overall, 14-6 MIAC) is set to host Hamline for the conference title game Saturday at Gus Young Court. Both teams advanced to the chipper with thrilling wins in the second round, upsetting the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds Saint John's and Carleton.

PANDEMONIUM IN SAINT PETER

Saturday's championship will be one of three MIAC playoff games on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus Saturday. The day will begin with a 2 p.m. women's hockey semifinal, followed by the 2024 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoff Championship at 3 p.m. The Gustie men will wrap up the schedule with their championship matchup against Hamline at 7 p.m. This marks the first time that all three events will be hosted on one day for the Gusties, and the first time in the MIAC since the 2007-08 season, when St. Thomas accomplished the same winter sport feat. 

GUSTIES IN THE MIAC PLAYOFFS

The MIAC Men's Basketball Playoffs began in 1985 and since then Gustavus has made 27 appearances with a record of 34-17, including nine championships. This year's playoff appearance marked a return to the field for the Gusties, who missed last year's cut, finishing eighth in the MIAC standings. This is the Gusties' first championship game since the 2011-12 season, when the team fell to the Tommies 66-62. Both teams in the 2012 title game advanced to the NCAA tournament, with the Gusties earning an at-large bid before falling to Wheaton in the first round of the tournament. The team's last championship came in 2005, defeating St. Thomas 68-58 at home. This is the first home championship at Gus Young Court for the Gustie men since 2010, when the Gusties hosted the No. 4 seed Carleton, falling 78-71. 

THE SERIES

Saturday's game marks the 190th all-time meeting between Gustavus and Hamline on the floor with the Gusties holding a 112-77 advantage in the series. Prior to last Saturday, Hamline had won three of the last four games over the Gusties. The two teams split this year's series, both winning on their home court. This is the first playoff game between the programs. 

MAKING HISTORY

Gustavus set a number of records in the highest scoring playoff game in conference history on Thursday. The 124 points were the second-most in program history, just four shy of the record of 128 set in 1994 against St. Olaf. The team's 18 3-pointers made were the most in program history, breaking the previous record of 16 set in 1997 against Hamline. Thursday's game was the first time in recorded team history that four different players scored at least 20 points each. 

SENSATIONAL SWANSON

Spencer Swanson has been sensational in the Gusties' playoff run, averaging 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 45.0 minutes in the team's two games. Swanson has played every minute of playoff basketball for the Gusties. Swanson made a career-high 12 free throws on 13 attempts in Thursday's double OT thriller, and nearly completed a triple double with 21 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. The Waconia native shot an impressive 58.8 percent against Bethel earlier in the week, dominating the court with 10-for-17 shooting and nine rebounds. The forward has more than 20 points in all three of his last games. 

CAPTAIN CLUTCH

Adam Biewen was crucial for the Gusties in their overtime victory, posting seven season-highs and three personal-highs. Biewen posted 21 points in 39 minutes, making seven of 14 shots from the field, including six from downtown. Biewen picked up seven rebounds for the Gusties, also a season-high. His 3-pointer with three seconds on the clock in regualtion gave the Gusties the offensive boost they needed to overcome the Carletonn deficit and punch a ticket to the MIAC Championship for the first time in 12 years. 

WE HAVE JONAH

Jonah Anderson made the Gusties' most important shot of the 2023-24 season Thursday night, beating the buzzer with a jumper to tie the game 94-94 and send the semifinal to overtime. Anderson came off the bench for 12 points, a pair of rebounds, an assist, and a crucial steal, and scored eight points in the two extra frames to lead the Gusties to victory. 

BRADY FOR THREE (OR THIRTY)

Brady Kienitz scored a career-high (again) on Thursday, posting 30 points, and is easily having the best season of his career thus far. In 27 games, Kienitz is shooting 48.7 percent, including a mark of 44.3 from beyond the arc with 70 made 3-pointers. Kienitz has collected 43 rebounds, 39 assists, nine blocks, and 16 steals in total this season. In his last five games, Kienitz is averaging 20.2 points per game, making an average 7.2 from deep in that span. Kienitz has hit at least four 3-pointers in 14 games this season, and has made eight or more in four of his last six games. 

LAST TIME THEY MET — GUSTIES vs. PIPERS

The Gustavus men's basketball defeated Hamline for the first time since the 2021-22 season, winning 81-66 at Gus Young Court. The win clinched the No. 3 spot in the MIAC Playoffs for the Gusties, and helped the team finish the regular season with a conference record of 14-6 and overall record of 15-10 to tie for second in the league, the best finish since the 2011-12 season. 

Brady Kienitz was the story of the night for the Gusties, making 8-of-12 3-pointers, two shy of the single game record. Kienitz started the Gusties off with the lead, helping the team jump out to an 11-6 advantage in the first five minutes of the game with two from deep to set the tone. Gustavus took advantage of a slow-shooting Hamline team, building the lead to as many as 18 in the first half, heading into the locker room up 42-24. 

The Pipers couldn't overcome the Gustie lead after the break, despite outscoring the Gusties in the second frame. Hamline shot 55.6 from the floor in the second half, but Kienitz just wouldn't miss, getting five more from downtown to help the Gusties extend the lead to 21. Hamline's Austin Holt did all he could for his team, which now has the No. 4 seed in the MIAC Playoffs, scoring 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting to close out the game, but it wasn't enough to slow down the Gusties. Head Coach Justin DeGrood was able to work in 10 players off the bench, including Landon Lantz, who celebrated Senior Day as the only graduating Gustie in the 2024 class. 

Brady Kienitz led the way for the Gusties with 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting in 29 minutes. The 25 points were a career high for the junior guard, who scored in double digits in all seven of the games prior. Spencer Swanson nearly added another double-double to his name Saturday, scoring 20 points with nine rebounds. Wyatt Olson rounded out the top Gustie scorers with 18 points and eight rebounds. 

LAST ACTION

In a game of all games, the Gustavus men's basketball team defeated Carleton 124-116 in double overtime in the highest scoring playoff game in MIAC history. The Gusties advance to the title game for the first time since 2012, where they will host Hamline, who upset No. 1-seeded Saint John's. Spirited comebacks led the Gusties to victory, as the team closed out the regulation halves with runs of 19-7 and 19-9. Both teams scored nine in the first extra frame, before Gustavus erupted for 21 in the last overtime, and held Carleton to 13 for the victory.

Brady Kienitz started the Gusties off, hitting one from long for a 3-0 lead after tip-off. A Carleton turnover put the ball back in Kienitz's hands for a layup and a five point advantage. Carleton took it personally on their home court, storming back in the game on 67 percent shooting for 23 points to the Gusties' eight. A timeout gave the Gusties the rest they needed to push to the end of the half, outscoring Carleton 19-7 in the final seven minutes. Wyatt Olson hit back-to-back threes in the last minute of play, one to beat the shot clock and another to beat the buzzer, giving the Gusties a four point lead at intermission, 40-36.

The Knights had the MIAC Championship on their mind after the break, outscoring the Gusties 17-1 in the first five minutes of the second on 8-for-12 shooting. Gustavus was yet to score a field goal in the second half until minute 13, when Kienitz let one loose from beyond the arc to make the score 53-44. Spencer Swanson cut the lead to single digits with a trey of his own – and the Gustie wheels began to turn. With 44 seconds on the clock and the Gusties down six, Carleton's Sam Koelling took a technical foul, sending Swanson to the line for two. And the junior came up big for the Gusties, sinking both to cut the deficit to four.

Adam Biewen was Captain Clutch for Black & Gold in the second half comeback, scoring 15 in the final 10 minutes of regulation, and hitting one from deep with just three seconds on the clock to set the stage for Jonah Anderson. Anderson, who came off the bench for Evan Wieker who fouled out after scoring 14 in the second, made the buzzer-beater basket to send the game to overtime tied 94-94. 

Gustavus had all the momentum in overtime one, opening with five points all out of the hands of Wyatt Olson, who added a pair of offensive rebounds as well. Anderson hit a jumper to extend the Gustie lead to five, 101-96, but Carleton shot 3-for-3 to score seven over the Gusties, and tie the score once more, 103-103.

The visiting Gusties outscored Carleton 21-13 in the second overtime, shooting 5-for-8 and 10-for-13 from the charity stripe to seal the victory. Carleton coughed up the ball twice for two costly turnovers and missed four of eight free throw chances, quite literally putting the ball in the Gusties' court. Ashton Dingmann, off the bench for Biewen who fouled out in OT one, sunk one from three to put the lead out of reach for Carleton. Swanson added seven to the second overtime total, hitting all of his free throws, taking advantage of all the Knights' fouls to seal the historic win.  
Kienitz led the team with a career-high 30 points, going 10-for-20 overall and hitting five threes on the night. Swanson and Biewen were next for the Gusties, each scoring 21 points. Swanson added nine rebounds and eight assists to his stat line. Wieker ended the game with 20, followed by Olson with 15. Olson also picked up a team- and game-leading 17 rebounds, nine of which came on the offensive end of the court. 

SCOUTING THE PIPERS

Hamline enters its first championship game since 1985 after an equally thrilling semifinal, upsetting No. 1 seed Saint John's 83-80 on a Bradley Cimperman buzzer beater. Cimperman and Austin Holt led the Pipers past Saint John's, scoring 26 and 24 points, respectively. Cimperman is the team's scoring leader, averaging 15.2 points in 25 games played on 45.9 percent shooting. Holt leads the team in rebounds (9.8/game) and assists (3.7/game). Brendan Ebel has led the Piper defense with 15 blocks and 42 steals this year. 

The team finished the season 17-10 overall and 13-7 in the league. Hamline's loss to the Gusties on Feb. 17 made them the No. 4 seed in the playoff tournament, losing championship home court advantage. The Pipers were one of two teams in the MIAC regular season to defeat Saint John's, winning 74-73 on Jan. 20 thanks to a 24-point 13-rebound double-double from Austin Holt. Holt ranks in the top-25 of all NCAA Division III players with 13 double-doubles this season. Of the Pipers' 17 wins, 10 of them have come at home, with seven on the road. Hamline is shooting 47.2 percent from the field this season and 33.1 from three. 

PIPERS IN THE PLAYOFFS

Hamline played in the very first MIAC Playoff Championship in 1985, losing 54-47 to Saint John's. Since then, Hamline has made a total of 10 appearances in the postseason, including this year. Hamline has a playoff record of 7-9, and is one of four teams in the conference to never win a championship. The team has played in each of the last three tournaments, upsetting the No. 3-seeded Saint Mary's last season before falling to eventual champion Carleton 68-51 in the semis.

LAST-SECOND CIMPERMAN 

Bradley Cimperman has been the go-to guy for Hamline for two years, and has a knack for making clutch shots in the final seconds of games. Cimperman ripped a three from the right wing to seal the semifinal victory, and scored the Pipers' last six points of the game. Last season, Cimperman led Hamline to a 85-82 win over the Gusties, hitting a last-second three to win the game, erasing what was an 11-point deficit earlier in the second half.