Third-seeded Madonna took care of unfinished business by winning the 2023 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Tournament title with a 96-83 victory against top-seeded Indiana Tech. The Crusaders lost in the championship game last season and were on a mission in this year's title game, their third overall (2013, 2020). It's only the third time a No. 3 seed has won the tournament.
As tournament champion, Madonna (24-7) takes the league's second automatic berth to the NAIA Open Round March 7-8 on campus sites. Indiana Tech (27-4) claimed the first automatic berth as regular-season champion and will host an Opening Round.
Madonna jumped early and led by as many as 16 with just under five minutes remaining in the first half, but Indiana Tech scored 10 of the half's last 14 points to close the gap to eight heading into the break. Grant Smith (6'6''-G) opened the second half with a jumper for the Warriors, but Madonna quickly expanded its lead to 18 with a 14-2 run capped off with back-to-back threes from Mark Mettie and Brendan Young.
After trading baskets, Madonna got another spark and pushed the lead to 22 twice before the six-minute mark. The Warriors got as close as 11 a few times and found themselves down by 10 with 56 seconds left, but Madonna hit three of four free throws down the stretch.
Madonna's defense kept the Warriors out of sync all game. As for the Crusader offense, they shot a blistering 54.8% from the field and were 45% from behind the arc. Young led all scorers with 23 while Mettie followed with 22 and Henry Speight (6'3''-G/F) had 21, going 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the second half. Devin Dunn (6'0''-PG) was the fourth Crusader in double digits with 13 points. Young also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Josh Kline (6'9''-F) led Indiana Tech with 20 points and seven rebounds. Cory McKinney (6'1''-G) added 15 points and handed out five assists. Blake Davison (6'1''-G) and Grant Smith chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Courtesy of whac.net

Player of the Year: Rog Stein (6'6''-F) of Indiana Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Cory McKinney (6'1''-G) of Indiana Tech
Newcomer of the Year: Gunner Walters (5'11''-PG) of Rochester, MI
Coach of the Year: Ted Albert of Indiana Tech

All-WHAC First Team 2023

Stein

Mettie

Holifield

Ainsworth

Harris

Kline

First Team
Rog Stein (6'6''-F) of Indiana Tech
Mark Mettie (6'10''-C) of Madonna
Joey Holifield (6'1''-G) of Lourdes
Cory Ainsworth (6'9''-C) of Cornerstone
Jackie Harris (6'6''-F-2001) of Lourdes
Josh Kline (6'9''-F) of Indiana Tech
Gabe Overway (6'8''-F) of Aquinas Coll.
Andrew Rinn (6'4''-G) of Lawrence Tech
Henry Speight (6'3''-G/F) of Madonna
Brendan Young (6'5''-F) of Madonna

All-WHAC Second Team 2023

Johnson

Nyp

Smith

Rowlinson

Gustafson

Ballard Jr.

Second Team
Biggz Johnson (6'0''-PG) of UNOH
Carter Nyp (6'10''-F) of Cornerstone
Grant Smith (6'6''-G) of Indiana Tech
Luke Rowlinson (6'4''-G) of Cornerstone
Gunnar Gustafson (6'7''-F) of Lawrence Tech
James Ballard Jr. (6'4''-F) of Rochester, MI
Little Anderson (6'2''-G) of Lourdes
Gunner Walters (5'11''-PG) of Rochester, MI
Cory McKinney (6'1''-G) of Indiana Tech
Curtis Bell (6'4''-F) of SHU

WHAC All-Defensive Team 2023

McKinney

Anderson

Ballard Jr.

Mettie

Bell

All-Defensive Team
Cory McKinney (6'1''-G) of Indiana Tech
Little Anderson (6'2''-G) of Lourdes
James Ballard Jr. (6'4''-F) of Rochester, MI
Mark Mettie (6'10''-C) of Madonna
Curtis Bell (6'4''-F) of SHU

WHAC All-Freshman Team 2023

Walters

Brown-Boyd

Nutter

Coleman

Fisher

All-Freshman Team
Gunner Walters (5'11''-PG) of Rochester, MI
Donovan Brown-Boyd (6'5''-F) of Aquinas Coll.
Colin Nutter (6'7''-C) of SHU
Stephen Coleman (6'5''-G/F) of Lourdes
James Fisher (6'9''-F) of Rochester, MI