UW-Oshkosh beats Swarthmore for D-III title

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Jack Flynn scored 21 of his career-high 33 points in the second half to help Wisconsin-Oshkosh beat Swarthmore 96-82 on Saturday night in the Division III title game.

Connor Duax scored 16 points and Adam Fravert had 14 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and three steals for Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The Titans (29-3), who lost to Wheaton College in the championship game last season, won their first national title and became the first program in D-III history to go from runners-up to champions.

Flynn hit a jumper before Duax made back-to-back 3-pointers and a layup to make it 57-44 with 16:20 to play. Swarthmore (29-4) hit six 3s in a span of six minutes, three seconds to trim its deficit to 80-73 with five minutes remaining but Wisconsin-Oshkosh answered with a 16-5 run, including seven points by Flynn, to open an 18-point lead with 51 seconds to go.

Zac O’Dell had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Cam Wiley added 20 points, seven assists and three steals for the Garnet. Swarthmore had its 15-game win streak snapped.

Wisconsin-Oshkosh made its first four shots, and the Garnet missed their first six, to open an 11-0 lead and never trailed. Swarthmore, which came in ranked fifth in the nation in field-goal percentage defense (38.3) and seventh in scoring defense (62.8 per game), allowed a season high in points on 52.3-percent (34 of 65) shooting.