From the UWM men and women to the smallest high school in the state, young basketball players are entering the most exciting part of the season.
The UWM men and women might be the most excited of all. Both teams have chances of hosting the finals of their respective Horizon League tournaments. Coach Bruce Pearl's men enter the tourney as the No. 1 seed and will play in the semifinals on Saturday.
If the Panthers would win that game, and Butler has been eliminated, the tournament would shift to the U.S. Cellular Arena for the championship game on March 9. If Butler is eliminated, the Panthers actually could have had the home court advantage for the semis too, but the U.S. Cellular Arena is tied up with Wave games on Saturday and Sunday.
The Panthers, 18-9 overall, 13-3 in the conference, will enter the tournament as the favorites, after winning their first outright conference championship in 63 years. Dylan Page should go into the tourney on a high after earning Player of the Year honors in the Horizon.
UWM women host Illinois-Chicago Thursday at the Klotsche Center in the first round of the Horizon tournament. If they win that game, they will host the semis and championship game of the tourney at the Klotsche Sunday and Monday.
The female Panthers, 16-11 overall, 12-4 in the Horizon, are led by Maria Viall, who became the leading scorer in UWM women's basketball this season and was picked the female Player of the Year in the conference.
UW-Green Bay comes into the tournament as the top-seeded women's team and could end up in a state showdown with UWM for the conference tourney title. But, the tourney would still be in Milwaukee if the two teams meet since UWM has the rights to it this year.
Marquette players know they will have to travel for their conference tournaments. The Golden Eagles' men wrap up their regular season with a noon game against Louisville at the Bradley Center on Saturday. They will go to Cincinnati March 10-13 for the Conference USA tourney.
Coach Tom Crean's team, a Final Four participant last season, has struggled the second half of this season and has a long shot at best at a NCAA bid.
The MU women, 19-8 in the regular season, start the C-USA tournament Thursday at Tulane.
Both the UWM and Marquette teams know they very likely have to win their conference tourneys to make the NCAA tournament. Wisconsin doesn't have that concern.
The Badgers' men, coming off a great win Tuesday night at Michigan State, wrap up the regular season this weekend against Indiana and are a virtual lock for a NCAA bid even if they don't win the Big Ten tournament, March 11-14 at Indianapolis. Coach Bo Ryan's team could surprise some opponents in both tourneys.
Wisconsin's women, 11-16 in the regular season, start the Big Ten tournament Thursday. They would have to pull a stunning upset and win the tourney to go on.
Look in the Beyond Milwaukee Sports section of this column for information about some of the out-state college teams in post-season play.
Prep teams also are starting their tournaments across the state. Among boys, Madison Memorial at 20-0 looks to be the power overall. Milwaukee area teams that could challenge include Tosa East and Catholic Memorial at 19-1, Vincent and Marquette at 18-2 and King at 17-3.
Among smaller schools in the state, Randolph goes into the tourney at 20-0. Seymour and La Crosse Aquinas look tough at 19-1.
The girls already are in sectionals action this Friday and Saturday. Eau Claire North and Waukesha South are powerhouses in Division I. Columbus and Ozaukee go into sectionals as the top-ranked small schools.
The Brew Crew Review
Brewers' fans got good news Tuesday when leftfielder Geoff Jenkins and the club reached agreement on a three-year contract extension.
Jenkins came up through the farm system and could be an anchor as the team adds young players around him in the next couple years. Signing him demonstrates that the club still has commitment to keeping key players who want to play in Milwaukee.
The main hangup on Jenkins has been his health. The Brewers have made long term commitments to players in the past only to have them be injury prone. Let's hope Jenkins can avoid his problems of the past.
The Brewers now have stability at two spots in the outfield. Centerfielder Scott Podsednik has become a media and fan favorite and should build on a season that should have earned him Rookie of the Year honors last year.
Right field remains open. Ben Grieve, a one-time Rookie of the Year, will get every chance to start, but Brady Clark also could make a bid for the position.
Look for in-depth looks at the Brewers in spring training in this column later this month.
The Name Game
The Wave's Greg Howes was picked the Major Indoor Soccer League Offensive Player of the Month for February ... The Admirals' Timofei Shishkanov was named the American Hockey League Rookie of the Month for February ... Jolene Anderson of Port Wing South Shore became the leading scorer in state history with 38 points in a 100-39 win over Webster. Anderson finished the season with 816 points, eclipsing the old record of 789, held by Angie Hableib of Middleton...Ryan Jefferson, only a sophomore at Madison Edgewood, set a state record in diving while winning the state championship.
Beyond Milwaukee Sports
UW-Stevens Point won the men's and women's basketball tournaments in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Both teams automatically got bids with the wins to their respective NCAA tourneys ... Lawrence beat Carroll, 82-71, to win the Midwest Conference tournament and earn the second NCAA Division III berth in school history ... Lakeland beat Wisconsin Lutheran, 60-54, to win the Lake Michigan Conference tournament.
Hot Tix
The college basketball schedule has been covered in previous sections of this column, but here are some other events this weekend.
The Bucks are on the road, but that doesn't mean the Bradley Center will be quiet. The Admirals host Utah at 7 p.m. Friday and Cincinnati at 8 p.m. Saturday at the BC.
Next door at the U.S. Cellular Arena, the Wave will host Kansas City at 4 p.m. Saturday and St. Louis at 1 p.m. Sunday.
