The Yellowjackets opened the 2011 WIAC playoffs in familiar territory – the building where they closed out their regular season just three days earlier.  On Saturday, UW-Whitewater sent the Yellowjackets on the long trip home, disappointed following a 79-63 defeat.  On Tuesday night, the Yellowjackets turned the tables, shooting at nearly 55% for the game and walking out of Kachel Gym with a 78-72 win over the Warhawks, advancing to the WIAC semifinals, where they will play at Stevens Point on Thursday.

The Yellowjackets spent most of the first half playing with the lead, allowing the hosts to hold the lead just twice and never letting them pull away by more than four points.  With the game tied 10-10, Marcus Helland (Baldwin, Wis.) hit a three-pointer, followed by a Dan Culy (Rice Lake, Wis.) jumper, giving the Yellowjackets a five-point edge, their largest lead of the first half, with just under 13 minutes to play in the half.  The Warhawks would battle back, however, and would eventually build the four-point cushion, taking a 25-21 lead with 6:53 to play in the half.  Jake Smith (Rhinelander, Wis.) would then score five straight points to regain the lead for the Yellowjackets.  The Warhawks would take the lead right back and again build the lead to four points.  The Yellowjackets would go on an 8-3 run, paced by a pair of threes from Culy, and would head to the locker room with a 34-33 lead.

Smith would lead the way for the Yellowjackets, scoring ten points in the first half as the Yellowjackets collectively shot 53.8% from the field, including hitting six of nine shots from three-point range. 

In the second half the Yellowjackets kept their foot on the pedal, never allowing the Warhawks to take the lead.  After a Greg Roeder (Mercer, Wis.) jumper stretched the lead to three to start the half, the Warhawks tied it at 36-36.  That's as close as they would get, as the Yellowjackets went on a 13-5 run to open the second half.  The lead hit 11 points, 53-42, when Smith hit a jumper with 11:15 to play.  The lead would be shaved in half over the next three-and-a-half minutes, and be reduced all the way to two points, with the Yellowjackets leading 74-72 with 35 seconds to play.  After pulling to within a pair, the Warhawks put Smith on the line, and he hit both free throws to make it 76-72.  A steal by Culy on the ensuing possession led to another foul, and two more free throws, this time by Helland, and he sealed the game, making the score 78-72 with 11 seconds to play.  The Warhawks had one last gasp, but Phil Negri's three-point try missed, giving the Yellowjackets the win and a trip to the semifinals.

Smith finished the game with a team-high 18 points, as the Yellowjackets shot 54.9% from the field and had all five starters score in double figures.  Roeder and Culy scored 15 points apiece, while Helland scored 11 and Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis.) scored ten.  Smith led the Yellowjackets with six rebounds and five assists.  Culy had a team-high two steals.

Chris Davis led the Warhawks with a game-high 21 points.  The Warhawks weren't exactly slouches in the shooting department, hitting 53.1% of their shots for the game.  Alex Edmunds had 18 points and Luke Knoble had 11 points off the bench.

The Yellowjackets (15-11) will remain on the road and will take on UW-Stevens Point at Berg Gymnasium on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m.  The Pointers (22-3) are the 2011 WIAC champions and the defending Division III national champions.  The Pointers swept the season series from the Yellowjackets, winning 71-56 at Mertz Mortorelli Gym on January 15 and again in Stevens Point two weeks later by an 89-48 score.

Thursday's game can be heard live locally on KUWS 91.3 FM.  If you are outside the local listening area, you can tune in on the web at www.ifan.tv, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:50 p.m.  Matt Johnson will have the call.