THE STATE TOURNAMENT: The 45th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Basketball State Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, March 12-14, at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis.
PURCHASING TICKETS: Ticket price for the tourney is $10 per session when purchased at the Resch Center. Tickets for the tournament will also be available for purchase online at the Ticket Star website: www.ticketstaronline.com. All-sessions, as well as individual session tickets are available for purchase online for $12 per session. A link is also provided on the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org or call Ticket Star at 1-800-895-0071.
STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: The single elimination tournament features a five-division format with four teams qualifying in each of the five divisions.
Thursday, March 12
Division 3
#1 Platteville (25-0) vs. #4 Arcadia (23-3) - 1:35 p.m.
#2 Wrightstown (24-2) vs. #3 Lake Mills (24-2)*
Division 4
#1 Aquinas (24-1) vs. #4 Crandon (21-4) - 6:35 p.m.
#2 Melrose-Mindoro (25-1) vs. #3 Mishicot (23-3)*
Friday, March 13
Division 5
#1 Black Hawk (26-0) vs. #4 Newman Catholic (22-4) - 9:05 a.m.
#2 Clear Lake (26-0) vs. #3 Bangor (25-1)*
Division 2
#1 Hortonville (25-1) vs. #4 Oregon (21-5) - 1:35 p.m.
#2 Beaver Dam (23-3) vs. #3 Pewaukee (21-5)*
Division 1
#1 Middleton (25-1) vs. #4 Oconomowoc (22-4) - 6:35 p.
#2 Bay Port (24-2) vs. #3 Divine Savior Holy Angels (23-3)*
Saturday, March 14
3-Point Challenge - 9:30 a.m.
Division 5 Championship Game - 11:05 a.m.
Division 4 Championship Game*
Division 3 Championship Game*
Division 2 Championship Game - 6:35 p.m.
Division 1 Championship Game*
*Note: Subsequent games of each session will begin approximately 15 minutes following the previous game.
Locally, Middleton, Beaver Dam, Oregon, Lake Mills, Platteville, and Black Hawk advanced to the 2020 State High School Girls Basketball Championships in Green Bay. Here's a preview of this week's event at the Resch Center.
Last year’s runner-up Middleton is the top seed in the bracket. The Cardinals qualify for the State Tournament for the 12th time and their third in the past four seasons. They have finished as State runner-up four times, including 1993, 2003, 2011 and last year. The Cardinals advance to the State semifinals again this season following a 61-58 victory over Madison Memorial in the Monona Grove Sectional final. The Cardinals and Madison Memorial tied for the Big Eight Conference championship during the regular season.
Three-time defending champion and second-seeded Beaver Dam is back attempting to become the only program in WIAA girls basketball history to win four consecutive State titles. It is the Golden Beavers’ sixth appearance overall. Their initial State experience was back in 1991 when they finished runner-up in Division 1. Their opportunity to continue their quest to make history comes by virtue of a 55-41 win over Pulaski in the Ashwaubenon Sectional final. The Golden Beavers are the champions of the North Division of the Badger Conference this season.
Fourth-seeded Oregon returns from a long hiatus of participating in the State Tournament. The Panthers make their third appearance overall and the first appearance since the second of back-to-back experiences in Division 1 in 1980. Their furthest advance toward the title was to the semifinals that year. They are the champions of the South Division of the Badger Conference this season, and they advanced out of the Janesville Craig Sectional with 51-46 decision over Waukesha West in the final.
The top seed in the bracket was afforded to Platteville. The Hillmen return to the State Tournament field for the first time since their only other appearance resulted in a Class B championship in 1984. They are the champions of the Southwest Wisconsin Conference this season, and they are the representative from the Baraboo Sectional after defeating former two-time defending champion Marshall 50-34 in the final.
Lake Mills, the third seed, will make its first appearance at State. The L-Cats are the champions in the North Division of the Capitol North Conference in 2020. They defeated Martin Luther 70-65 in the Brown Deer Sectional final to clinch their first tourney berth.
Last year’s champion Black Hawk is bestowed the #1 seed, making its sixth appearance in the State Tournament and its third in a row. The Warriors also advanced to the title game two years ago and finished runner-up. In addition, they also made a string of three straight appearances from 2009-11. That run produced a runner-up finish in Division 4 in 2010. Their return to the State Tournament comes by virtue of a convincing 83-36 win over Oakfield in the Beaver Dam Sectional final. The Warriors are the champions of the Eastern Division of the Six Rivers Conference this season.
You can read the full preview by clicking here.