CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – For the second consecutive season, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship will see second-seeded Buena Vista (15-11, 11-5 A-R-C) and No. 1-seed Dubuque (20-6, 14-2 A-R-C) collide for the title.
 
Buena Vista advanced to the title game after defeating third-seeded Coe (20-7, 11-5 A-R-C) 95-81 in the semifinal round. Dubuque punched their ticket to the championship game by defeating fifth-seeded Loras (18-9, 9-7 A-R-C) 78-58. Both Dubuque and Buena Vista received first-round byes as the tournament’s top two seeds.
 
No. 1 Dubuque 78, No. 5 Loras 58 – BOX SCORE
 
Dubuque’s Peter Ragen and Jaylin McCants led all scorers on the night with 16 apiece. Ragen added a team high eight rebounds and three blocks, four assists, and one steal on the night. McCants tallied seven rebounds, two assists, and one block for the Spartans.
 
The Duhawks’ leading scorer Rowan McGowen totaled 10 points, three rebounds, two steals, and one assist on the night. The second leading scorer for Loras was Jake Healy with eight points. Ali Sabet collected four rebounds to lead the Duhawks.
 
No. 2 Buena Vista 95, No. 3 Coe 81 – BOX SCORE
 
Four Beavers eclipsed double-figures on the night with Zane Neubaum leading both teams with a career-high 32 points. Michael Demers was the second-leading scorer for the Beavers with 20 points, followed by Michael Santich with 13 and Jake Thompson with 12. Neubaum and Demers each snagged six rebounds to pace the Beavers.
 
Coe senior Jarad Kruse led the Kohawks posting a double-double (28 points, 11 rebounds). Cael Schmitt was the second-leading scorer for Coe with 15 points while added five assists and three rebounds. Jacob Robertson was the second-leading rebounder for the Kohawks recording 10 boards.
 
The 2022 A-R-C Championship game tips off from Stoltz Sports Center on the campus of University of Dubuque at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, February 26. Dubuque is making their fifth Conference Tournament title game and second-consecutive. The Spartans will be shooting for their third conference title. Buena Vista is making their 11th appearance and first since 2012.
 
The winner of the A-R-C tournament will receive the league’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. Additionally, 20 teams from around the country will be selected to the NCAA Tournament field as at-large bids. Final regional rankings, win-loss percentage, wins against regionally ranked opponents, and strength of schedule are part of the primary criteria utilized by the NCAA selection committee. Both teams find themselves ranked in Region IX of the NCAA Division III Regional Rankings – Dubuque No. 7 and Buena Vista No. 8.
 
The 64 team NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, February 28 at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on NCAA.com.