Wauwatosa's Leon Bond Leads Northern Iowa to NCAA Berth

Bond's monster dunk sparks team's conference tournament victory

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Northern Iowa, a team with three Wisconsin high school alumni in the starting lineup, is headed to the NCAA men's basketball tournament after defeating Illinois-Chicago 84-69 in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game. Wauwatosa East's Leon Bond threw down an audacious dunk in the second half to help spark the sixth-seeded Panthers, who became the lowest seed to ever win the conference tournament.

Why it matters

This is a major accomplishment for the Northern Iowa basketball program, which has now earned an NCAA tournament berth. The team's success is also a point of pride for the state of Wisconsin, with three Badger State natives playing key roles in the victory.

The details

Bond finished with 10 points, including his highlight-reel dunk that gave Northern Iowa a 54-51 lead with 13:30 remaining. De Pere's Will Hornseth added 10 points, and DeForest's Max Weisbrod chipped in 9 points. The Panthers defeated Bradley, led by Milwaukee Pius alumnus Jaquan Johnson, in the semifinal round.

  • The Missouri Valley Conference championship game took place on March 8, 2026.
  • Northern Iowa defeated Illinois-Chicago 84-69 to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament.

The players

Leon Bond

A Wauwatosa East alumnus who plays for Northern Iowa, averaging 11.9 points per game and earning a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference all-defense team.

Will Hornseth

A De Pere native who plays for Northern Iowa, averaging 11.2 points per game and being named the Missouri Valley Conference's most improved player.

Max Weisbrod

A DeForest native who plays for Northern Iowa, contributing 9 points in the conference championship game victory.

Jaquan Johnson

A Milwaukee Pius alumnus who plays for Bradley, which lost to Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinal.

Brian Wardle

The head coach of Bradley, a former Marquette University star and UW-Green Bay coach.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Northern Iowa will now await their seeding and opponent for the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The takeaway

This victory for Northern Iowa, led by three Wisconsin high school standouts, is a testament to the state's basketball talent and the program's ability to develop players from the Badger State. The team's underdog run to the NCAA tournament will surely inspire basketball fans across Wisconsin.