2001-02 UW-Oshkosh Men's Basketball News
Dworak Named NABC All-American, Region's Top Player
Crowning one of the finest individual seasons in the 104-year history of UW-Oshkosh men's basketball, junior forward Tim Dworak has been named to the 2002 NCAA Division III All-America first team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Dworak is only the second UW-Oshkosh player to receive All-America onors by the NABC, with the other being guard Dennis Ruedinger, a first team selection in 1996. UW-Oshkosh also has four NAIA All-Americans on its men's basketball resume, including two-time honoree Ralph Sims.
Dworak was joined on the eight-member NCAA Division III All-America first team by senior center Jeff Gibbs of Otterbein College (Ohio), senior center Mark Lesko of Muhlenberg College (Pa.), junior guard Antoine McDaniel of Carthage College (Wis.), junior forward Mike Medbury of State University of New York-Brockport, junior center Colin Tabb of Trinity College (Conn.), senior guard Brian Turner of Rutgers University-Camden (N.J.) and senior forward Kyle Williford of Bridgewater College (Va.). Earlier this month, Dworak was named by D3Hoops.com., an Internet site, as a NCAA Division III All-America third team selection.
Dworak emerged as UW-Oshkosh's most heralded player this past year, leading the Titans to a 24-6 record, WIAC regular season and tournament championships and to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Championship. UW-Oshkosh's victory total, WIAC Tournament title and advancement in the NCAA Division III Championship established school bests, while the Titans' WIAC regular season title was their first since 1978.
Compiling double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10, the Kewaunee native led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this past season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. He also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game (55) and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243). In conference play, Dworak's 16-game scoring average of 26.3 points per contest was the highest since the 1976-77 season. Prior to NCAA Division III post-season play, Dworak ranked ninth in the country in scoring and fourth in field goal percentage.
Dworak, who ranks as UW-Oshkosh's ninth all-time leading scorer with 1,274 career points, tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this past season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against UW-River Falls on December 8 and UW-Whitewater on January 2.
Dworak also was named the 2002 NCAA Division III West Region Player of the Year by the NABC, an honor Ruedinger also received in 1996. Joining Dworak on the NABC's six-member NCAA Division III All-West Region first team were senior guard Mark Buri of the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), senior guard Scott Davis of Lewis & Clark College (Ore.), junior forward Josh Islerloth of UW-Stevens Point, senior guard Adam Jones of Buena Vista University (Iowa) and junior forward Rich Melzer of UW-River Falls. Dworak, Buri, Davis and Jones were also named by D3Hoops.com as NCAA Division III All-West Region first team selections.
Dworak Receives D3Hoops.Com All-America Honors
D3Hoops.com has named UW-Oshkosh forward Tim Dworak as a third team selection on its 2002 NCAA Division III All-America men's basketball squad.
Dworak, a junior from Kewaunee, was one of 20 players receiving NCAA Division III All-America accolades by the Internet site, with five players named to each of the four teams. Dworak is the first UW-Oshkosh player to gain All-America status since Dennis Ruedinger landed first team mention by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 1996.
Joining Dworak on the third team were senior guard Aaron Galetta of Union College (N.Y.), senior center Nathan Hoffmann of St. Norbert College (Wis.), senior guard Leo Jones of Wesleyan University (Conn.) and senior forward David Paul of the College of Staten Island (N.Y.).
Three of the five first-team selections, senior guard Adam Jones of Buena Vista University (Iowa), senior center Jeff Gibbs of Otterbein College (Ohio) and senior forward Jason Wiertel of Carthage College (Wis.), led their squads to NCAA Division III post-season play. The remainder of the first team included junior guard Willie Chandler of College Misericordia (Pa.) and senior forward Kyle Williford of Bridgewater College (Va.). Gibbs and Wiertel were second team picks a year ago.
Named to the second team were senior guard Mark Buri of the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), senior forward K.B. DeBord of Concordia University-Austin (Texas), junior forward Matt Hilleary of Catholic University (Md.), junior guard Antoine McDaniel of Carthage College and junior center Derek Reich of the University of Chicago (Ill.).
Compiling one of the best single-season performances in the 104-year history of UW-Oshkosh men's basketball, Dworak spirited the Titans to a 24-6 record, WIAC regular season and tournament championships and advancement to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Championship.
Counting double-figure scoring totals in all 30 games and in rebounding in 10, Dworak led the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding this season by averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. He also led the league in field goal percentage at 64.8 (247-381), while ranking third in steals with an average of 1.83 per game (55) and seventh in free throw percentage at 79.8 (194-243). In conference play, Dworak's 16-game scoring average of 26.3 points per contest was the highest since the 1976-77 season. Prior to NCAA Division III post-season competition, Dworak ranked ninth in the country in scoring and fourth in field goal percentage.
Dworak, who ranks as UW-Oshkosh's ninth all-time leading scorer with 1,274 career points, tallied 30-plus points in a game eight times this season. Among them were a career-best 38 points in games against UW-River Falls on December 8 and UW-Whitewater on January 2.
Named along with Dworak to D3Hoops.com's NCAA Division III All-West Region first team were Buri of the University of St. Thomas, senior guard Scott Davis of Lewis & Clark College (Ore.), sophomore guard Bob Donlan of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Calif.) and Jones of Buena Vista University.
Pioneers Capture Titans In NCAA's "Sweet 16"
Aided by a strong defensive effort and four double-figure scorers, including two off the bench, the Lewis & Clark College men's basketball team held off UW-Oshkosh, 79-71, in a third round contest of the NCAA Division III Championship held Friday (March 8) at Carthage College in Kenosha.
The victory advances the Portland, Ore., school to the quarterfinal round of the 48-team national tournament, where it will meet Carthage College on Saturday (March 9) in Kenosha. Carthage College (26-1) advanced to the quarterfinal round following its 71-65 victory over Gustavus Adolphus College (24-5) on Friday.
Meeting for the first time since defeating UW-Oshkosh, 75-74, in the first round of the 1963 NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Lewis & Clark College (24-5) opened the game with a 5-0 scoring run and was never bested the remainder of the contest.
Lewis & Clark College hit 16 of its first-26 field goal attempts to lead UW-Oshkosh (24-6) 40-29 at intermission. Ironically, that was the same 11-point deficit the Titans faced last Saturday (March 2) against the University of St. Thomas before they rallied to win 88-85 in overtime.
After Lewis & Clark College built its biggest lead of the game at 43-30 early in the second half, UW-Oshkosh went on a 19-6 scoring run, tying the game at 49 on junior Nick Scherer's three-point basket with 11:08 remaining.
But that's when the Pioneers responded.
Senior Scott Davis, a two-time Northwest Conference Player of the Year selection, scored seven points over the next two minutes to help Lewis & Clark College build the lead back to 11.
UW-Oshkosh made one last surge late in the game when Scherer drilled another three-pointer to close the gap to 71-67 with 1:16 to play. But with a chance to pull even closer, the Titans missed a rebounding blockout and committed a backcourt violation in the following 20 seconds. The Pioneers then ran out the game by making eight of their 10 free throw attempts.
The loss ended one of UW-Oshkosh's most successful seasons, and every starter and key reserve returns next year from a team that also claimed WIAC regular season and tournament championships. But that did precious little to soothe the Titans after this one.
"A lot of guys put a lot of heart into this season and it hurts to have it end like this," said Scherer. "We gave it our all and that's all you can ask for."
UW-Oshkosh ran into a supremely confident Lewis & Clark College team that has traveled more than 4,000 miles in two weeks and knocked off two higher-ranked opponents.
But more important, the Pioneers used the experience they gained by reaching last year's round of 16 to help get them over the top against the pesky Titans.
"I think it really showed in the last two minutes," said Davis, who scored 21 points from nearly every imaginable spot on the floor. "We held onto the ball and we kept our composure."
UW-Oshkosh head coach Ted Van Dellen agreed that experience made a difference.
"They've been here before and they were real determined," Van Dellen said. "Their goal was to get past this round and they did."
Besides the double-figure scoring, seven rebounds and five assists by Davis, Lewis & Clark College also received 19 points and seven rebounds from junior Kristofer Speier, 14 points, six rebounds and six assists from junior Colin Oriard and 11 points and three assists from junior Danny Winchester. Speier, who made all eight of his field goal attempts, and Winchester came off the bench.
The Lewis & Clark College defense did a good job of shutting down junior All-America candidate Tim Dworak. He did manage 15 points, but was held scoreless the final 15:38 of the game. The Titans also received 17 points from Scherer and a career-best 11 points from freshman Andy Fernholz.
Lewis & Clark College shot 53.1 percent (26-49) from the field, including 45 percent (9-20) behind the three-point line. The Pioneers also made 18 of their 23 free throw attempts and held a 34-27 rebounding advantage over the Titans. UW-Oshkosh shot 46.7 percent (28-60) from the field to mark the first time in 10 games that it was below the 50-percent mark. The Titans were also 9-24 behind the three-point line and 6-9 from the charity stripe.
Titans Rally To Advance In NCAA Tourney
Junior All-America candidate Tim Dworak ignited the post-game celebration for the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team once again, this time on the defensive end.
A week after his three-point basket at the buzzer gave the Titans the WIAC Tournament championship, Dworak's blocked shot of a three-point attempt with one second remaining hoisted UW-Oshkosh to an 88-85 overtime win over the University of St. Thomas in a second round contest of the NCAA Division III Championship held Saturday (March 2) in St. Paul, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh (24-5) advances to the "Sweet 16" of the 48-team post-season gala, where it will meet Lewis & Clark College (23-5) of Portland, Ore., on Friday (March 8) at 6 p.m. in Kenosha. Also on Friday in Kenosha, with an 8 p.m. start, host Carthage College (25-1) plays Gustavus Adolphus College (24-4) of St. Peter, Minn. Friday's winners battle on Saturday (March 9) in Kenosha, with the victor advancing to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Salem, Va., on March 15-16.
Things looked bleak for UW-Oshkosh near the end of the first half as the University of St. Thomas (24-4) went on a 15-4 scoring run to extend a 23-19 lead to 38-23 with 2:07 left before intermission. The Titans cut four points off their deficit in the closing two minutes to trail 42-31 at the break. The Tommies shot a blistering 65.5 percent (19-29) from the field and held a 15-9 advantage in rebounds in the first half, while the Titans shot a respectable 48 percent (12-25) from the field. Senior Mark Buri of the University of St. Thomas led all scorers in the first half with 15 points.
UW-Oshkosh began to tighten its first meeting with the University of St. Thomas with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation. Trailing 55-46, the Titans went on a 25-16 scoring run to tie the game at 71 with 1:49 left. Holding a one-point lead, UW-Oshkosh junior Nate Miller converted a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining to give the Titans a 77-74 advantage. University of St. Thomas junior Brendan Finn sent the game to overtime on the ensuing possession when he swished a three-point basket from 25 feet out with five seconds left. A desperation three-point shot by Dworak as time expired hit the back of the rim, with result sending the game to overtime tied at 77.
UW-Oshkosh forced overtime behind some scorching shooting in the second half, 65 percent (13-20) from the field, 71.4 percent (5-7) behind the three-point line and 88.2 percent (15-17) from the free throw line. Dworak led the Titans with 16 points in the second half, while junior Scott Sowinski had 11 and junior Nick Scherer nine. The Tommies shot 44.4 percent (12-27) from the field in the second period, including just 4-13 behind the three-point line.
In overtime, UW-Oshkosh's fifth extra period of the season, Dworak converted a three-point play with 3:43 remaining to give UW-Oshkosh its biggest lead at 82-78. The Tommies eventually closed to 84-83 with 54 seconds left, but freshman Andy Fernholz's layup with 20 seconds to play gave the Titans an 86-83 lead. Buri then hit a jumper with 12 seconds left, but Scherer answered for UW-Oshkosh by hitting two free throws with eight seconds remaining. The University of St. Thomas then worked the ball to Buri, but his three-point shot with one second left was blocked by Dworak to seal the win.
Dworak scored 33 points to lead UW-Oshkosh, while Sowinski added 20 and Scherer 16. Dworak, the 2002 WIAC Player of the Year, recorded his eighth 30-plus scoring game of the season with 13 of 18 shooting from the field and seven of eight shooting from the charity stripe. Buri, the 2002 MIAC Player of the Year, led the University of St. Thomas in scoring with 25 points, while junior Mark Paulson contributed 23.
UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 54.7 percent (29-53) from the field, including 8-13 behind the three-point line. The Titans also made 22 of their 25 free throw tries, including the last 15 to end the game. UW-Oshkosh entered the game ranked first in the NCAA Division III in field goal shooting, eighth in three-point field goal shooting and 14th in free throw shooting. The University of St. Thomas finished shooting 52.4 percent (33-63) from the field, but was just 8-27 behind the three-point line and 11-20 from the free throw line.
Titans Defeat Red Hawks In NCAA Tournament Opener
Shooting better than 50 percent from the field for the eighth consecutive game, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team defeated a persistent Ripon College squad, 71-56, in a first round contest of the NCAA Division III Championship held Thursday (February 28) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh shot 58.7 percent (27-46) for the game, including 69.2 percent (18-26) in the first half. Although the Titans didn't make a three-pointer in the second half, they still finished with a 50 percent (8-16) average from three-point land.
UW-Oshkosh junior Tim Dworak scored 23 points to lead all players in scoring. The consensus 2002 WIAC Player of the Year also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
The star of the game, however, was UW-Oshkosh junior Nate Miller. Miller poured in 17 points, a point shy of his best career performance, and connected on five of his first six field goal attempts. Four of those were from beyond the arc in the first half, while UW-Oshkosh hit eight-for-11 overall.
The Titans flirted with a 10-point lead throughout the first half, holding as much as a 16-point lead during the final moments, before heading into the locker room ahead, 47-33 at the half.
A scoring drought of nearly five and a half minutes gave the Red Hawks a second life, cutting the lead to 60-52 with 9:02 to play. But a pair of layups by Dworak in a one-minute span put the Titans up by 13, 69-56 with 59 seconds to play.
Ripon College, champion of the Midwest Conference Tournament, finished the season at 19-7. Sophomore Scott Landisch scored 16 points to lead the team, while senior Steve Kohl and junior Nick Butrym combined for a 23-point effort.
Next for UW-Oshkosh (23-5) is a trip to the Twin Cities to face the University of St. Thomas in a second round game next Saturday (March 2). Both the Tommies and Titans have 23 wins on the season, although UW-Oshkosh has one more loss, at five.
Dworak Named WIAC Player Of The Year
To the surprise of very few, UW-Oshkosh forward Tim Dworak was tabbed as the 2002 WIAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
Dworak led the Titans to a share of the WIAC championship, their first league title since 1978, and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship.
The junior from Kewaunee led the WIAC in scoring (23.4), rebounding (8.6) and field goal percentage (.649), while ranking third in steals (1.85). Dworak also had a league-high 10 double-doubles (points and rebounds) to his credit this season. Dating back to last year, he has scored in double figures in 34 consecutive contests.
Dworak’s scoring average of 26.3 points per contest in conference games is the highest in the league since UW-Oshkosh’s Ralph Sims poured in 27.6 points per outing during the 1976-77 season. Dworak joins UW-Superior’s Vince Thomas (2000-01), UW-Whitewater’s Mike Gutter (1979-80) and UW-Eau Claire’s Mike Ratliff (1971-72) as the only individual to lead the league in scoring and rebounding in conference play. Dworak, who hauled in an average of 10.4 rebounds per WIAC contest this season, is UW-Oshkosh’s 13th all-time leading scorer with 1,203 career points.
Dworak, who received All-WIAC honorable mention status last season, becomes the third player in UW-Oshkosh history and the first since Sims to win the conference’s player of the year honor. Sims won the award during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons. John Lallensack also won the honor for the Titans during the 1968-69 campaign.
Dworak was the only UW-Oshkosh (22-5) player on the All-WIAC first team, but two of his teammates garnered honorable mention status, junior guards Nick Scherer and Nate Miller.
Scherer, from Manitowoc, averaged 13.3 points per game in WIAC play and ranked second in the league in three-point field goals with 46. Miller, from Hudson, averaged 8.5 points and 3.0 assists per game in WIAC contests. He also ranked second in free throw shooting, making 87.5 percent of his attempts.
Joining Dworak on the first team were Aubrey Lewis-Byers and Jake Wolter of UW-Whitewater, Eddie Hebert and Matt Schultz of UW-La Crosse, Kent Becker and Rich Melzer of UW-River Falls, Josh Islerloth of UW-Stevens Point, Steve Krueger of UW-Stout and Tyler Selk of UW-Platteville.
Stu Engen of UW-La Crosse was named the 2002 WIAC Coach of the Year.
Titans Win WIAC Tournament In Classic Fashion
If any one game epitomizes the competitiveness of the WIAC, this would be it, a real classic.
The number one and number three seeds battling to the last second for the championship of the WIAC Tournament and a free invitation to the NCAA's 48-team post-season party.
Junior All-America candidate Tim Dworak was the hero of the night for UW-Oshkosh, sinking a three-point basket from the baseline as time expired, as the Titans posted a thrilling 70-69 victory over UW-Whitewater in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament held Saturday (February 23) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Whitewater headed to the game's final minute leading 67-65 before UW-Oshkosh junior Scott Sowinski tied the contest at 67 on a pair of free throws with 46 seconds remaining. On the following possession, UW-Whitewater went to the charity stripe, where senior Jake Wolter sank two free throws to give the Warhawks a 69-67 lead with 33 seconds left.
UW-Oshkosh brought the basketball up court following Wolter's conversions. But it wasn't Dworak who was slated to wear the basketball net around his neck, it was Sowinski. After a missed shot and the recovery of a looses ball, UW-Oshkosh called timeout with 3.6 seconds left. Before the clock could start again, UW-Whitewater called a timeout to double-check its defensive preparation.
Following the series of timeouts, Sowinski took the inbound pass and proceeded to the basket from the top of the key. En route to the basket, Sowinski stumbled and had to dish the basketball to Dworak who was standing open in the corner. Dworak flicked the wrist, the buzzer sounded, the basketball went through the net and the Titans, and their 1,578 fans in attendance rejoiced on the court.
UW-Oshkosh took a 38-35 advantage to halftime after leading by as many as eight points on five occassions in the opening period. UW-Oshkosh received 10 points from Dworak and eight from Sowinski in the first half while shooting 59.1 percent (13-22) from the field. UW-Whitewater shot 51.9 percent (14-27) from the field in the opening stanza while getting eight points each from junior Aubrey Lewis-Byers and sophomore Londen Donlow.
Prior to the game's final two minutes, UW-Oshkosh never trailed in the second half. The Titans' biggest lead of the second period was a 45-39 count with 16:58 remaining. Highlighted by his game-winning basket, Dworak scored 16 points in the second half, including 10 of the Titans' final 14. Both teams had their marksmanship from the field cool in the second half as UW-Oshkosh shot 45 percent (9-20) and UW-Whitewater 44.4 percent (12-27).
Dworak, the WIAC's leading scorer and rebounder, finished the game with 24 points and four rebounds. The Titans also received 19 points and six rebounds from Sowinski and eight points and three rebounds from junior Nick Scherer.
Lewis-Byers led UW-Whitewater in scoring with 20 points and in rebounds with eight, all on the offensive end. The Warhawks (21-6) also got 16 points from Donlow and 14 from Wolter.
The victory on Saturday puts UW-Oshkosh in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth time in school history and the first since 1998. At 22-5, the Titans are enjoying one of their most successful campaigns in the program's 104-year history.
UW-Oshkosh shared the WIAC's regular season championship with UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, all owning 11-5 league records. It was the first WIAC title for UW-Oshkosh since 1978.
Titans Move To WIAC Tournament Final
For a team to be successful in the post-season, role players have to step up their efforts.
And with the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team attempting to reach the championship game of the WIAC Tournament for the second consecutive season, they found their man on Thursday (February 21) in sophomore Cameron Zuege.
Zuege took his turn in taking his skills to a higher level and the result helped UW-Oshkosh (21-5) defeat UW-River Falls, 86-80, in a semifinal round contest of the WIAC's post-season gala. The Titans will host UW-Whitewater (21-6), an 80-73 winner over UW-Stevens Point (21-6) on Thursday, in the championship game on Saturday (February 23) at 7 p.m. in Kolf Sports Center.
Zuege scored seven points during a span of 2:16 in the second half to boost the Titans' lead to 63-43 with 10:56 to play. Zuege, who played 30 minutes coming off the bench, finished the game with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. He made four of his six field goal attempts, including two of three behind the three-point line, to become one of four double-figure scorers for the Titans.
Junior Tim Dworak, the WIAC's leading scorer and rebounder, finished with 31 points and seven rebounds for the Titans, but was forced to be a bystander for the final decisive minutes of the contest.
UW-River Falls (17-9) clawed their way back after Zuege's scoring streak to get within 11, 75-64, with 3:33 left in the game on a three-point play by junior Rich Melzer. Dworak was called for his fifth personal foul on the play, sending him to the bench.
The Falcons managed to close their deficit to 79-74 with 1:39 remaining in the game, but had to foul down the stretch to remain in the chase. UW-Oshkosh made three of four tosses from the charity stripe in the final 27 seconds to hold on for the final six-point margin.
With the game expected to be a showdown between Dworak and Melzer, two of the WIAC's best frontline performers, Dworak set the tone early by scoring 21 first half points. Dworak made all nine of his field goal and all three of his free throw attempts in a first half that featured him scoring 15 of the Titans' first 21 points. It was the seventh time this season that Dworak had counted 30 or more points in a game.
UW-Oshkosh also received 22 points from Scott Sowinski and 10 from Nate Miller, both juniors. The Titans continued their blistering marksmanship of recent games by shooting 65.9 percent (29-44) from the field, 53.3 percent (8-15) behind the three-point line and 83.3 percent (20-24) from the free throw line. UW-Oshkosh entered the game ranking second in the NCAA Division III in field goal percentage (51.7), ninth in three-point field goal percentage (41.2) and 17th in free throw percentage (75.1).
Melzer led UW-River Falls by totaling 28 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. The Falcons also received 17 points from senior Kent Becker and 13 from junior Scott DeWyre, UW-River Falls shot 48.4 percent (31-64) from the field and had advantages of 14-12 in turnovers and 31-21 in rebounds over UW-Oshkosh.
UW-Oshkosh's win on Thursday also gave 12th-year head coach Ted Van Dellen his 200th career victory. The former UW-Oshkosh basketball standout now owns a 200-112 record while coaching his alma mater.
Titans Advance In WIAC Tourney
With the WIAC regular season championship packed neatly in their pockets, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team has set their sights on winning the league tournament and receiving the free ticket to the NCAA Division III post-season gala that comes with it.
The top-seeded Titans completed the first phase of their WIAC Tournament journey on Tuesday (February 19) in Kolf Sports Center with their 73-56 defeat of eighth-seed UW-Superior (11-15).
UW-Oshkosh (20-5) advances to the semifinal round of the WIAC Tournament, where it will host fifth-seed UW-River Falls (17-8) on Thursday (February 21) in Kolf Sports Center. The Falcons advanced to their contest with the Titans by defeating fourth-seed UW-La Crosse (17-9), 91-82, on Tuesday.
UW-Oshkosh led UW-Superior for all but 1:50 of the game, with the only tie being 2-2. Holding a 21-18 advantage, UW-Oshkosh ended the first half with an 11-5 scoring run to lead 32-23 at intermission. Both teams shot exceptionally well from the field in the opening period, with the Yellowjackets shooting 60 percent (9-15) and the Titans 57.1 percent (12-21).
The Titans started the second half strong, going on a 9-2 scoring run to lead 42-25 with 17:08 remaining. Refusing to be extinguished, the Yellowjackets fought back to cut their deficit to 49-43 with 8:20 left. But, UW-Oshkosh then scored seven unanswered points to finally put the pesky Yellowjackets away. It was a parade to the free throw line for UW-Oshkosh in the final four minutes of the contest as the Titans made 11 of 14 tosses.
UW-Oshkosh continued its hot shooting in the second half by making seven of 12 field goal attempts for 58.3 percent. The Titans went to the free throw line 32 times in the second half, making 25. The Yellowjackets shot only 36.7 percent from the field in the second half, hitting just 11 of 30 tries.
Junior Tim Dworak, the WIAC's leading scorer and rebounder, spirited UW-Oshkosh with 26 points, a career-best nine steals and six rebounds. The Titans also received 15 points and three rebounds from junior Nate Miller, 13 points and three assists from junior Nick Scherer and eight points and seven assists from junior Scott Sowinski. UW-Superior, which lost games of 63-58 and 70-56 earlier this year, was led by sophomore Cody Kastern's 16 points and seven rebounds.
With their 20 victories, the Titans have reached the magical 20-win plateau for the third time in seven years. Tuesday's win also marked the 199th victory for 12th-year UW-Oshkosh head coach Ted Van Dellen, who remains perfect (4-0) in quarterfinal round play of the WIAC Tournament.
Titans Grab Share Of WIAC Championship
You can pick your favorite cliché, the monkey is off their back, and they're no longer bridesmaids.
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team's goal of winning a WIAC championship was accomplished on the very same floor they were denied a surprise bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament just a year ago.
The Titans, who lost 76-63 to UW-Eau Claire in the championship game of last year's WIAC Tournament, claimed their first regular season league title since 1978 and the 12th in school history with an 84-59 win over the Blugolds on Saturday (February 16) in Eau Claire. Prior to 1978, UW-Oshkosh also won WIAC regular season titles in 1914, 1921, 1925, 1938, 1939, 1947, 1948, 1963, 1967 and 1968.
It seemed as if UW-Eau Claire, which was fighting to qualify for the upcoming eight-team WIAC Tournament, would give the Titans a tight game, but UW-Oshkosh was hungry. UW-Oshkosh led 28-23 with 6:37 left in the first half before ending the period on a 14-6 scoring run to lead 42-29 at intermission. Junior Nate Miller punctuated that scoring run for the Titans when he nailed a half-court bomb as the opening half ended.
Once the second half started, UW-Oshkosh clamped down on defense and maintained a lead of 21 or more points for the last 10:28 of play. The Titans' biggest advantage of the contest was 84-56 with 28 seconds left.
“I was real pleased with our defensive intensity throughout the game,” UW-Oshkosh head coach Ted Van Dellen, a starter on the Titans' 1978 WSUC Championship team said. “It kept us in the game early when it was close, and then we hit a couple of big three-point baskets and it was off from there.”
UW-Oshkosh's defense held UW-Eau Claire to 37.9 percent (11-29) shooting from the field in the first half, including just 3-11 behind the three-point line. UW-Eau Claire finished the game shooting 40 percent (22-55) from the field and just 5-20 from downtown.
On the offensive end, the Titans shot 66.7 percent (32-48) from the field, including 17-25 in the first half and 15-23 in the second. The Titans have shot 60 percent or better from the field four times this season, including 63.6 percent (28-44) in a 77-69 victory over the Blugolds on January 16. UW-Oshkosh again benefited from near flawless free throw shooting, going 15-16 from the line after converting 24 of 25 attempts from the charity stripe in Wednesday's (February 13) 74-66 win at UW-La Crosse.
Junior Tim Dworak led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 32 points, making 12 of 15 shots from the field and all eight free throw tries. Dworak, who also grabbed eight rebounds in the game, finished the regular season as the WIAC's leading scorer (23.0) and rebounder (8.9). Dworak received additional support from junior Scott Sowinski, who scored 19 points and grabbed three rebounds, junior Nick Scherer, who scored 11 points and dished off five assists, and freshman Andy Fernholz, who scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds and dished off four assists.
At 11-5 in the league (19-5 overall), the Titans share the WIAC crown with UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater. UW-Stevens Point defeated UW-Superior on Saturday to win a share of its third straight WIAC championship, while UW-Whitewater claimed a share of its second straight title by defeating UW-La Crosse.
“We chased this conference championship, and I mean we because a lot of people have helped make this happen, for a long, long time,” Van Dellen said. “This is a great group of outstanding young guys, and they deserve this.”
By virtue of a 3-1 record against UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, UW-Oshkosh wins the coveted top seed and the home court advantage that comes with it for the upcoming WIAC Tournament. The Titans open WIAC post-season play on Tuesday (February 19) by hosting UW-Superior at 7 p.m. in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Eau Claire ended its season by losing nine of its last 10 games, finishing 3-13 in the WIAC and 11-14 overall. The Blugolds become the first team in the history of the WIAC Tournament to win the championship one season and not qualify for it the next. Freshmen Dan Archambault and Ryan Wietor paced UW-Eau Claire in scoring against UW-Oshkosh with 12 points each.
Titans Force Four-Way Tie For WIAC Lead
A lot was at stake when the UW-Oshkosh and UW-La Crosse men's basketball teams met Wednesday (February 13) in La Crosse.
UW-Oshkosh was fresh off the heels of Saturday's (February 9) heart-breaking 74-73 home loss to UW-Stevens Point and needed a win to still have a chance at gaining a share of its first WIAC championship since 1978.
Meanwhile, UW-La Crosse was looking to sweep the season series with the Titans and earn at least a share of its first league title since 1965.
Junior Tim Dworak scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, both game highs, as UW-Oshkosh kept its WIAC title chances alive with a 74-66 win in front of a boisterous Mitchell Hall crowd of 1,401 fans.
UW-Oshkosh (18-5 and 10-5 in the WIAC) looked as if it would run UW-La Crosse out of its own gym as it scored the game's first 11 points en route to a 23-3 lead. UW-Oshkosh shot 61.5 percent (16-26) from the field in the opening period to take an impressive 39-21 advantage to the halftime break. Dworak led the Titans' first half performance with 13 points, while junior Scott Sowinski added 12. UW-La Crosse (17-7 and 10-5 in the WIAC) was hindered by poor shooting in the first half as the Eagles connected on just eight of 34 field goal attempts (23.5 percent), including only four of 16 behind the three-point line.
UW-Oshkosh opened a 53-29 lead early in the second half before UW-La Crosse made things interesting thanks to a 35-17 scoring run. The Eagles trailed 70-64 with 28 seconds left in the game, but UW-Oshkosh prevented a comeback victory with four free throws in the closing moments. UW-La Crosse's second half rally was spirited by senior Matt Schultz and sophomore Casey Taggatz who scored 12 and 10 points in the period, respectively. Dworak matched his domination of the first half by totaling 14 points and eight rebounds in the second half, including 12 of 13 by Dworak. The Titans finished the game making their last 14 free throw tries.
In addition to the effort by Dworak, who posted his WIAC-leading 10th double double of the year, the Titans also received 21 points and five assists from Scherer and 14 points and six rebounds from Sowinski. UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 53.5 percent (23-43) from the field and 96.0 percent (24-25) from the free throw line and blocking seven shots.
UW-La Crosse, which finished the game shooting a season-low 35.7 percent (25-70) from the field, got 15 points from both Schultz and Taggatz and 12 points from both senior Eddie Hebert and sophomore Calvin Thornton. Hebert was held to his lowest scoring output the last 11 games.
The result of the UW-Oshkosh/UW-La Crosse tilt, added with a win by UW-Stevens Point over UW-River Falls on Wednesday, forced a four-way tie for the WIAC lead with one round of games remaining. UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater all have 10-5 league records and face a schedule on Saturday (February 16) that includes UW-Oshkosh at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior at UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater at UW-La Crosse. A UW-Oshkosh victory over UW-Eau Claire (11-13 & 3-12 in the WIAC) on Saturday would give the Titans the top seed for next week's WIAC Tournament.
Titans Defeat Warhawks To Tie For WIAC Lead
The last time the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team was in first place in February, the league was still the Wisconsin State University Conference and head coach Ted Van Dellen was in a Titans uniform.
However, two and a half decades after their last conference championship, the Titans are again holding the top spot, this time in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The Titans earned that lofty spot with a thrilling 71-70 win at league-leading UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (February 6) that wasn't clinched until junior Scott Sowinski hit a lay-up in the paint with four seconds left in the game.
UW-Whitewater went on a 9-0 run with 3:08 left to take a 70-69 lead with 55 seconds remaining. Van Dellen called a time out at 28 seconds, and coming out of the huddle, junior Tim Dworak missed a jumper with seven seconds left. The rebound fell into the hands of Sowinski who immediately put it back up, and gave UW-Oshkosh (17-4 & 9-4 in the WIAC) the win.
The bucket capped off an otherwise quiet night for Sowinski, who finished with eight points and four rebounds. UW-Oshkosh was led by junior guard Nick Scherer who poured in 21 points, including five three-pointers.
Dworak, who leads the WIAC in scoring with 22.8 points per game, dropped in 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for UW-Oshkosh, which shares first place in the WIAC standings with UW-La Crosse. The double-double for Dworak was his ninth of the season.
UW-Whitewater (16-6 & 9-5 in the WIAC) was led by senior Jake Wolter's 18 points, while sophomore Londen Donlow added 12 of his own. Junior Aubrey Lewis-Byers pulled down a team-high seven rebounds while adding 11 points for the Warhawks.
With three games to play, UW-Oshkosh now holds a half-game lead over the Warhawks and by virtue of a season sweep, the Titans would earn home-court advantage and the top seed in the WIAC Tournament should the teams finish the regular season tied.
Titans Hold Off Blue Devils In Overtime
Junior Tim Dworak kept a low profile for most of the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team's 66-64 overtime victory over UW-Stout on Saturday (February 2) in Kolf Sports Center.
But when they needed him, the All-America candidate took a pass from junior guard Nate Miller and slipped past his defender on the baseline to slam in a basket that gave the Titans a 55-54 lead with 53 seconds left to play in regulation.
Sophomore Nate Templer answered by hitting one of two free throws for UW-Stout to tie the game and force overtime.
Dworak, who finished with 11 points, gave UW-Oshkosh another 57-55 lead to start the extra period, but fouled out with 2:03 left. It was Dworak's defense that proved to be most valuable, however, as he fought throughout the game with hefty forwards Steve Krueger and Templer. Dworak helped limit the senior Krueger, the Blue Devils' scoring leader at 16.8 points per game, to just 12 points and Templer to 14.
With Dworak missing due to five fouls, UW-Stout immediately attacked the inside with Krueger, but UW-Oshkosh limited him to just a layup. The Titans then allowed sophomore Jeff Vandenberghe to nail a three-pointer to bring the Blue Devils within one point, but a foul on senior Dave Loewe put junior Scott Sowinski on the line and he upped the Titans lead to 66-64. Junior Tyrone Rhone than took the basketball to the right side of the three-point line for UW-Stout in the closing seconds, but had it knocked away as time expired.
UW-Oshkosh struggled with UW-Stout's tough full-court press throughout the game, but was able to build a 43-33 lead with 10:10 remaining in the second half. The Titans' offense started to stagger, however, as they went scoreless for nearly five minutes. The Blue Devils capitalized with a 13-0 scoring run that gave them a 46-43 lead with 6:12 remaining. UW-Stout (11-10 & 6-7 in the WIAC) held the lead until the final 1:16 and lost it on Dworak's dunk.
UW-Oshkosh (16-4 & 8-4 in the WIAC) shot 44.2 percent (19-43) from the field and 62.9 percent (22-35) from the free throw line. UW-Stout shot just 35.5 percent (22-62) from the field, but made 13 of its 14 free throw tosses.
Miller led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 17 points, while junior Nick Scherer and Sowinski added 13. Templer's 14 points led the Blue Devils.
Titans Move Into A Tie For First In WIAC Race
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team used a well-balanced scoring attack to defeat UW-Superior, 70-56, and present head coach Ted Van Dellen with his 100th WIAC victory on Saturday (January 26) in Kolf Sports Center.
With the win, UW-Oshkosh (15-4 & 7-4 in the WIAC) moves into a tie for first place in the WIAC standing with UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks were alone in first place in the league standings, but suffered an 83-75 overtime loss to UW-River Falls on Saturday. UW-La Crosse and UW-Stevens Point are tied for third place in the WIAC standings with their 6-4 league records.
UW-Oshkosh, which defeated UW-Superior, 63-58, on December 1, took control of Saturday's game early by jumping out to a 27-11 lead at the 6:48 mark of the first half. The Yellowjackets (10-9 & 3-8 in the WIAC) held the Titans to just six points during the remainder of the opening period and only trailed 33-27 at intermission. UW-Superior shot just 28 percent (7-25) from the field in the first half compared to 45.2 percent (14-31) for UW-Oshkosh.
UW-Superior started out the second half strong, closing to within two points (33-31) at the 18:28 mark of the second half. The Titans then built their lead back up to 10 points (42-32) with just over 15 minutes left to play. After a pair of free throws by junior Scott Sowinski at the 10:06 mark, UW-Oshkosh led 56-40 and claimed its largest lead of the game. The Yellowjackets were never able to close within nine points the rest of the way. The Titans once again were able to put an opponent away from the free throw line. UW-Oshkosh scored its last 12 points of the game from the charity stripe and did not even score a field goal over the final eight minutes of the game.
Sowinski and junior Tim Dworak led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 15 points apiece. Dworak, who became the 22nd UW-Oshkosh player to score at least 1,000 career points (1,014), also pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Nate Miller also scored in double figures for the Titans with 14 points, while freshman Andy Fernholz added seven points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Cody Kastern topped the efforts for UW-Superior by totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds, both game highs.
Pioneers' Aerial Assault Destroys Titans
The UW-Platteville men's basketball team bombarded UW-Oshkosh with 11 three-points baskets, including 10 in regulation, to defeat the Titans, 75-72, in overtime on Wednesday (January 23) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Platteville (12-7 & 5-5 in the WIAC) went 6-for-11 behind the three-point line in the first half, but trailed UW-Oshkosh (14-4 & 6-4 in the WIAC), 34-32, at intermission. Junior Tim Dworak and sophomore Cameron Zuege of UW-Oshkosh managed to neutralize UW-Platteville's sharp shooting in the first half by scoring nine and seven points form close range, respectively.
UW-Oshkosh appeared to be winning a see-saw battle in the second half by responding to every UW-Platteville rally with key baskets and free throws. After the sixth tie of the period, however, UW-Platteville stormed ahead to take a 62-57 lead with 8:19 remaining in regulation. With UW-Oshkosh scoring just four points and UW-Platteville two in the final 5:38 of regulation, the Titans forced overtime tied at 65 when Dworak hit a jumper from the lane with five seconds remaining. A desperation three-point shot from UW-Platteville junior Will Carter was blocked UW-Oshkosh junior Scott Sowinski at the buzzer.
In overtime, UW-Platteville took a 72-67 lead on a three-point basket by sophomore Frank McGettigan with 2:44 left. The Titans cut their deficit to 72-71, but UW-Platteville junior Tyler Selk make one of two free throws to increase the margin to two points. After Dworak made one of two free throw attempts with 11 seconds remaining, Pioneer junior Bryan Stangel sank a pair of tosses from the charity stripe for a 75-72 UW-Platteville advantage with 10 seconds to play. UW-Oshkosh had an opportunity to send the game to a second extra period, but junior Nick Scherer's three-point try skimmed off the rim at the buzzer.
Dworak led UW-Oshkosh by scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, both game bests. Zuege added 11 points for the Titans, Who shot just five of 20 (25.0 percent) behind the three-point line and 13 of 19 (68.4 percent) from the free throw line. Selk scored 21 points to lead UW-Platteville, which shot 54.2 percent (26-48) from the field, including 11 of 19 (57.0 percent) behind the three-point line.
Late Surge Lifts Titans Over Falcons
Down 56-50 with 4:30 to play, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team triggered an 11-0 scoring run and held on to defeat UW-River Falls, 65-60, on Saturday (January 19) in River Falls. The Titans now move into second place in the WIAC standings by posting the fifth win in their last six league games, including three victories on the road.
UW-Oshkosh (14-3 & 6-3 in the WIAC) staged its late comeback with consecutive three-point baskets by junior Scott Sowinski, sophomore Cameron Zuege and junior Nick Scherer and a jump shot by junior Tim Dworak, with the latter giving the Titans a 61-56 lead with 1:56 remaining. After a pair of free throws by UW-River Falls senior Kent Becker with 50 seconds remaining, Scherer extended UW-Oshkosh's lead to 63-60 on a dunk with 23 seconds left. Following a missed three-point shot by UW-River Falls, UW-Oshkosh junior Nate Miller closed the game's scoring by converting a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining.
Dworak led the Titans in scoring with 21 points, while Scherer added 13. Amazingly, Dworak's 21-point performance was his lowest scoring output in the last six games, with his pervious five counts being 36, 30, 25, 29, and 38. Dworak also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to give him seven double-doubles on the year, including four in the last six games. Becker led UW-River Falls (11-6 & 4-5 in the WIAC) in scoring with 18 points, including 12 in the second half.
UW-Oshkosh shot 42.6 percent (26-61) from the field compared to 48.9 percent (22-45) for UW-River Falls. The Titans attempted a season-low five free throws in the contest, but benefited from four additional three-point baskets (8-4), four extra rebounds (31-27) and six less turnovers (5-11) than the Falcons.
Wounded Titans Defeat Blugolds
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team didn't let strong three-point shooting sink them as the Titans held off a 10-for-19 performance by UW-Eau Claire to win a 77-69 contest on Wednesday (January 16) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (13-3 & 5-3 in the WIAC), playing without injured junior starters Nate Miller and Scott Sowinski, drew UW-Eau Claire (10-7 & 2-6 in the WIAC) out of a stingy zone defense early and was able to expose several weaknesses in a man-to-man defense the rest of the way.
Trailing 18-17, the Titans went on a 14-2 scoring run on eight points from Tim Dworak and six points from Nick Scherer, both juniors. Dworak finished the game with 36 points, his fifth 30-plus scoring game of the season, while Scherer finished with 19. Scherer helped the Titans break UW-Eau Claire's zone defense in the first half by hitting all four of his three-point attempts.
The Blugolds' switch to a man-to-man defense for the remainder of the game allowed Dworak to have his way on the inside against junior Andy Witte and freshman Will Jefferson. The threat of Scherer from the perimeter kept UW-Eau Claire from doubling down effectively on Dworak. UW-Oshkosh, which defended UW-Eau Claire for the seventh straight time in Kolf Sorts Center, posted its biggest lead at 66-51 with 5:15 left in the game.
Freshman Dain Christensen performed adequately in replacing Miller. Christensen committed five turnovers, but played stable defense and scored two points before fouling out with 36 seconds to play. Sowinski's absence resulted in sophomore Cameron Zuege totaling 11 points and six rebounds and freshman Andy Fernholz seven points and six assists.
UW-Oshkosh's only struggles in the game were covering UW-Eau Claire guards Jason Larson and Dan Archamault. Larson, a junior, scored 26 points, including 5-for-8 three-point shooting, while Archambault, a freshman, finished with 14 points.
Eagles Three-Point Shooting Downs Titans
Living and dying by the three-point shot is a common phrase among many basketball programs across America. Wednesday (January 9) in Kolf Sports Center, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team died as UW-La Crosse hit a season-high 15 three-point baskets to post a 73-69 victory over the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh, riding high after six straight wins and a NCAA Division III ranking of 20 by D3Hoops.com, had no answer for the Eagles, who arrived late for the game due to problems.
UW-La Crosse (12-3 & 5-1 in the WIAC) showed no signs of being sluggish, however, as it jumped out to a 30-20 lead at the 9:46 mark of the first half. The Eagles made eight of their 11 three-point field goal attempts during that stretch to frustrate the Titans. UW-Oshkosh (11-3 & 3-3 in the WIAC) held UW-La Crosse to just one field goal over the final 8:14 of the opening period to tie the score at 32 heading to intermission. During that stretch, junior Tim Dworak and freshman Andy Fernholz of UW-Oshkosh both connected on big three-point plays.
In the second half, UW-Oshkosh took over the advantage and led by as many as eight points (53-45), but was unable to put the hot-shooting Eagles away. UW-La Crosse made seven of its 19 three-point attempts in the second half and rallied to tie the score at 62 with 4:45 left to play. The Eagles took the lead at 67-64 on a three-point basket by senior Eddie Hebert with just under three minutes remaining. At the 2:07 mark, UW-Oshkosh sophomore Cameron Zuege converted both free throw attempts as the Titans closed to within 67-66.
UW-La Crosse took a 71-66 lead, its largest advantage of the second half, on a basket by senior Scott Meerstein with 55 seconds remaining in the game. UW-Oshkosh junior Nate Miller made the count 71-69 on a three-point play with 47 seconds left. After a defensive stop, UW-Oshkosh freshman Dain Christensen rebounded the ball to Miller with just 11.5 seconds to play. Miller then drove the lane and had the ball wrestled away, leaving UW-Oshkosh to foul with 1.9 seconds left. UW-La Crosse senior Matt Schultz iced the victory for the Eagles by sinking a pair of free throw attempts.
Dworak scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead UW-Oshkosh, while Zuege added 12 points and six rebounds and Miller 12 points and two assists. Schultz scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead UW-La Crosse, which won in Kolf Sports Center for the first time in 10 tries.
Titans Capture Blue Devils In Overtime
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team overcame deficits of 14 points in the first half, seven in the second half and five in overtime to defeat UW-Stout, 73-68, on Saturday (January 5) in Menomonie. The victory was the sixth in a row for UW-Oshkosh, which hasn't lost since dropping a 78-68 decision to UW-River Falls on December 8.
UW-Stout (7-6 & 3-3 in the WIAC) jumped out to an early lead against UW-Oshkosh (11-2 & 3-2 in the WIAC), taking a 22-8 advantage at the 6:10 mark of the first half. Aided by three UW-Stout turnovers, UW-Oshkosh scored eight unanswered points to cut its deficit to 23-18 with 2:02 left in the opening period. The Titans concluded first half play trailing 25-21 despite holding the Blue Devils to just 36 percent (9-25) field goal shooting and owning a 14-12 advantage in rebounds.
Trailing 31-24 at the 17:18 mark of the second half, UW-Oshkosh tied the game at 34 before building a 51-45 lead thanks to a 27-11 scoring run. The Blue Devils answered the Titans' scoring spree by counting a 12-2 run of their own to lead 57-53 with 2:55 left in the game. Holding UW-Stout scoreless in the final 2:55 of the contest, UW-Oshkosh pulled to within 57-55 on a pair of free throws by junior Tim Dworak with 2:45 left and sent the game to overtime on junior Nate Miller's jumper from the lane with 0.5 seconds remaining.
UW-Stout took a 62-57 lead at the 3:22 mark of the extra period before UW-Oshkosh went to work to win its second overtime contest of the season. The Titans outscored the Blue Devils, 16-6, in the final 3:22 of the overtime period, with 11 points coming from the free throw line.
Dworak scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, both game highs, to lead UW-Oshkosh. The Titans also received 19 points from junior Nick Scherer and 18 from Miller. Dworak scored six points, Miller five and Scherer four in the overtime period for UW-Oshkosh. Sophomore Jeff Vandenberghe led all scorers for UW-Stout in the contest with 15 points.
UW-Oshkosh shot 50 percent (19-38) from the field, while UW-Stout was 44.4 (26-60). The big difference in the contest came at the free throw line where UW-Oshkosh was 27 of 35 (77.1 percent) and UW-Stout just 5 of 11 (45.5 percent).
Titans Injure Nationally-Ranked Warhawks
Junior Tim Dworak scored 35-plus points in his third straight WIAC game as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team defeated nationally-ranked UW-Whitewater, 89-80, on Wednesday (January 2) in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Whitewater (10-2) entered the contest unbeaten in four WIAC outings and ranked in the top 13 in two NCAA Division III polls, 10th by Basketball America and 13th by D3Hoops.com.
Dworak counted 38 points against UW-Whitewater to help the Titans (10-2 & 2-2 in the WIAC) to their 10th win over the Warhawks in 14 Kolf Sports Center meetings. Dworak matched his career scoring best by shooting 13 of 19 from the field and 12 of 17 from the free throw line. He also grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds, dished off two assists, blocked one shot and had one steal. His previous two WIAC games featured a career-best 38 points, 10 rebounds and two assists against UW-River Falls on December 8 and 35 points, eight rebounds and one assist against UW-Platteville on December 5. Dworak is the first player in the history of the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball program to score 35 or more points in three straight WIAC games.
Supporting Dworak's effort were UW-Oshkosh juniors Nate Miller, Nick Scherer, and Scott Sowinski. Scherer had a career-best 25 points, including five three-point baskets, and three rebounds, while Miller totaled 13 points, five assists, and three rebounds and Sowinski eight points, a career-best seven assists and four rebounds. Junior Aubrey Lewis-Byers led UW-Whitewater with 21 points and eight rebounds, both team highs.
The early stages of the contest belonged to the Warhawks as they took a 15-8 lead at the 14:16 mark of the first half. UW-Oshkosh rallied to take a 35-27 advantage at the 5:55 mark of the first half before UW-Whitewater closed the opening period on an 18-9 scoring run to lead 45-44 at intermission. Dworak had 19 points and Scherer 12 for UW-Oshkosh in the first half, while senior Jake Wolter had 14 for UW-Whitewater.
In the second half, UW-Oshkosh took the lead for good with 8:14 remaining as Dworak connected on a pair of free throw attempts. The Titans posted a pair of 10-point advantages the remainder of the way as they led 85-75 with 20 seconds left and 87-77 with 10 seconds remaining. UW-Oshkosh ended the game by making its last 14 free throw attempts, including eight by Miller and six by Dworak. In all, UW-Oshkosh was 29 of 35 from the free throw line.
Lumberjacks Unable to Chop Titans
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team scored the first 16 points of the first half and the first 17 points of the second to rout Northland College, 99-43, on Saturday (December 29) in Albee Hall. The Titans (9-2) were playing consecutive dates in Albee Hall for the first time since the 1971-72 season.
After surrendering the first points to Northland College at the 13:31 mark of the first half, UW-Oshkosh went on a 24-6 scoring run to lead 40-8 with 4:33 left in the opening period. The Titans led 44-16 at intermission and held a 61-16 advantage with 16:29 left in the game thanks to their opening scoring burst to start the second half. UW-Oshkosh led by as many as 63 points in the contest, a 97-34 tally with 3:04 remaining.
For the second straight night, UW-Oshkosh was skillful from the field. The Titans made 53.8 percent (35-65) of their field goal tries, including 54.5 percent (12-22) behind the three-point line. UW-Oshkosh shot 63 percent (17-27) from the field in the first half as it took a 28-point lead to intermission. Northland College, which was playing UW-Oshkosh for only the third time since the 1977-78 season, shot just 35.6 percent (16-45) from the field.
UW-Oshkosh had seven double-figure scorers against the Lumberjacks, with juniors Nick Scherer netting 14 points and Scott Sowinski 12. The Titans also received 11 points from freshman Dain Christensen, freshman Shaun Nommensen and junior Nate Miller and 10 points from junior Tim Dworak and sophomore Cameron Zuege. Other top performances included nine points, six assists and five rebounds from freshman Andy Fernholz, three points and seven rebounds from freshman Andy Heyrman and four points and six rebounds from freshman Chris Kelm. Freshman Ryan Tiberg led Northland College (1-9) in scoring with 15 points.
UW-Oshkosh starting lineup of Dworak, Miller, Scherer, Sowinski and Zuege combined to post impressive statistics for the second straight night despite their limited playing time. The five-man contingent made 23 of their 30 field goal attempts, made nine of their 12 three-point attempts, grabbed 13 rebounds and had only four turnovers. No UW-Oshkosh starter played more then 20 minutes in the game.
Titans Tame Lions
Shooting, 70-plus percent from the field for nearly the entire contest, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team overwhelmed defending National Small College Athletic Association champion Finlandia University, 101-56, on Friday (December 28) in Albee Hall. The 45-point victory was the largest since UW-Oshkosh defeated North Central Bible College by 62 points (125-63) on December 10, 1994.
UW-Oshkosh (8-2) was masterful from the field, hitting eight of its first nine shots, 17 of its first 22, 23 of its first 30, and 29 of its first 38. The Titans concluded the contest shooting 67.8 percent (40-59) from the field, going under the 70 percent mark for the first time with just 3:35 left in the game. Among the Titans' 40 field goals were seven three-point baskets. Finlandia University (7-10) shot just 30.9 percent (17-55) from the field, with 10 of its 17 field goals counting three points.
UW-Oshkosh led 53-30 at halftime after taking its first double-figure advantage (21-10) at the 14:57 mark of the opening period. Juniors Tim Dworak and Scott Sowinski scored 16 and 13 points for the Titans in the first half, respectively. In the second half, UW-Oshkosh outscored the Lions, 48-26, building a game-best 48-point (101-53) lead with 1:15 remaining.
Sowinski led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 19 points, while Dworak added 18 and freshman Ryan Bowers a career-best 12. The Titans also received nine points and eight rebounds from freshman Shaun Nommensen, nine points and five rebounds from freshman Andy Heyrman and six points, seven rebounds, and four assists from freshman Andy Fernholz.
UW-Oshkosh's starting lineup of Dworak, Sowinski, juniors Nate Miller and Nick Scherer and sophomore Cameron Zuege combined to post impressive statistics against the Lions despite their limited playing time. The five-man contingent made 23 of their 28 field goal attempts, made three of their four three-point attempts, connected on all six of their free throw tries, grabbed 15 rebounds, recorded seven steals and had only three turnovers. No UW-Oshkosh starter played more than 18 minutes in the game.
Titans Nab Las Vegas Tourney Title
Junior Scott Sowinski counted a career-high 31 points as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team defeated Hamilton College (N.Y.), 93-84, in the championship game of the Adidas Desert Shootout held Wednesday (December 19) in Las Vegas, Nev.
Sowinski tallied his 31 points by making 11 of 17 field goal attempts, including four of six behind the three-point line, and five of seven free throw tries.
UW-Oshkosh (7-2) also had four other double-figure scorers in the game as juniors Tim Dworak and Nick Scherer both tallied 14 points, while junior Nate Miller contributed 12 and freshman Shaun Nommensen 10, also a career best. Junior Joe Finley led Hamilton College in scoring with 22 points.
UW-Oshkosh built a 45-34 halftime lead against its first-time opponent by making eight three-point baskets in the opening period. The Titans were outscored 50-48 in the second half, but held off the Continentals (6-1) by making 17 of 22 free throw attempts during the game's final 20 minutes.
UW-Oshkosh shot 46.9 percent (29-62) from the field and made 24 of its 31 free throw attempts, while Hamilton College, a participant in six of the last seven NCAA Division III Tournaments, shot 47.3 percent (26-55) from the field and made 27 of its 37 free throw tosses. The high number of free throw attempts were the result of 54 fouls being called, including five on each of the six players who fouled out.
Titans Overpower Pioneers In Las Vegas
Yielding just 12 first-half points, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team coasted to a 62-44 win over Transylvania University (Ky.) on Tuesday (December 18) in Las Vegas, Nev. The victory advances the Titans to Wednesday's (December 19) championship game of the Adidas Desert Shootout, where they will meet Hamilton College (N.Y.). The Continentals (5-0) advanced to the title contest with an 84-73 win over Wartburg College (Iowa).
UW-Oshkosh (6-2) snapped its mild two-game losing streak by allowing just 28.3 percent (13-46) field goal shooting and one offensive rebound to Transylvania University (1-6). The Titans concluded the game shooting 45.1 percent (23-51) from the field and aided their performance by compiling a 44-23 rebounding advantage and blocking five shots.
Despite shooting just 37 percent (10-27) from the field, UW-Oshkosh built a 26-12 halftime lead over its first-time opponent. The Titans were able to pull away in the opening period as the Pioneers made only five of their 22 field goal tries (22.7 percent). In the second half, the Pioneers' shooting woes continued as they made only eight of their 24 shots (33.3 percent) from the field.
Junior Tim Dworak, who scored 73 points in his last two games, led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 24 points. Dworak made 10 of his 15 field goal attempts and four of his five tosses from the charity stripe. Freshman Dain Christensen came off the bench to count a career-high 12 points, while sophomore Cameron Zuege added nine. Zuege also grabbed eight rebounds to take game honors and match a career best.
Transylvania University, which went 27-2 and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament a year ago, was led in scoring by junior Nick Nash's 15 points.
Falcons Soar Past Titans
Shooting 62.5 percent (30-48) from the field and overcoming a career-best 38 points from UW-Oshkosh junior Tim Dworak, the UW-River Falls men's basketball team defeated the Titans, 78-68, on Saturday (December 8) in Kolf Sports Center.
The victory was the first for UW-River Falls over UW-Oshkosh in nine meetings, with the last being a 79-68 count on January 10, 1998. Last year, UW-Oshkosh defeated UW-River Falls three times, including a 95-87 overtime decision in the quarterfinal round of the WIAC Tournament.
Held without a point in the first 3:05 of the game, UW-River Falls (4-2 & 1-1 in the WIAC) took a 12-10 lead at the 13:08 mark of the first half and led the remainder of the contest. The Falcons enjoyed a 16-point lead twice in the game, 40-24 at the 1:32 mark of the first half and 56-40 at the 11:45 mark of the second half. The closest UW-Oshkosh (5-2 & 1-2 in the WIAC) could get after the 56-40 deficit was a 64-59 score with 5:05 remaining in the game.
UW-River Falls, which had all five of its starters play at least 35 minutes in the game, was led to its win by senior Kent Becker and sophomore Rich Melzer. Becker scored 24 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished off four assists, while Melzer scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked one shot. The Falcons shot 68.4 percent from the field in the second half, making 13 of 19 attempts.
Dworak, who scored a previous career best of 35 points in Wednesday's (December 5) 80-78 loss to UW-Platteville, totaled his 38 points against UW-River Falls on 15 of 19 shooting from the field and five of five shooting from the free throw line. Dworak also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for his third double-double season. Juniors Nick Scherer and Nate Miller contributed nine points and two assists and six points and five assists for UW-Oshkosh, respectively. The Titans concluded the game shooting 49.1 percent (26-53) from the field, but were hampered by 18 turnovers.
Titans Exterminate Yellowjackets In WIAC Opener
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team put three mild losing streaks to rest when it defeated UW-Superior, 63-58, in the WIAC opener for both squads on Saturday (December 1) in Superior.
UW-Oshkosh, which has fashioned the third-best WIAC record (61-36) over the past six-plus seasons, ended a four-game losing streak to UW-Superior, a four-game losing skid in its WIAC opener and a three-game losing skein at UW-Superior's Gates Fieldhouse with the win.
Held scoreless during the first 4:02 of the game, UW-Oshkosh (5-0 & 1-0 in the WIAC) embarked on a 28-14 scoring run to lead 28-18 at the 5:35 mark of the first half. UW-Superior (3-2 & 0-1 in the WIAC) followed the Titans' scoring spurt with 11 unanswered points to lead 29-28 at intermission.
In the second half, UW-Oshkosh fell behind 37-33 before rallying to take a 41-39 lead on junior Nick Scherer's three-point basket with 13:40 remaining. The Titans held the advantage the rest of the game, including an eight-point margin on three different occasions. Junior Scott Sowinski sparked UW-Oshkosh in the second half by totaling 10 points and five rebounds.
UW-Oshkosh's effort was led by junior Tim Dworak, who totaled 19 points and 10 rebounds. The double double was Dworak's second in the Titans' last three games. Sowinski finished the contest with 15 point and six rebounds, while senior Josh Board came off the bench to contribute seven points and two rebounds. Senior Jason Strilzuk compiled 19 points to lead the Yellowjackets in scoring.
Green Knights Unable To Slay Titans
Shooting 60.7 percent (17-28) from the field in the first half and 65.2 percent (15-23) in the second, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team moved to 4-0 on the season with its 81-66 victory over St. Norbert College on Wednesday (November 28) in De Pere.
Tied at 18 in the first half, UW-Oshkosh went on a 14-2 scoring run to lead 32-20 with 7:53 left in the opening period. The Green Knights (2-2) fell behind by as many as 14 points in the first half before ending the stanza with a 16-7 scoring run to trail 44-39 at intermission.
After St. Norbert College cut its deficit to 44-43 at the 18:01 mark of the second half, UW-Oshkosh countered with a 15-5 scoring run to lead 59-48 with 11:54 remaining. The closest the Green Knights got the rest of the way was a 62-58 score with 8:20 left in the contest.
Visiting De Pere for the first time since 1991, UW-Oshkosh registered four double-figure scorers. Junior Nick Scherer scored 23 points to lead the Titans, while junior Tim Dworak had 17, junior Scott Sowinski 13 and sophomore Cameron Zuege 12. Senior Matt Roherty paced St. Norbert College in scoring with 18 points.
UW-Oshkosh concluded the game shooting 62.7 percent (32-51) from the field, while St. Norbert College shot 50 percent (24-48). The Titans also had three more rebounds than the Green Knights (26-23) and four less turnovers (11-15).
Titans Hold Off Eagles
The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team held off Edgewood College in the second half to defeat the visiting Eagles, 54-50, on Sunday (November 25) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (3-0) took a 4-3 lead at the 18:09 mark of the first half and led the remainder of the game, with the Titans' biggest advantage being 43-29 in the second half. UW-Oshkosh led 34-23 at halftime, but was outscored 27-20 by Edgewood College (1-4) during the game's final 20 minutes.
Junior Nick Scherer led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 21 points, all coming on his seven three-point baskets. Junior Tim Dworak added 12 points and freshman Shaun Nommensen and junior Scott Sowinski seven each for the Titans. Senior Royce Malkowski led Edgewood College in scoring with 20 points.
UW-Oshkosh won the contest despite an off-shooting night. The Titans were just 19 of 43 (44.2 percent) from the field, 8 of 21 behind the three-point line (38.1 percent) and 8 of 16 (50 percent) from the free throw line. Fortunately for UW-Oshkosh, Edgewood College was colder as the Eagles were just 16 of 51 (31.4 percent) from the field, 2 of 18 (11.1 percent) behind the three-point line and 16 of 19 (84.2 percent) from the free throw line.
Titans Blitz Sabres With Big Second Half
Shooting 60 percent from the field in the second half, the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team pulled away to rout Marian College, 92-50, on Saturday (November 24) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (2-0) led Marian College (0-2) 34-27 at intermission before outscoring its neighboring visitors, 58-23, in the second half. The Titans had several major scoring runs during the game's final 20 minutes, including a 30-7 explosion to take a 64-34 lead and a 14-2 spurt to take an 86-44 advantage. Contributing to UW-Oshkosh's second-half scoring runs were 18 of 30 shooting from the field, including six of 12 behind the three-point line, and 16 of 18 shooting from the free throw line.
UW-Oshkosh had 12 players score points in the contest, with juniors Scott Sowinski, Tim Dworak and Nick Scherer leading the way with 14, 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Titans also received nine points from sophomores Eric Martin and Cameron Zuege and junior Nate Miller and six each from senior Josh Board and freshmen Andy Heyrman and Shaun Nommensen. Martin played only three minutes in the game, but sank two three-point field goals and three free throw tries during his limited action. Senior Scott Jaeger led the Sabres in scoring with 14 points.
UW-Oshkosh, which committed only eight turnovers in the game, outrebounded Marian College by a 41-22 margin. Dworak led the Titans with nine rebounds, while Zuege grabbed six.
UW-Oshkosh shot 51.7 percent (30-58) from the field, with 10 three-point baskets. The Titans also made 22 of their 24 attempts from the free throw line. Marian College shot 35.7 percent (15-42) from the field and just 61.5 percent (16-26) from the free throw stripe.
Titans Win Season Opener In Overtime
The 104th season opener for the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team was successful as the Titans defeated Lawrence University, 79-69, in overtime on Wednesday (November 21) in Kolf Sports Center. The contest was the first between the two neighboring schools since the 1956-57 season.
UW-Oshkosh (1-0) trailed 26-22 at intermission before building a 10-point advantage in the second half. Lawrence University (1-2) refused to fold in the second stanza and took a 60-57 lead with 21 seconds left in regulation. UW-Oshkosh sent the game to overtime when junior Scott Sowinski sank a three-point basket with 10 seconds left. The Vikings had a chance to win the contest at the end of regulation, but a long three-point shot hit the front of the rim as time expired.
In overtime, UW-Oshkosh overcame a 63-62 deficit by scoring eight straight points for a 70-63 lead with 1:43 remaining. The Titans' advantage swelled to 10 points twice in the final 27 seconds, including the game's final 79-69 count.
Junior Tim Dworak led UW-Oshkosh in scoring with 24 points despite being hampered by foul trouble in the first half. Dworak's 20 points in the second half and overtime period came on five of 10 shooting from the field and 10 of 10 shooting from the free throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds to share game honors with teammate Cameron Zuege. Sowinski, who also had six rebounds and six assists in the game, and the sophomore Zuege assisted Dworak in the Titans' scoring parade by compiling 19 and 12 points, respectively. Junior Rob Nenahlo led Lawrence University in scoring with 13 points.