Titans Reach Century Mark In Season Finale

D.J. Marsh (Sr. • Bayside) capped an illustrious career with 37 points and 11 rebounds as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team closed its 2009-10 season with a 100-51 victory over Silver Lake College on Saturday (Feb. 20) in Kolf Sports Center.

A starter in all 105 games that he played in, Marsh made 14-of-22 shots from the field and all five free throws to move into third place on UW-Oshkosh's all-time scoring list with 1,800 career points. His point total ranks behind the 2,303 of Ralph Sims (1975-78) and the 1,999 of Tim Dworak (1999-2003).

Thanks to consecutive three-point baskets from Cory Wittwer (Jr. • Fall Creek) and Marsh, UW-Oshkosh scored the first eight points of the game. Following a basket by the Lakers' Zak Zablocki, the Titans got their next six field goals from six different players in taking a 21-2 lead at the 12:04 mark of the opening half.

UW-Oshkosh (11-14) increased its advantage to 29-4 before Silver Lake College marked an 8-2 scoring run that featured five points by Richard Kelly.

The Titans went ahead 33-12 on a pair of free throws by Marsh. His tosses from the foul line also started an UW-Oshkosh advantage of 20-plus points for the final 24:33 of play. After a Wittwer lay-up, Greg Schrimpf (So. • Manitowoc) and Marsh drilled back-to-back three-point shots to give the Titans a 50-20 lead at the break.

Silver Lake College (0-24) pulled to within 52-23 on a three-point basket by Kayne LaPlante, but UW-Oshkosh responded with a 13-4 scoring run to take a 65-27 lead with 12:02 left.

Each of the other three UW-Oshkosh seniors got into the scoring act midway through the second half. After John Polkowski (Sr. • Goodman) swished a jump shot, Steven Waudby (Sr. • Marquette, Mich.) converted a hook shot and a dunk. With 4:07 remaining, Luke Miller (Sr. • Elk Grove Village, Ill.) made two free throws to put the Titans up, 89-47.

UW-Oshkosh closed the game with an 11-3 scoring run, including five points by Randy Paternoster (Fr. • Hartford).

Marsh, who also became the 15th player in WIAC history to reach 1,800 career points, recorded his 17th career double-double. The Titans also received 11 points and four steals from Wittwer and 10 points, four rebounds and two assists from John Flanigan (So. • Oshkosh).

UW-Oshkosh, which had all 13 of its players score at least two points, committed a season-low four turnovers. The Titans tallied a 38-27 rebounding advantage while forcing the Lakers into 18 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh shot 58.8 percent (40-68) from the field, 33.3 percent (6-18) behind the three-point arc and 87.5 percent (14-16) from the free-throw line as it reached 100 points in a contest for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Titans entered the game shooting a NCAA Division III-leading 80.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Silver Lake College, which also suffered an 85-55 loss to UW-Oshkosh on Dec. 21, was led in scoring by the 13 points of Dwight Weathers and the 10 of Zablocki. The Lakers were paced by Kelly's five rebounds.

Silver Lake College missed nine of its first 10 shots and finished the game shooting 34 percent (17-50) from the field. The Lakers shot 22.2 percent (4-18) behind the three-point line and 68.4 percent (13-19) from the free-throw stripe.