Titans Unable To Put Yellowjackets Out Of Action

Jake Smith tallied seven of his game-high 22 points during a two-minute stretch to help UW-Superior notch a 71-59 victory over the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 9) in Superior.

The Titans (6-7/1-4 WIAC) pulled to within one point (45-44) midway through the final period, but they couldn't get over the hump as UW-Superior responded with a 12-4 scoring run to take a 57-48 lead with 7:39 left. Smith marked seven straight points during the Yellowjackets' scoring spree, including a three-point play.

Dustin Ritchie knocked down three-point shots on back-to-back possessions to put UW-Superior (8-5/2-3 WIAC) on top 63-50 with 5:56 left. UW-Oshkosh used a Corey Wittwer (Jr. • Fall Creek) three-point basket to cut its deficit to 63-57 with 3:14 remaining, but that six-point difference would be as close as the Titans would get.

Three different UW-Superior players hit a pair of free throws in the final two minutes as the Yellowjackets closed the game shooting 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe. UW-Superior also shot 51 percent (25-49) from the field and 38.9 percent (7-18) behind the three-point arc.

After the Titans' Greg Schrimpf (So. • Manitowoc) connected on a pair of three-point shots to tie the game at 9, UW-Superior bounced back to take a 16-9 lead on a pair of three-point baskets by Dan Culy and a lay-up by Smith. Another Culy long-distance connection and a Smith basket put the Yellowjackets up 27-14 with 7:59 left in the opening half.

Down 29-16, UW-Oshkosh started creeping closer on a Schrimpf three-point basket. D.J. Marsh (Sr. • Bayside) then made two lay-ups, Steven Waudby (Sr. • Marquette, Mich.) a free throw and Paul Wojahn (Fr. • Oshkosh) a lay-up to slice the Titans' deficit to 30-26 with 3:16 remaining before the break. Wojahn tallied UW-Oshkosh's last six points of the period as the Titans trailed 35-30 at intermission.

Wittwer made two three-point shots and Marsh two lay-ups early in the second half as UW-Oshkosh cut its deficit to 45-44 with 12:30 left in the contest.

Marsh tallied 20 points to lead the Titans in scoring for the 16th time in 17 games. He also grabbed seven rebounds and recorded two steals. Wojahn added 13 points and nine rebounds, both career bests. Schrimpf and Wittwer contributed nine points each.

Smith scored his 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 shooting from the free-throw line. He also totaled nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Yellowjackets also received 14 points from Culy, 11 from Marcus Helland and eight points and 10 rebounds from Greg Roeder.

UW-Oshkosh collected 26 rebounds while tying a season low with eight turnovers. UW-Superior snatched 32 rebounds while committing 11 turnovers.

UW-Oshkosh finished the game shooting 38.9 percent (21-54) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-17) behind the three-point arc and 83.3 percent (10-12) from the free-throw line.

UW-Oshkosh visits nationally ranked UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (Jan. 13).