Raiders Ambush Titans At Buzzer

Oren Bloom drained a three-pointer as time expired to give the Milwaukee School of Engineering a 65-62 victory over the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team on Saturday (Nov. 27) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Raiders upped their record to 5-0 by scoring the last 11 points of the contest. After John Flanigan (Jr. • Oshkosh) made a lay-up for a 62-54 advantage with 3:50 left, the Milwaukee School of Engineering used two Cynerick Osinaike lay-ins and four Austin Meier free throws to tie the score with 28 seconds on the clock. Meier stole the ball from the Titans (2-2) with five seconds remaining to set up Bloom's clincher.

Milwaukee School of Engineering made 19 field goals for 50 percent shooting, but it splashed eight three-pointers (42 percent) and 19-of-23 free throws (83 percent). The Titans dialed up nine deep connections (41 percent) while shooting 40 percent overall (21-53) and 85 percent at the foul line (11-13).

The opening half was very evenly matched, with a tie score on eight occasions. After a lay-up on their first possession, the Raiders connected on a trio of three-point shots. Bennett Deacon hit from downtown at the 14:23 mark to put the Milwaukee School of Engineering up, 11-10.

UW-Oshkosh got its next 11 points from Paul Wojahn (So. • Oshkosh) and Cory Wittwer (Sr. • Fall Creek). A triple and pair of free throws by Wittwer gained a 17-16 lead, while Wojahn turned a steal into a lay-up for two more points. Wojahn's two foul shots regained a one-point margin with 9:33 to play before halftime.

Each squad posted a run in the half's final nine minutes. The Titans rolled off seven straight points, including Flanigan's jump shot, to go ahead, 28-22. The Raiders responded with nine unanswered points, with the first six on free throws, to post a 31-28 cushion 1:55 before the break.

Wojahn drilled a three-pointer just before intermission, and T.J. Kellner (So. • Sheboygan) swished two more triples early in the second half to lead, 39-36. The Raiders eventually pulled within one after Eric Bohrer's lay-up, but UW-Oshkosh responded with two Wittwer bombs and Sam Mageland's (So. • Appleton) deep connection to make it 52-46 with eight minutes left.

The Titans got 15 points apiece from Flanigan (8 rebounds) and Wojahn, as Kellner and Wittwer each scored 11. Meier marked 13 points for the Milwaukee School of Engineering and booked game-highs of nine rebounds and four assists. The Raiders also received 14 points from Deacon and 11 from Osinaike.

UW-Oshkosh heads to UW-Eau Claire for the WIAC opener on Wednesday (Dec. 1).