Falcons Prevail Over Titans In Double Overtime

Shane Manor forced overtime and dominated the final 30 minutes to give UW-River Falls a 105-99 men's basketball decision over UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (Dec. 10) in Kolf Sports Center.

The contest featured two overtime periods and 10 double-figure scorers. Manor, who tallied all 25 of his points after halftime, went the length of the court for a lay-up at the regulation buzzer. The basket tied the score at 84 after the Titans (2-4/0-2 WIAC) missed a free throw with four seconds left.

UW-Oshkosh got its first four points of the first overtime on foul shots. After a lay-up by Wade Guerin, Manor drained a free throw and a jumper to give the Falcons an 89-88 lead. Following a lay-up by UW-Oshkosh's Mario Johnson (Jr. • Milwaukee), UW-River Falls sent the game to another extra session on a free throw by Chris Palmer with 1:07 remaining. Both teams missed close-range shots down stretch, UW-Oshkosh's Chad Mathwig (Fr. • New Berlin) with 38 seconds left and Manor with one second to play.

UW-River Falls (6-2/2-0 WIAC) began the second overtime with a 6-0 scoring run. Manor compiled eight points in the period, including a lay-up to put the Falcons ahead 100-95 with 1:31 remaining. The Titans then turned the ball over and missed their next three shots to end any hope of a comeback.

John Flanigan (Sr. • Oshkosh) led UW-Oshkosh with a career-high 28 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, while Mathwig recorded 21 points and seven rebounds. Dylan Wurtz (So. • Kimberly) was an all-around contributor with 17 points, nine assists and four steals. His nine assists were the highest total by a Titan in more than eight years.

Palmer totaled 21 points and five rebounds, Taylor Peterson 20 points and two assists and Guerin 10 points and 13 rebounds for UW-River Falls. The Falcons, who shot 55.9 percent (38-68) from the field, clinched the barn burner on 56.3 percent (9-16) accuracy on three-point shots and 76.9 percent (20-26) marksmanship on free throws.

Both squads started on fire, with the Titans converting 10 of their first 13 shots from the field. Greg Schrimpf (Sr. • Manitowoc) splashed a trio of jumpers to help UW-Oshkosh gain a 22-16 lead. The Titans' lead grew as large as eight points (37-29), but 13 points by Ollie White helped the Falcons pull to within 45-42 at intermission.

A three-point basket from Palmer started the Falcons' rally from a 56-48 deficit. Peterson later buried a three-point shot and Manor converted in the lane to tie the score at 58 with 13:18 on the clock. Wurtz responded with one of his five three-pointers, as UW-Oshkosh regained the lead and held a 75-68 cushion with six minutes to play.

Manor accounted for eight straight Falcon points during the last four minutes of regulation. His lay-up and two free throws pulled UW-River Falls within 83-82. UW-Oshkosh then committed two straight turnovers, missed a foul shot and allowed Manor's coast-to-coast hoop at the horn.

The Titans finished the contest shooting 54.4 percent (37-68) from the field and 84.2 percent (16-19) from the free-throw line. The Titans sank nine of their 21 three-point shots (42.9 percent) and turned the basketball over 15 times. UW-Oshkosh lost the rebounding category, 35-30.

UW-Oshkosh welcomes UW-Platteville to Kolf Sports Center on Saturday (Dec. 17).