Titans Knock Off Pioneers
Alex Olson scored 18 points to tie a career scoring best for the third time in four games as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team defeated UW-Platteville, 60-56, on Wednesday (Feb. 5) in Kolf Sports Center.
Olson, who tallied 12 of his points in the second half, also led the Titans with five rebounds and four assists. He finished the game shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
Max Schebel totaled a career-high 15 points to become the Titans' other double-figure scorer. UW-Oshkosh (10-10/5-6 WIAC) also received nine points, four rebounds and four steals from Dylan Wurtz.
Chas Cross led UW-Platteville (12-8/7-4 WIAC) with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Cross misfired on his sixth shot of the contest to end a string of 16 consecutive conversions from the field.
The Pioneers also obtained 15 points and four rebounds from Boston Johnson and eight points and nine rebounds from Jim Stocki.
UW-Oshkosh, which lost its previous six games to UW-Platteville, took the lead 46 seconds into the contest and never trailed.
The Titans made nine of their first 12 shots from the field, including four by Schebel, to take a 23-5 advantage with 11:58 to play in the first half. UW-Oshkosh's game-opening run also featured a pair of three-pointers from Taylor Jansen and one from Jade Royston.
UW-Platteville refused to quit and countered with a 22-4 run of its own to tie the score at 27 with 3:49 remaining in the opening period. The Pioneers' scoring spree, which included 12 points from Cross, forced the only tie of the contest.
UW-Oshkosh answered back with seven straight points and took a 34-28 lead to intermission. The Titans concluded the first half shooting 52 percent (13-25) from the field.
The Titans came out swinging in the second period, with Wurtz draining a three-point shot on the first possession to go up by nine.
The Pioneers again fought back, rattling off six points in a row to climb back within one.
Olson would score for the Titans on back-to back trips down the floor, the second coming on a no-look flip from Royston to put UW-Oshkosh ahead, 41-36.
Trailing 45-37, Cross banked in a three-point shot as the shot clock expired to bring UW-Platteville back within five with 10:12 remaining. The Titans scored the next four points, with Olson once again being involved in both plays. He put in a lay-up before assisting on a basket by Wurtz.
UW-Oshkosh was held scoreless for almost five minutes as UW-Platteville cut the lead to three points at 49-46. Olson knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Titans up by five. UW-Oshkosh would only score from the foul line for the remainder of the contest.
The Pioneers' Boston Johnson hit a three-point shot to bring them back within two with 3:15 to play before Schebel connected on both free throws to put the Titans back up by four.
Down 54-51, UW-Platteville got the ball with 37 seconds left in the game. The Pioneers missed a pair of three-point chances to tie the score before Royston pulled down a clutch rebound and was fouled. Royston sank both attempts to put UW-Oshkosh up by five with 13 seconds to go.
Wes Nemitz hit his first shot of the night, a three-pointer, with six seconds to play as the Pioneers again made it a one-possession contest. A pair of Olson made free throws put UW-Oshkosh back up by four before Nemitz got another basket on a put-back. Kyle Bolger went to the line and drilled a pair of free throws and seal the victory for the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh plays its next three games on the road, beginning Saturday (Feb. 8) at UW-Stout.