Titans Celebrate New Year's Eve With Win Over Red Men
Alex Olson scored 24 points for the second consecutive game as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team celebrated New Year's Eve with a 72-63 non-conference victory over Carthage College on Wednesday (Dec. 31) in Kolf Sports Center.
Olson reached his scoring value by making 7 of 15 shots from the field and 8 of 11 attempts from the free-throw line. He also counted four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Kyle Bolger and Sean Dwyer scored in double digits for the Titans (6-5) as well. Bolger tallied 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field, while Dwyer marked 10 points on three long-range jumpers and a free throw. Bolger also contributed three assists and Dwyer five rebounds to the win.
Carthage College (4-6) was led by the performances of Donte Logan, Mike Stevenson and Reese Herth. Logan totaled 13 points, seven assists and two rebounds, while Stevenson compiled 12 points, four rebounds and two assists. Herth registered nine points, three assists and two steals.
Carthage College, which like UW-Oshkosh was playing its first game in 11 days, built a 10-3 lead during the game's first 5:23 of action.
The Titans recovered from their slow start by scoring 22 of the next 30 points, including 10 by Olson, to take a 25-18 lead with 6:15 left in the opening period.
Carthage College rallied from its seven-point deficit by ending the first half with a 16-9 scoring run. The Red Men created a 34-34 halftime score on Stevenson's 3-pointer with three seconds left in the frame.
UW-Oshkosh opened up a four-point lead early in the second half and held a 54-49 advantage with 10:32 to play. Seven unanswered points, including 3-point baskets by Logan and Brad Kruse, gave Carthage College its last lead at 56-54 with 8:14 left.
The Titans tied the score at 56 on a layup by Max Schebel and went ahead for good at 58-56 on a layup by Olson with 7:12 remaining.
The Red Men got it back to a one-point difference on two occasions, with the last being a 62-61 score with 3:37 left. UW-Oshkosh then outscored Carthage College, 10-2, over the final minutes to post its ninth win over the Red Men in 13 meetings.
UW-Oshkosh shot 48 percent (24-50) from the field and 65.4 percent (17-26) from the free-throw line, while Carthage College shot 48.8 percent (21-43) from the field and 60.9 percent (14-23) from the charity stripe. The Titans made 7 of 13 shots (53.8 percent) and the Red Men 7 of 20 attempts (35 percent) behind the 3-point arc.
UW-Oshkosh was edged 30-29 in the rebounding battle, but committed just six turnovers compared to the 11 by the Red Men.
UW-Oshkosh returns to WIAC action with Saturday's (Jan. 3) game at UW-Superior.