Titans Exterminate Yellowjackets
Alex Olson had a game-high 20 points as the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team defeated UW-Superior, 70-58, on Saturday (Feb. 14) in Kolf Sports Center.
Olson reached the 20-point mark for the seventh time this season by connecting on 8 of 12 shots from the floor, including 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point arc. Olson, who entered the game fourth in the conference by scoring 16 points per game, tied for the team lead with six rebounds and led all players with three steals.
Taylor Jansen added 11 points for the Titans, who also received 10 points from AJ Mueller, nine points on 4 of 5 shooting from the field from Brett Linzmeier and eight points, four rebounds and two blocks from Sean Dwyer. UW-Oshkosh's Kyle Bolger tied his season best with six assists, and Andre Wallace contributed a season-high six rebounds and two blocks.
The Titans, who won their third straight game over the Yellowjackets, shot 48.2 percent (27-56) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-18) from beyond the 3-point line and 55.6 percent (10-18) from the free throw line. UW-Oshkosh, which also defeated UW-Superior, 61-54, on Jan. 3 in Superior, held advantages in turnovers (5-6), blocks (5-2) and steals (5-3). The Titans established a season low in turnovers.
UW-Oshkosh (13-10, 7-7 WIAC), which held its 12 opponent this season to 60 points or fewer, remains alone in fifth place in the league standings while UW-Superior (8-15, 2-12 WIAC) stays in eighth with two games to play. The Yellowjackets went into the game ranked second in the conference with 70.1 points per contest.
UW-Superior's John Schradle scored the first five points of the game, but UW-Oshkosh responded with 10 unanswered points on five straight field goals and took the lead for good on a jumper by Max Schebel that gave the Titans a 6-5 edge with 15:57 remaining in the opening period.
Leading 12-10 with 12:39 to go in the first half, UW-Oshkosh went on an 18-5 run for a 28-15 advantage at the 7:54 mark. The Titans converted 8 of 10 shots during the run, which began with a three-point play from Mueller and capped by a layup from Bolger. Mueller spearheaded the surge with eight points, including a layup that provided his team's first double-digit lead at 21-11 with 9:28 left in the first half.
After missing its first three field goal attempts of the contest, UW-Oshkosh made 13 of its next 17. UW-Superior pulled within nine at 28-19 on Brian Lindblom's jumper with 6:01 left in the first half, but Bolger answered with a layup on the next possession, and the Titans led by double figures for the last 25:42 of the game. UW-Oshkosh tallied the final five points of the opening period and led, 40-23, at the break.
UW-Superior was limited to 30.8 percent (8-26) shooting from the floor during the first half while UW-Oshkosh, which also had a 22-11 advantage in rebounds, shot 58.6 percent (17-29).
UW-Oshkosh built its largest lead of the game at 51-28 on a layup by Andrew Duening with 15:02 remaining. The Titans missed 13 of their last 19 field goals, and the Yellowjackets pulled within 68-58 at the 1:36 mark. A layup by Jansen 13 seconds later provided the final score.
Schradle led UW-Superior with 17 point, eight rebounds and three assists. Caleb Burch added 11 points and eight rebounds, and Lindblom had nine points and two blocks for the Yellowjackets, who lost their sixth consecutive game.
UW-Superior ended the game shooting 34.6 percent (18-52) from the floor, 17.6 percent (3-17) on 3-pointers and 86.4 percent (19-22) from the free throw line. Both teams had 35 rebounds.
UW-Oshkosh travels to UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (Feb. 18).