Titans Earn Third Straight Road Win Over Pointers

Charlie Noone poured in 21 points and Ben Boots added 18 to lead the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team to a 73-68 win over UW-Stevens Point in the WIAC opener on Wednesday (Jan. 4) in Stevens Point.

Noone, Boots and Max Schebel, who finished the game with 12 points, combined to score 33 of UW-Oshkosh's 40 points during the second half. Boots converted a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left to provide the game's final score.

UW-Oshkosh (8-4, 1-0 WIAC), predicted to win the WIAC title in a poll by the league's coaches and sports information directors, won its league opener for the first time in seven seasons.

Noone made 9 of 16 shots from the floor and collected six rebounds and two assists. Boots shot 5-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He added six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Schebel converted five of his six attempts from the floor, including 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-3 from the foul line during the second half.

UW-Oshkosh also received seven points and six rebounds from Taylor Jansen and six points and a team-leadinh three assists from Brett Wittchow.

UW-Oshkosh, which won at UW-Stevens Point for the third straight time, held considerable advantages in field goal percentage (.509 to .339) and rebounds (41-27). The Titans shot 50 percent or better from the field for the fifth time this season.

The Titans opened the scoring on a 3-pointer from Boots and didn't trail until Bryce Williams gave the Pointers an 11-9 edge with 12:22 to go in the first half. Another long-range basket by Williams gave the Pointers a 17-15 lead midway through the period.

The score was tied for the seventh time of the first half at 24 on a layup by UW-Stevens Point's Canon O'Heron, but UW-Oshkosh closed the period with nine of the last 11 points. A 3-pointer by Noone began the run, and a layup by AJ Mueller capped the first-half scoring for a 33-26 UW-Oshkosh lead at intermission.

The Titans tallied the first eight points of the second half to extend their lead to 41-28 with 18:21 remaining. UW-Oshkosh scored on each of its first three possessions of the second period, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Noone and Boots.

Five straight points by Noone increased the UW-Oshkosh advantage to 46-32 with just under 16 minutes to play, but a pair of free throws by Ethan Bublitz trimmed the Pointers' deficit to 46-39 at the 14:11 mark.

Williams converted three free throws after being fouled beyond the 3-point line and later tied the score at 50 on a 3-pointer midway through the second half.

The Titans answered with a layup by Wittchow on the ensuing possession for a 52-50 lead, and UW-Oshkosh maintained an advantage for the final 9:46 of the contest.

Boots drilled a 3-pointer to push UW-Oshkosh's lead to 62-51, and a layup by Schebel gave the Titans a 66-54 advantage with three minutes left.

UW-Stevens Point's Drew Fredrickson converted a four-point play to pull the Pointers within 71-68 with 27 seconds to play, but Boots sealed the victory with a pair of free throws as the Pointers missed two 3-pointers over the final 10 seconds.

Williams led all players with 31 points and three steals to go along with a team-high five rebounds in 36 minutes off the UW-Stevens Point bench. He connected on 10 of 22 shots from the floor, including 5 of 14 from 3-point range, and 6 of 7 attempts from the foul line.

MJ Delmore contributed nine points for the Pointers, who also received six points apiece from O'Heron and Fredrickson, and five points, four assists and two assists from Bublitz.

UW-Oshkosh hosts UW-Stout on Saturday (Jan. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.