Metcalf-Grassman Scores 26 In Titans’ Loss To Falcons

RIVER FALLS, Wis.- Michael Metcalf-Grassman recorded a season-high 26 points in the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team's 79-76 last-second loss to UW-River Falls on Saturday night (Jan. 13) on the road.

The Titans (7-8, 0-4 WIAC) shot 46.0 percent (29-of-63) from the field and 29.4 percent (five-of-17) from three while leading the Falcons (9-6, 3-1 WIAC) 86.7 percent (13-of-15) to 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the line. Oshkosh also only committed eight turnovers to River Falls' 11.

Metcalf-Grassman (Fr. • Shawano/Waukesha) went 10-of-14 from the field and six-of-seven from the line for his 26 points, adding two rebounds, a steal and a block. Carter Thomas (So. • Neenah) added 11 points, making five of his 12 attempts from the field with two steals. Making both of their free throw attempts were Quinn Steckbauer (Sr. • Merrill), Will Mahoney (Sr. • Appleton) and Joseph Adamson (Sr. • Horicon).

Oshkosh fell in a 6-0 hole early before a 9-0 run gave it the lead. The Falcons briefly took the lead back, which the Titans responded to with two seven-point runs to increase their lead to 11 points with 2:17 left in the first half. River Falls scored four points at the end of the half to make the score 41-34.

The Falcons opened the second half with eight points for the lead. Thomas made a layup to switch the edge back, but a three-point play on a foul gave it to the Falcons again. Oshkosh's final lead came on a 6-0 spurt with four points from Tristan Johanknecht (Fr. • Oshkosh) and two from Metcalf-Grassman to make the score 49-45 with 15:51 to go. The Titans couldn't find an answer for long River Falls runs, so the Falcons went on runs of 10-0 and 7-0 in the half, leading by as much as nine with 6:13 remaining in the game. Oshkosh chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying it back up at 72 with 2:26 to go on a Metcalf-Grassman free throw. The teams traded field goals before the minute mark and traded lost ball steals after. Each team called 60-second timeouts with two seconds left and the score knotted up at 76 with the Falcons owning possession. After the timeouts, Thomas got caught up in a screen and jumped up to stop his man from shooting, but the ball got off before he did and went in from behind the arc as time expired.

The Titans return to action at the Kolf Sports Center on Wednesday (Jan. 17) against UW-La Crosse for a 7 p.m. tip-off.