Scots Rally Back To Defeat Titans
Alma College (Mich.) starters Ryan Stevens, Steven Harvey and Cole Kleiver combined for 60 points as the Scots upset the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team, 88-81, Friday (Dec. 6) in Alma, Mich.
Kleiver provided Alma College the lead for good when his 3-pointer from the right corner at the shot clock buzzer gave the Scots a 74-72 advantage with 5:26 remaining. Stevens then accounted for each of Alma College's 10 points over the final 2:19 of the contest, hitting back-to-back field goals in the span of 41 seconds that extended the Scot lead to five points on both occasions before securing the victory with four successful free throws during the last 24.6 seconds.
Stevens, who registered six rebounds and six assists, paced the Scots with 22 points while Harvey and Kleiver added 20 and 18 points, respectively. The trio, which combined to shoot 19 of 21 at the free throw line, scored all of Alma College's 26 points over the last 9:56 of the contest. Harvey went 7-for-7 from the field. Kleiver converted each of his seven attempts at the foul line.
Adam Fravert led UW-Oshkosh with a season-high 25 points with 10 rebounds and four assists. He scored 17 points during the second half and finished the game 10 of 21 from the floor on the way to recording his 16th career double-double.
Jack Flynn established a season best with 19 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field for the Titans, who also received 12 points apiece from Levi Borchert and Eric Peterson. Borchert, who matched his season-high scoring effort, led all players with 12 rebounds off the bench for his second double-double of the year.
Alma College (4-2) extended its winning streak to four games by shooting 46.3 percent (31-67) from the field, 40 percent (6-15) from 3-point range and 80 percent (20-25) at the free throw line. The Scots, who defeated the Titans for the first time in three all-time meetings, overcame a 45-35 rebounding deficit by scoring 17 fast break points and compiling a 15-10 advantage in assists.
UW-Oshkosh shot 48.5 percent (33-68) from the floor, but just 20 percent (5-25) from beyond the 3-point arc and 47.6 percent (10-21) at the foul line. The Titans, ranked 13th in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com, have now outrebounded each of their last nine opponents dating back to last season's run to the national title.
Neither team led by more than five points in the first half until Borchert scored a pair of baskets in the paint for a 24-15 UW-Oshkosh lead midway through the opening period. Borchert later converted two free throws to tie the Titans' largest lead at 26-17, but Alma College knotted the score at 30 on a Stevens jumper and reclaimed a 32-30 edge following a pair of Kleiver free throws at the 3:33 mark of the first half.
Borchert scored in the lane for a 37-36 Titan lead late in the first half before Alma College's Kyle Woodruff responded with a layup of his own that gave the Scots a 38-37 advantage at intermission.
Alma College built its lead to 60-53 with just under 13 minutes to play, but UW-Oshkosh answered with 10 straight points over the next three minutes for a 63-60 advantage. Fravert's jumper upped the Titans' lead to 68-62 with nine minutes left, and a Flynn dunk gave UW-Oshkosh a 70-65 advantage with 7:17 remaining. However, Kleiver beat the shot clock with his corner 3-pointer for a 74-72 Alma College lead at the 5:26 mark, and the Scots led the rest of the way.
Fravert was off the mark on a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 2:39 to go. Stevens then hit a jumper 20 seconds later for an 80-75 Alma College lead, and the Titans never had possession with a chance to tie the remainder of the contest.
UW-Oshkosh defeated Alma College, 99-74, last season in Oshkosh.
The Titans remain in Michigan for a game at Calvin University on Saturday (Dec. 7) in Grand Rapids.