Big Second-Half by Cross Leads Men's Hoops to Victory Over UW-Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A big second-half by junior Chas Cross and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team helped earn the Pioneers a much needed conference road win over UW-Superior, 76-67, on Saturday afternoon. 

Cross recorded 16 of his 22 points and seven of his 12 rebounds in the second-half to help earn his second double-double of the season. The Winnebago, Ill. native has dropped 20 or more points in three of the last four games and scored in double-figures in eight of the last nine contests. The six-foot-eight center recorded career-best five steals to go with is three blocks. Fellow junior Brad Reinke and sophomore Jim Stocki each added 11 points rounding out the Pioneers (12-6, 5-4 WIAC) top-three scorers. 

UW-Superiors' Jarrod Peterson had a tough shooting afternoon everywhere except from the free throw line where he went 11-11 from the charity stripe and 2-9 from the field to lead UWS with 15 points. Brendan Bauer registered 14 points and eight rebounds, while Trent Davis rounded out the Yellowjackets' leading scorers with 10 points. 

The Yellowjackets ended the last two and a half minutes of the first-half on a 10-2 run taking a 38-29 lead at the break. 

With the Pioneers still down by eight at the 13:43 mark, a three-pointer by junior Eric Gerber and Reinke put UW-Platteville within two, 49-47, with just under 13 minutes to play. Cross nailed a three-pointer tying up the game, 56-56, and a quick transition layup by sophomore Trevor Wittwer off of a Cross block gave the Pioneers their first lead of the second-half, 58-56, with just over seven minutes to play. The Yellowjackets would never regain the lead again as the Pioneers earned their first second-half comeback victory of the season, 76-67.

The Pioneers will stay on the road when they take on UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday. Tip is set for 7 p.m. in Kolf Fieldhouse.