Men's Basketball falls in double-OT at Carthage

KENOSHA, Wis. – Foul trouble doomed the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team as the Pioneers fell to Carthage in double-overtime, 112-104, Saturday in Tarble Arena.

The Pioneers committed 35 fouls with three starters fouling out, to the Red Men's 21 fouls. Carthage made 44-of-54 free throws, while the Pioneers were 19-of-26.

This was the first time the Pioneers allowed an oppenent to score over a hundred points since 1993 when Augustana scored 100 in the 1993 NCAA Secional Final.

UW-Platteville's sophomore Boston Johnson led all scorers with a career-high 37 points. The Oshkosh, Wis. native, was an efficient 12-of-17 from the field and made 8-of-10 at the free throw line. Seniors Chas Cross and Eric "Skip" Gerber each tallied 17 points, while junior Jim Stocki added 15. Junior Wes Nemitz contributed 12 points off the bench.

Carthage's Reese Herth scored 28 with 14 of them coming from the free throw line, while Kevin Sykes Jr. netted 25 points. Mike Kastel and Marlon Senior each recorded double-doubles. Kastel tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Senior recorded 17 points and 12 boards.

Johnson gave the Pioneers a strong start as he scored 10 of the visitors' first 13 points. With just over eight minutes till halftime, the Pioneers took 21-14 lead. Then in consecutive possessions, Nemitz made a pair of three pointers, giving the Pioneers their largest lead of the game, 35-25, at the 5:46 mark of the first half. The Red Men scored six unanswered points to end the half and took a 43-42 lead at the break.

Carthage led for most of the second half and took its largest lead of the half of seven points, 65-58, with nine minutes to play. The Pioneers managed to tie the game back up, 76-76, with just over three minute to play. UW-Platteville trailed by one with a minute to go and a three-point play by Gerber gave the Pioneers a two-point lead, 82-80, with 28 seconds left in regulation. On the ensuing possession, Cross fouled out and Herth made both free throws to put the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, Carthage took control early and grabbed a five-point lead in the first two minutes. Stocki made a three-pointer with 50 seconds, making it a one-point game; and then drilled another in the final 10 seconds to tie the game and put it into the second overtime, 95-95.

The Pioneers couldn't keep up with the Red Men in the second overtime, as Carthage took a 106-99 lead with two minutes left. Nine of Carthage's 17 points came from the charity stripe, pushing the Red Men past the Pioneers, 112-104.

UW-Platteville travels to Las Vegas, Nev. for the D3hoops.com Classic on Dec. 28 and 29 at the South Point Arena. The Pioneers will take on George Fox on the Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. local time then Whitworth on Sunday at 8 p.m. local time.