Tough final regular season loss for Pioneers, 74-62

Written by: Jeremy Williamson, Sports Information Assistant

RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Even though four separate Pioneers scored in double digits, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team was unable to pull out a victory Saturday night as they lost their final regular season game to UW-River Falls, 74-62.

Cory Vaassen and Matt Oestreich led the Pioneers in scoring with 14 apiece.

The Pioneers shot 32 percent going 22-68 from the field, as well as 2-17 from three-point range.

The Falcons' bench scored over half of their points with 43, compared to the Pioneers' bench points at six.

The Pioneers took an early lead, 8-6, at the 15:50 mark, but the opposing Falcons would go on a 15-2 run over the next six minutes to make the score 21-10 at the 9:31 mark.

A slew of three-point baskets, as well as a first half shooting percentage of 44, 15-for-34 for the Falcons, sent the Pioneers into the locker room down by 18, 22-40.

Within the first six minutes of the second half the Pioneers were able to creep within nine, 35-44, after a successful Trevor Wittwer jump shot.

Following a Jake Manning layup, the Pioneers approached their closest mark of the second half, trailing by three, 61-58, with 4:32 remaining in the game.

Unfortunately for the Pioneers, from the three minute mark until the end of the game, the Falcons went on an 11-2 run to end the Pioneers' last regular season game with a 74-62 loss.

Boston Johnson led all Pioneer facilitators with three assists to go along with a game-high five steals.

The Pioneers shot 94 percent from the free throw line, going 16-for-17.

The WIAC tournament will begin on Feb. 24 with the time and location yet to be announced.