Men’s basketball to open 2015-16 season at Lake Forest

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s basketball team will return nine letter winners from last season, where the Pioneers went 16-10 overall and 9-7 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 

With the loss of All-WIAC guard Jim Stocki and forward Jake Manning, the Pioneers will look to senior guards Boston Johnson and Peyton River to fill the leadership roles on the court. 

With other returning key athletes in sophomore guard Matt Oestreich, junior forward Cory Vaassen and a significant transfer in sophomore forward Dan Lowe, head coach Jeff Gard hopes to see the team develop and grow throughout the 2015-16 season. 

“One of the keys to a successful season is staying healthy,” said Gard. “With added talent and size, we anticipate being deeper off the bench than previous years if our youth develops and grasps the concepts quickly.” 

Before starting conference play in January, the Pioneers will face the University of Dubuque on Monday, Nov. 16 in Dubuque for one of the Battle of the Bridge games, and face Loras College at Williams Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Dec. 8 for the second and final Battle of the Bridge game. 

After playing Hope College in the NCAA tournament in 1998 for the National Championship crown and again in 2009 in the second round, the Pioneers will play Hope in a first-ever regular season meeting on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Hope College in Holland, Mich.

To end 2015, the men’s basketball squad will travel to San Antonio, Texas from Dec. 27 to Dec. 31 to play McMurry University and Schreiner College. 

The Pioneers tip off their season on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Ill. at 3 p.m. 

Written by: Carly Willman, University Information and Communications, 608.342.1194, willmanc@uwplatt.edu