Men’s basketball defeats Lake Forest in double overtime

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team opened their 2015-16 season by defeating the Lake Forest College Foresters 76-73 in double overtime in Lake Forest, Ill.

Senior Boston Johnson played well for the Pioneers, recording a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds.

Junior Blake Derickson scored the first points of the season for the Pioneers on a layup before the first half battle with the Foresters commenced. After going back and forth for 20 minutes, the Pioneers were down 28-29 going into halftime.

Starting the second half, junior Cory Vaassen hit a three-pointer to get the Pioneers off to a good start, before continuing the battle with the Foresters. Vaassen also made the tying layup with four minutes left to force the game into overtime with the score 62-62.

After adding five minutes to the scoreboard for the first overtime, the score stayed 62-62 until a big foul on the Foresters with two minutes left put sophomore Trey Sigel on the free throw line for two shots. After draining both, the Pioneers went up 64-62 before Lake Forest could respond to tie the game at 64. With 21 seconds left in the first overtime, sophomore Matt Oestreich was fouled and put on the line, making both free throws to give the Pioneers the 66-64 lead.

With a mere four seconds left in the game, the Foresters got an offensive rebound and tipped the ball into the hoop to force the double overtime with the score at 66-66.

After going back and forth for another five-minute overtime, it was Oestreich who made a vital three-pointer with 1:21 left in the game to put the Pioneers up 71-67. With another foul on the Foresters, Oestreich was sent to the line and made one free throw before Lake Forest responded with a three-pointer of their own, taking the score to 72-70 with 38 seconds remaining.

With more fouls on Lake Forest in the final seconds, it was the Pioneers' free throws that gave them the cushion in the end, with Oestreich sinking two more with five seconds left to give the Pioneers the 76-73 win over the Foresters.

The Pioneers return to action on Monday, Nov. 16 at the University of Dubuque at 7 p.m.

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