Pioneers lose heartbreaker to Spartans in final seconds

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s basketball team fell to the University of Dubuque Spartans 75-74 on Monday in Dubuque, Iowa.

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Pioneers lose heartbreaker to Spartans in final seconds
November 16, 2015

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team fell to the University of Dubuque Spartans 75-74 on Monday in Dubuque, Iowa.

Junior Cory Vaassen and senior Boston Johnson both logged 24 points apiece for the Pioneers, who fell to 1-1 on the season.

After battling with the Spartans throughout the first half, the Pioneers were down 42-37 at the break.

Coming out of the half, the Pioneers grabbed their first lead since early in the game with a little over 13 minutes to play, going ahead 51-50 and continuing the back-and-forth competition with the University of Dubuque.

After Johnson scored a layup with 20 seconds remaining in the game to bring the Pioneers within three, the Pioneers quickly called a timeout to stop the clock.

Coming out of the timeout, the Pioneers fouled and put the Spartans on the line. After the made free-throw from the Spartans, the score 73-69, sophomore Trey Sigel sunk a critical three-pointer at the top of the key the next possession to take the score to 73-72 with ten seconds remaining in the game.

After a Pioneer foul, the University of Dubuque drained a couple free throws, making the score 75-72 with six seconds left before a quick foul by the Spartans put Johnson on the line for two.

Johnson made both free throws with five seconds remaining, bringing the Pioneers within one at 75-74. The Pioneers then got a steal in the final seconds of the game, but the buzzer shot by Sigel in the lane didn't fall, and the University of Dubuque prevailed 75-74.

The Pioneers return to action against on Friday, Nov. 20 against Finlandia at Williams Fieldhouse to kick off the annual Gabe Miller Tip-Off Classic at 7 p.m.

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