Duax catches fire late in WIAC loss to UW–Oshkosh

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Sophomore Robert Duax scored 13 straight points late in the second half to fuel the shorthanded University of Wisconsin–Platteville men's basketball team's comeback effort Wednesday night at Bo Ryan Court, but it wasn't quite enough.

Duax (Dubuque/Hempstead) scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the second half as the Pioneers cut a 20-point deficit in half, but the UW–Platteville comeback effort fell short in a 71–60 WIAC loss to visiting UW–Oshkosh.

Duax made 9 of 10 from the free throw line, grabbed a team-high six rebounds and had three assists.

Junior guard Trey Sigel (Rock Island, Ill.) made three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points, while sophomore Colin Connelly (Guttenburg, Iowa) made three 3-pointers of his own and scored a season-high nine points in season-high 28 minutes off the bench. Junior Dan Lowe added seven points and four boards.

The visiting Titans took control off the game with a 15–0 run midway through the first half. Max Schebel's layup with 6:22 left in the half gave the Titans their biggest lead at 31–11.

UWO led 60–41 with 4:05 left in the game, but the Pioneers put together an 11–2 run to trim the deficit to 10 at 62–52. Sigel buried a triple to start the run, then Duax scored 13 straight points for the Pioneers to make it a 68–57 game with 1:10 left, but the home team was out of time.

Ben Boots, who made four straight free throws in the final 1:19, finished with a team-high 15 points, six rebounds and two assists to lead the Titans. Brett Wittchow (13) and Max Schebel (10) also scored in double figures for the visitors.

UW–Oshkosh improved to 9–5 overall and 2–1 in the WIAC with the win. The Pioneers fell to 7–7, 0–3 with the loss.

UW–Platteville will return to action Saturday night at 21^st-ranked UW–Whitewater (11–3, 0–3 WIAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Warhawks have lost three straight games after a 90–74 loss at seventh-ranked UW–River Falls on Wednesday.

By Jason Nihles, UW–Platteville Athletics