No. 18 Pioneers defeat Illinois Tech in first road game to improve to 5-0

CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (5-0) ranked No. 18 on the D3hoops.com poll defeated Illinois Tech. (0-4) on the road 70-35 Tuesday night in the Keating Sports Center. The Pioneers return to a 5-0 start to the season for the first time since 2012.

First half

• The Pioneers jumped to a 10-3 lead in the first five minutes over the Scarlet Hawks.
• Illinois Tech. would get within five points before the Pioneers went on to rack up 32 points while holding the Scarlet Hawks under the 20-point mark.
• Junior Quentin Shields dished out 15 points while going 6-of-8 from the field with 2-of-4 from three-point territory.
• Overall, the Pioneers shot 41.4% (12-of-29) from the field while the Illinois Tech. shot 33.3% (2-of-11) in the first half.
• UW-Platteville entered halftime leading the Scarlet Hawks 32-19.

Second half

• Junior Alex Ranney had a team high eight points in the second half while going a perfect 2-of-2 from the field with both behind the three-point arc and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. 
• UW-Platteville's largest lead of 38 fell in the second half while the Pioneers held the Scarlet Hawks to just 16 points in the half.
• The Pioneers shot 46.7% (14-of-30) from the field and 46.2% (6-of-13) from three-point range while Illinois Tech. shot just 26.3% (5-of-`9) from the field and 14.3% (1-of-7) from behind the three-point arc.

Notables 

• UW-Platteville improved to 5-0 on the season.
• Illinois Tech. fell to 0-4. 
• UW-Platteville capitalized on the 13 Illinois Tech. turnovers with 23 points. 
• The Pioneers totaled 26 points from the bench and all Pioneers dressed made it into the game.
• Shields knocked down a team high 18 points.
• Junior Justin Stovall tallied 12 points, three rebounds, and one block.
• Senior Carter Voelker pulled down six rebounds and tallied four assists for two team highs of the night.
• UW-Platteville finished 44.1% (26-of-59) from the field and 39.3% (11-of-28) from beyond the three-point arc. Illinois Tech. finished 13-of-43 (30.2%) and 16.7% (3-of-18) from the three-point line.
• The Pioneers were 63.6% (7-of-11) from the free throw line while the Scarlet Hawks shot 60.0% (6-of-10).

Up next

The Pioneers hit the road again on Sunday, Dec 1 for Cardinal Stritch University with gametime set for 3:30 p.m.