St. Thomas ends Pioneers’ year, 73-70

PLATTEVILLE, WIS. – In what looked like a game which could have been played further into March, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (23-5) ranked No. 8 on the D3hoops.com poll, saw the 2019-20 season come to a close in the second round of the NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Championship at the hands of the No. 4 ranked University of Saint Thomas (26-3). With just seconds on the clock, the Tommies held onto their one possession lead to defeat the Pioneers 73-70. The pairing on Bo Ryan Court was the lone game played in the second round of the tournament to feature two Top 10 teams.

This season's at-large berth into the tournament is a 13^th in program history, and a third consecutive trip to the Big Dance for the Pioneers. It is also the third consecutive season which the Pioneers have been knocked out of the NCAA tournament by a loss of three or fewer points. The 2020 WIAC Coach of the Year, Jeff Gard's Pioneers won their second outright regular season conference championship in three years with the last UW-Platteville head coach to take three consecutive teams into the tournament being former head coach, Bo Ryan.

Senior Carter Voelker closed out his illustrous career earning highest honors in the conference being named All-WIAC and Co-Player of the Year. Voelker put 1,157 points on the board for the Pioneers in his career and sits 24^th all-time.

After the loss, coach Gard said, "I'm extremely proud of the effort our guys have had from day one when they stepped on campus." Gard went on to say, "Our guys did everything they could tonight, they did everything they were asked of, and I could not be more proud of them."

"Down in the locker room we have two seniors who have been here for four years and they were here when we knew we were a good team, a good program.  Carter Voelker and Tanner Hudziak, they've stepped up and given and example of proof to the guys who are on the program and those who are coming into the program that when you put your mind to it, great things can happen."

When asked what it was like to play in a back-and-forth game, sophomore Kyle Tuma said, "It's a tough draw in the second round, but it's what it's got to be and when it's two great teams, it comes down to making great plays and they made some great plays down the stretch.  You could see the heart of our team and our program. We were never giving up and fighting no matter what was going on."

Looking ahead and when asked about filling Voelker's starting position, Tuma said, "It's been an honor to play with Carter for two years and we have to take what he taught us and what he's shown us and run with it."

First Half 

• The Pioneers trailed 21-30 with 4:54 left in the half and scored nine unanswered points to tie the game at 30-30 with 1:39 remaining. 
• The Pioneers trailed 32-35 going into halftime. 
• Junior Justin Stovall had nine first half points on 66.7% (4-of-6) shooting from the field.
• Voelker had six points, five rebounds and two assists in the half.
• Junior Drew Gunnink had six points on just three shots from the field.
• Tuma hauled in six rebounds in the half.
• The Pioneers shot 47.8% (11-of-23) from the field and 44.4% (4-of-9) from three-point range and the Tommies shot 50% (14-of-28) from the field and 41.7% (5-of-12) on three-point attempts.
• The Pioneers shot 66.7% (6-of-9) from the free throw line and the Tommies shot 50% (2-of-4) from the free throw line.
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Second Half

• The Pioneers trailed 63-69 with 1:15 remaining before an and-one play by Gunnink brought the score to 66-69.
• Down 68-71, sophomore Blake McCann had a chase down block with :30 remaining and missed a three-point look with :15 remaining. 
• Voelker scored with :06 remaining to cut the lead to 72-70 and quickly sent the Tommies to the free-throw line. 
• Trailing 70-73, the Pioneers were unable to get off a shot in the final seconds.
• Voelker had 13 second half points on 55.6% (5-of-9) shooting from the field including 1-of-2 from deep.
• Tuma had 10 points, four rebounds three assists and a steal in the second half. He shot 66.7% (4-of-6) from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range.
• Junior Quentin Shields had eight second half points and shot 50% (2-of-4) from the field and 1-of-2 on three-pointers.
• The Pioneers shot 48.3% (14-of-29) from the field and 33.3% (3-of-9) from three-point range while St. Thomas shot 30.8% (8-of-26) from the field and 31.6% (6-of-19) on three-pointers
• The Pioneers shot 63.6% (7-of-11) from the free throw line while St. Thomas shot 83.3% (15-of-18).

Notables 

• Tuma double-doubled with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Tuma shot 55.6% (5-of-9) from the field and added four assists and a steal. 
• Voelker finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Voelker shot 46.7% (7-of-15) from the field and 42.9% (3-of-7) from deep.
• UW-Platteville shot 53.2% (33-of-62) from the field and 33.3% (8-of-24) from beyond the three-point arc. St. Thomas shot 47.5% (29-of-61) from the field and 39.1% (9-of-23) from three-point territory.
• The Pioneers shot 63.2% (12-of-19) from the free throw line and the Tommies shot 50% (5-of-10).