Pioneers return to WIAC docket with road win at Eau Claire

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. –  Having recently moved up to No. 2 in the national rankings, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team returned to conference competition Wednesday night with a 60-46 road win against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Pioneers emerged from Zorn Arena with their clean slate and bumped their win streak to 14-0 on the season and 3-0 in the league. UW-Eau Claire fell to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the WIAC.

Three Pioneers tallied 15 points or more, but it was UW-Platteville's staggering defense and ability to capitalize off the Blugold's 15 turnovers which eventually put the Pioneers in a comfortable position after a slow start to the game. The Pioneers registered 17 points off Blugold turnovers, with 15 falling in the first half alone. 

"Anytime you can get a win on the road in the WIAC you take pride in it, especially at Zorn," said head coach Jeff Gard. "We stress each day that our defense has to be the most consistent part of our game as a team. You can't always control how the ball falls offensively, but tonight our defense assisted our offense."

UW-Eau Claire was first to pull ahead to a 14-8 lead midway through the first half, but while the Pioneers' offense worked to sink into rhythm, UW-Platteville's defense left little room for the Blugolds to build on their early lead. It remained a one-point game with two minutes left in the half until Quentin Shields (Sr./Chicago, Ill.) drilled a three-pointer which was followed up moments later by a steal and three-pointer by Logan Pearson (So./Appleton, Wis.) to give the Pioneers a 27-20 lead going into halftime.

The teams finished the half shooting 34.6 and 36.4 percent from the field, but the difference maker was a 15-4 Pioneer advantage in points off turnovers.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Jack Huml (So./Janesville, Wis.) and Kyle Tuma (Sr./Valders, Wis.) concluded a 13-0 UW-Platteville run in the early portion of the second half which gave the Pioneers their largest lead of the night, 44-27 with 10:31 remaining in the game. 

The Blugolds responded with a 7-2 run of their own to build some momentum late in the game. However a near full-court pass from Shields to Pearson ultimately ended back in Shields' hands just in time to drill another three-pointer to calm the Blugold tide. 

The Pioneers shot 38.8 percent (19-of-49) from the field, 25 percent (5-of-20) from three-point territory and made 77.3 percent (17-of-22) of their free throws. The Blugolds shot 34 percent (18-of-53) from the floor, made 25 percent (7-of-28) of shots from beyond the arc and were 42.9 percent (3-of-7) from the foul line. 

Shields paced the game with 19 points and added four rebounds and two blocks. Pearson and Tuma each added 15 points apiece while Tuma pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. 

The Pioneers will return to action and Bo Ryan court on Saturday, Jan. 8 when they host UW-Stout on Alumni Day. Game time is set for 7 p.m. with a special recognition of the 1991 championship team scheduled for halftime.