Pioneers take down No. 4 Wartburg, improve to 5-0

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team (5-0) extended its winning streak to five after a 75-65 victory over No. 4 Wartburg (2-1) on Bo Ryan Court.

Notes from the Pioneers

Junior Jai Clemons was asked about her roller coaster of emotions today going from not knowing if an injury would keep her from playing to playing and said, "Nothing but excitement because I knew no matter what; I needed to be ready.  Whether it was going to be cheering my team to a victory or stepping out onto that court, ready to play."

When sophomore Taylor Gilbert was asked about how she pushes nerves aside to play important minutes and come up big in key moments she said, "I put everything else out of my mind and focused on what needed to be done.  It makes it easier, too, because I can trust my teammates that they're doing the same."

First half

• UW-Platteville led by as many as nine and went into the second quarter with a 20-14 lead.
• Junior Maiah Domask scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and had four rebounds in the first quarter.
• Wartburg slowly worked their way back in the second quarter and briefly took the lead at 31-30 with :58 left in the second quarter.
• UW-Platteville led 32-31 going into the half and finished shooting 53.8% (14-of-26) from the field and went 2-of-3 from three-point range.

Second half

• The Pioneers trailed 40-48 late in the third quarter and Clemons and Gilbert each scored four points in less than two minutes to tie the game at 48.
• Senior Morgan Horstman had 10 points in the fourth quarter including 6-of-6 from the free throw line to help extend the Pioneer lead.
• The Pioneers forced 10 Knight turnovers in the fourth quarter.
• The Pioneers shot 55.6% (15-of-27) from the field during the second half and shot 86.7% (13-of-15) on free throws. 

Notables 

• UW-Platteville improved to 5-0 on the season.
• No. 4 Wartburg fell to 2-1 overall.
• This marks the first time since the 2004-05 season that the Pioneers have won five games in a row.
• The Pioneers won the turnover battle by committing just 14 turnovers and forcing 25. The Pioneers generated 25 points off those 25 turnovers.
• The Pioneers scored 52 points in the paint and held the Knights to just 36.
• Domask had a game-high 22 points and recorded a double double with 10 rebounds and added two assists. Domask shot 56.3% (9-of-16) from the field and made her only three-point attempt.
• Horstman finished with 21 points, went a perfect 9-of-9 on free throws and added four steals.
• UW-Platteville finished 54.7% (29-of-53) from the field and shot 22.2% (2-of-9) from beyond the three-point arc. Wartburg finished 52.2% (24-of-46) from the field and shot 26.1% (6-of-23) from the three-point line.
• The Pioneers shot 83.3% (15-of-18) from the free throw line while Wartburg finished shooting 73.3% (11-of-15). 

Remarks from Coach McNiff

Up next

The Pioneers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 30 on Bo Ryan Court when they host Coe with game time set for 3 p.m.