Career Game by B.J. Litz Leads UW-Platteville to 63-53 Win Over UW-Stout

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men’s basketball team hit 54.8% of its shots from the field and senior B.J. Litz scored a career-high 17 points and dished out a career-high five assists to lead the Pioneers to a 63-53 win over host UW-Stout on Saturday evening.

The hot shooting sparked UW-Platteville, who improves to 5-4 on the season and 1-2 in the WIAC. UW-Stout was held to 38% shooting in the loss, which falls to 3-6 overall and 0-3 in the WIAC.

After scoring nine of the first 11 points in the contest, the host Blue Devils scored 11 of the next 14 to take its first lead, 13-12, with 9:55 to play. Then, in the final 10 minutes, Litz provided a spark off the bench with 10 points and an assist on a Matt Weik jumper on the final play of the half that put the Pioneers in front, 32-26 at halftime.

UW-Stout managed to tie the game later in the second half at 40; however, the answer for the Pioneers came from the bench, again. To bring the Blue Devils back into the game, Tim Butina and Carter Ciolkosz scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

The game would be tied on three more occasions until Weik hit his second 3-pointer of the game with 3:27 that put the Pioneers ahead for the rest of the contest. The Freeport, Illinois native along with Litz combined for 26 points including four 3 pointers.

Next, UW-Platteville will host North Central at Bo Ryan Court on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.