UW-Platteville downs Illinois Tech

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The #5 ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team improved to 6-0 on the year after Tuesday's 72-51 non-conference win over the Illinois Institute of Technology (1-4). Kyle Tuma (Sr. / Valders, Wis.) recorded his fourth double-double of the season with game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds.

While the Pioneers were quick to break out to a 7-0 lead in the first minute of the game, the Scarlet Hawks soon challenged UW-Platteville and took a 10-9 lead with 15:25 remaining in the half. Three lead changes later, the Pioneers seemed to find their rhythm as Tuma, Brad Nies (Jr. / De Pere, Wis.) and Quentin Shields (Sr. / Chicago, Ill.) teamed up for a 10-0 run to take a 30-18 lead with 5:26 remaining in the half.

The Pioneers led 35-26 at the half and the Scarlet Hawks managed to draw within six points with 11:23 remaining in the game but the Pioneers doubled their lead in the next two minutes thanks to Blake McCann (Sr. / Janesville, Wis.) with a jumper and then a steal which led to the first of back-to-back layups by Nies.

From then on, UW-Platteville glided to its largest lead of the night, 68-46 by the 3:22 mark.

Nies finished with a career high eight points and added six rebounds. Shields wrapped up the day in double figures for the fifth time this season with 11 points, five assists and six boards. Tuma is one of 62 players in NCAA DIII with at least four double-doubles this season.

Overall, UW-Platteville finished 50 percent (30-of-60) from the field, 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from three-point territory and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the free throw line after going a perfect 4-of-4 in the first half.

Illinois Tech finished shooting 38 percent (19-of-50), 50 percent (10-of-20) from the three-point arc and 50 percent (3-of-6) from the free throw line.

The Pioneers will return to action and Bo Ryan Court on Saturday, Nov. 27 for one final non-conference game before WIAC play. Bethel University rolls into town for a 3 p.m. start.