Pioneers Drop Home Opener Friday

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team dropped a 73-71 decision to Mount Mary on Friday night in the home opener and first game of the Gabe Miller Classic.

Both teams struggled to get going early in the game and the score sat even at four five minutes into the first half. Junior Logan Pearson put the Pioneers up with a three, sparking a 9-0 run which gave UW-Platteville a 13-4 lead with 12 minutes left in the half. The Pioneers increased the lead to 17 at 25-8 behind a nine-point run led by five points by junior Jack Huml. UW-Platteville maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the half and took a 35-21 lead into the break.

Mount Mary cut the deficit to two at 43-41 behind a 12-2 run early in the second half. Freshman Max Love pushed the lead back to five, but the Mustangs evened the score just a couple minutes later at 50. The two sides remained close for the next couple minutes before Mount Mary knocked down a pair of threes to take a five-point lead. The Mustangs answered each Pioneers made shot with one of their own and held on for a 74-71 victory.

Pearson led the Pioneers with 23 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He knocked down 9-of-10 attempts from the free throw line. Huml, sophomore Carter Lancaster, and senior Brad Nies each finished with nine points. UW-Platteville shot 35.9 percent (23-of-64) from the field and 20.0 percent (7-of-35) from deep.

Ryan Bartley led the Mustangs with 23 points while Rusmir Hamzic added 20 points off the bench. After a poor shooting first half, Mount Mary shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) from the field in the second half, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from deep.

The Pioneers head to Augustana (Ill.) on Tuesday, Nov. 23 for a 7 p.m. tip-off.