Pioneers Drop Overtime Game To UW-Eau Claire

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – In its final regular season home game, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (13-10, 6-6 WIAC) fell 87-84 in overtime to UW-Eau Claire (14-9, 6-6 WIAC) on Wednesday night on Bo Ryan Court.

The Pioneers offense was rolling early as they connected on their first six shot attempts of the game to lead 14-3 four minutes in. UW-Eau Claire responded with a 12-point run of its own to take a two-point lead until sophomore Carter Lancaster snapped the UW-Platteville scoring drought with a three. The two teams went back-and-forth for the final ten minutes of the first half, with the largest lead on either side being just four points. At halftime, the Pioneers held a 37-36 advantage while shooting an impressive 60.0 percent (15-of-25) from the floor.

The three-point shot defined the UW-Platteville offense in the first couple minutes of the second half, as junior Ben Probst, freshman Aiden Wieczorek, and junior Logan Pearson all knocked down triples. The Blugolds erased the six-point Pioneers lead and took a 54-54 lead with 12:46 to play. With the game tied at 59, UW-Platteville went on a 10-2 run, highlighted by tough layups by Lancaster and sophomore Julian Samuels to take a 69-61 lead with just under six to play. In the closing minutes, UW-Eau Claire cut the deficit down to one with a seven-point run to make the score 75-74 in favor of the Pioneers with 18 seconds remaining. Senior Brad Nies made two free throws to make it a three-point game, but the Blugolds made a three as the buzzer sounded to send the game to overtime tied at 77.

UW-Eau Claire went on an 8-1 run early in overtime to lead by five with 2:43 left to play. Lancaster made a free throw to make it four, and Probst knocked down a three from the right wing to make it 85-84 with 52 seconds left. The Blugolds made a layup on their final possession and a tying three-point attempt for the Pioneers rimmed out as time expired.

Pearson led five Pioneers in double figures with 21 points while adding eight assists and seven rebounds. Nies recorded a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds while Samuels scored 13 points off the bench. Lancaster (12 points) and Probst (11) also reached double digits. UW-Platteville shot 46.8 percent (29-of-62) for the game and 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from deep.

Brock Voigt led four in double figures for the Blugolds with 24 points and he pulled down 10 rebounds for the double-double. Spencer Page provided a spark off the bench with 18 points and eight rebounds for the visitors. UW-Eau Claire shot 47.9 percent (35-of-73) from the field in the contest.

The Pioneers head to UW-River Falls on Saturday evening for a 5 p.m. tip-off.