Pioneers Wrap Up Opening Weekend With Win Over Gusties

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – On the second night of the Gabe Miller Classic presented by the DRA, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (2-0) pulled away late for a 79-67 win over Gustavus Adolphus (0-2) on Saturday night inside the Williams Fieldhouse.

The Pioneers led 13-2 just over six minutes into the first half as the three-point shot was falling early for the home team. Senior Ben Probst, sophomore Max Love, and junior Carter Lancaster each connected on triples before Gustavus Adolphus answered with one of their own a minute later. The UW-Platteville lead hovered around nine for the next several minutes, but the Gusties chipped away to tie the game at 28 with 2:21 left. Junior Brady Olson gave the Pioneers the lead back with a three and the game entered halftime 32-30 in favor of UW-Platteville.

Gustavus Adolphus kept it close in the early stages of the second half and even took a 46-42 lead with just over 13 minutes to play with a five-point run. Senior Logan Pearson knocked down a pair of threes to swing the lead back to UW-Platteville and a seven-point run pushed the advantage up to 64-54 with under six minutes left. Probst made a couple more threes down the stretch as the Pioneers lead grew to as many as 15 before the game ended 79-67.

Pearson finished with 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Probst added 22 points, making four threes for the second straight game. Olson (12) and Love (10) also reached double figures for the Pioneers in the game.

Sophomore Joey Fuhremann led the team with six rebounds, while four other players tallied at least four. Pearson (four assists) and Probst (three) were the top playmakers for UW-Platteville in the contest.

Defensively, the Pioneers finished with 13 steals and five blocked shots, led by four steals from Probst and three each from Pearson and Olson. Senior Brad Nies recorded three blocks.

The Pioneers will head to Aberdeen, South Dakota next weekend for the Small College Basketball Classic. On Friday, UW-Platteville takes on Saint John's (Minn.) with tip-off set for 2:30 p.m.

*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a $3 Pioneer burger the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.