Pointers Hand Pioneers First Conference Defeat

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (15-3, 6-1 WIAC) was handed its first conference loss on a last second shot Wednesday night to UW-Stevens Point (9-9, 3-4 WIAC) by a score of 65-64 inside the Williams Fieldhouse.

UW-Platteville raised money at the Annual Garding Against Cancer game, with the total donations coming in at $2,319.

The Pointers scored on four straight possessions early in the first half to take a 10-3 lead, but three-point makes by sophomore Max Love and freshman Bristol Lewis helped the Pioneers get back within one. After senior Ben Probst tied the game with a jumper, the score sat tied at 13 for nearly three minutes until senior Logan Pearson pushed UW-Platteville in front with a triple with 9:29 left in the half. The Pioneers led for the next nine minutes and took a 39-30 advantage into the break after closing the half on a 9-0 run.

UW-Stevens Point quickly got within one possession to start the half and later tied the game at 48 with 12:28 to play. Back-to-back threes by Pearson and junior Brady Olson made it 54-50 in favor of UW-Platteville, but the Pointers answered and built a 63-58 lead with just over four minutes left. A three-point play by Love and a three in the corner by Olson gave the Pioneers a one-point lead, but UW-Stevens Point knocked down a baseline jumper with half a second remaining to pull off the one-point win.

Pearson posted a game-high 18 points while also leading the team with eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Three other Pioneers joined him in double figures, led by Lewis' career-high 14 points off the bench. Probst (13 points) and Olson (11) also reached double digit points.

UW-Platteville shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) for the game, including 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from beyond the arc. The Pioneers were strong from the free throw line, going 9-of-11 (81.8 percent).

The Pioneers hit the road this weekend for a Saturday matchup against UW-La Crosse. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.