Pearson Scores 38 As Pioneers Win Over Eagles

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Senior Logan Pearson scored a career-high 38 points as the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (16-3, 7-1 WIAC) outlasted UW-La Crosse (11-8, 5-3 WIAC) for an 80-77 road win inside Mitchell Hall on Saturday evening.

Pearson scored eight of the team's first 10 points as the Pioneers got out to an early 10-2 lead. The Eagles responded with a 15-4 run to flip the score in their favor and the game sat even at 20 with under nine minutes to play in the half. UW-La Crosse pulled ahead by five late in the half, but the Pioneers closed the final three and half minutes with 12 straight points to take a 39-32 lead into the break.

The Eagles scored the first seven points of the second half to tie the game at 39 until senior Ben Probst ended the run with a long jumper. Midway through the half, six straight points by Pearson helped UW-Platteville take an eight-point lead at 58-50, but UW-La Crosse rallied and took a 63-62 lead with 8:28 to play. Neither team would lead by more than one possession for the remainder of the game, with the teams trading the lead four times. In the final minute, Probst put the Pioneers in front 78-77 with a layup and after two Eagles misses from the free throw line, Pearson wrapped up the win with two makes from the stripe in the 80-77 win.

Pearson's career-high scoring day came on a 12-of-19 shooting performance, including four-for-four from beyond the arc. The senior made all 10 of his free throw attempts and recorded a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds.

Probst joined Pearson in double figures with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He went 4-of-7 from deep as Probst and Pearson combined to make eight of the Pioneers nine three-pointers.

UW-Platteville shot 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field and 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from three-point range. The Pioneers were nearly perfect from the free throw line, finishing 11-for-12.

The Pioneers return home to take on UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. tip-off. UW-Platteville won the first matchup between the two teams by a score of 74-69 in the conference opener.