Pioneers Claim Share Of Regular Season Title With Comeback Win

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – With a double-digit comeback in the final seven minutes, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (19-3, 10-1 WIAC) clinched at least a share of the 2023-24 WIAC Regular Season Championship thanks to a 66-61 win over UW-Oshkosh (10-12, 3-8 WIAC) on Wednesday night from Bo Ryan Court.

The Pioneers claim their fourth regular season title in the past seven years, and the 23rd overall in program history. UW-Platteville can earn the title outright with one win in the final three games, or with a loss by UW-Whitewater.

Both teams put together strong defensive efforts on Wednesday night, and UW-Platteville led 32-24 at the break after holding the Titans under 30 percent shooting. UW-Oshkosh chipped away at the Pioneers lead in the second half and later used a 16-2 run across a four-minute stretch to take a 51-40 lead with 7:25 to play.

Senior Logan Pearson kept the game close with a pair of three-point makes, and freshman Bristol Lewis made a transition layup following a steal to cut the deficit down to five, but the Titans answered with a three to go back up eight. Five straight points by Pearson and two free throws by Lewis made it 58-57 in favor of UW-Oshkosh with 1:34 to play, and Pearson put the Pioneers in front with 1:03 on the clock with a three-point make from the left wing.

Down three, UW-Oshkosh looked to tie the game on its final possession, but sophomore Aiden Wieczorek forced a turnover and drew a foul to go to the line with 17 seconds left. He made both free throws to secure the 66-61 win.

Pearson posted a double-double with a team-high 24 points and 13 rebounds. 18 of his points came in the second half, with 16 of those coming in just the final eight minutes. The senior made half of UW-Platteville's 10 made threes and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Wieczorek joined him in double figures with 12 points off the bench.

The Pioneers shot 35.5 percent (22-of-62) from the field in the game but went 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) from beyond the arc. UW-Platteville shot 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the free throw line.

UW-Platteville heads to UW-Stevens Point on Saturday for a 5 p.m. tip-off against the Pointers.