Pearson, Probst Power Pioneers To Sweet Sixteen

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – For the first time since 2018, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (25-4) advances to the Sweet Sixteen behind an 81-67 win over Loras (24-6) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night on Bo Ryan Court.

After the Duhawks raced out to an early 10-point lead, the Pioneers went on a 14-point run behind a dominant defensive effort. UW-Platteville held Loras scoreless for a seven-minute stretch, and nearly 10 minutes without a make from the field, to go in front by eight points at 31-23 with 1:50 left in the half. The Duhawks tried to rally in the closing minutes, but a second-chance bucket by sophomore Joey Fuhremann and a three-point make by junior Brady Olson kept the game at 36-28 at the break.

The Pioneers increased the lead up to 13 early in the second half on a three-point make in transition by freshman Bristol Lewis, and the advantage hovered around double digits for the next couple minutes. Loras rallied and got back within six on three separate occasions, but Probst knocked down three straight three-pointers to make it 75-60 to swing the momentum back to the Pioneers. Probst added another three in the closing minutes to extend the lead to a game-high 16, and UW-Platteville wrapped the game up to win 81-67.

Pearson scored a game-high 28 points on 8-of-18 shooting while going a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Probst added 22 points, including 20 in the second half, on 7-of-17 from the floor and 4-of-9 from deep.

The Pioneers shot 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the floor and 30.0 percent (9-of-30) from three-point range. UW-Platteville was strong from the free throw line, going 22-of-26 (84.6 percent).

UW-Platteville held Loras, who entered the contest as one of the highest scoring teams in the nation, to just 35.0 percent (21-of-60) shooting, including 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from beyond the arc.

Pearson paced the Pioneers with nine rebounds, while Olson grabbed eight. UW-Platteville outrebounded the Duhawks 44-33 and held an 11-3 advantage in second chance points.

The Pioneers will take on Case Western Reserve, ranked sixth in the D3hoops.com latest poll, in the Sweet Sixteen matchup next Friday at 3:30 p.m. The contest will take place at Trine University in Angola, Indiana.