Sizzling first half carries Pioneers
Nov. 26, 2004
UW-Platteville rode a blistering first-half shooting performance to a 71-54 win at Loras College Saturday in the final game of the Mississippi River Challenge.
The Pioneers made 17 of 23 shots in the first half, good for 74 percent, in rolling to a 45-19 lead. They connected on nine of their final 10 shots of the half, including a pair of three-pointers by Kendall Syse. Only once in the entire half did the Pioneers miss on consecutive attempts.
A Brad Reitzner three-point shot and a Sean Krause jumper on the Pioneers' first two possessions of the second half pushed the margin to 50-19, the largest of the game. Loras never got closer than 16 in the second half, and the 16-point margin came at 70-54.
The Pioneers improved to 3-2 on the year, while the Duhawks fell to 2-2.
Four players scored in double figures for UWP, who finished the game shooting 61 percent. Brandon Temperly scored 17 points, while Reitzner had 15, and Krause and Mark Gossens each recorded 11. Gossens added 10 rebounds to his totals.
Jeff Ludovissy led Loras (1-2) with 17 points, knocking down three three-point shots.
UW-Platteville opens Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Tuesday at defending WIAC and NCAA Division III national champion UW-Stevens Point. The undefeated Pointers are the top-ranked team in the country.
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