Pioneers hit new marks in win
November 21, 2008
UW-Platteville made a school-record 14 three-point baskets to reach 100 points for the first time since 1995 in a 104-69 victory over Clarke in the Pioneer Ford/Tricor Tip-Off Classic Friday.
The Pioneers, ranked seventh in D3hoops.com, improved to 2-0 and will face Loras in Saturday night's final game. The Duhawks, who knocked UW-Whitewater out of last year's NCAA III playoffs, beat St. Norbert 69-63 in Friday's first game.
UWP made 10 of its first 12 shots and rolled to a 26-9 lead. The Crusaders battled back to within 38-31, but the Pioneers scored the last 10 points of the first half for a 48-31 lead. The Pioneers led by as many as 44 in the second half at 102-58.
Jeff Skemp scored 25 points, making 10-12 shots inside, and Mike Shaw scored 24, hitting 6-7 three-point shots. The Pioneers made 64.3 percent from the field, including 14-27 (51.9 percent) from beyond the new arc.
UW-Platteville broke its old mark of 13 three-pointers, also set against Clarke in 2001. The 104 points marked the first time over the century mark since beating Whitewater 100-88 in the 1995 playoffs and the Pioneers' largest point total since topping Judson 110-61 in 1993.
Eric Wall added a career-best nine points, while Bo Richter had eight. Curt Hanson made a career-high six assists.
DeShawn Pendelton led the Crusaders (1-4) with 16 points, but only two in the second half. Thomas Ammon added 12 ppints, Eli Fitzsimons had 11 and Jerusalem Strickland 10.
In Friday's first game, Loras built a 36-27 halftime lead and never trailed in the second half. The Green Knights siced the defict to four at 60-56, but Brian Centella scored underneath, drew the foul and converted the free throw with 1:54 to play.
Ricky Kolze scored 19, and Centella had 17 for Loras (1-0), while Tom Katzfey led SNC (1-1) with 21.
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