Big first half leads to rout
UW-Platteville blew out to a 30-point halftime lead and cruised to a 92-73 win over Indiana University-Southeast in the championship of the Collier Tournament in Hanover, Ind. Sunday afternoon.
The seventh-ranked Pioneers are 6-0, their best start to a season since winning the first nine contests in 1999-2000.
IU-Southeast is led by second-year coach Wiley Brown, assisted by Scooter McCray, a pair of starters on Louisville's 1980 NCAA national championship team. They guided the Grenadiers to a 24-9 record in their first year and had them off to a 5-2 start this season.
The Pioneers made six three-point baskets in the first 11:12, bolting to a 29-8 lead. Mike Shaw had three of the long-range bombs, while Curt Hanson, Charlie Lohoff and Nick Allen each connected on one. UWP kept up the pressure on both ends of the court and took a 54-24 lead into the locker room. The Pioneers connected on 56.5 percent of their shots, including 8-12 from beyond the new three-point arc. IUS was held to 30 percent, including 2-9 three-point attempts.
The Grenadiers were only able to come within 22 in the second half (at 77-55) until the very end when they scored the last 11 points for the final 19-point margin. It was the largest championship margin in the 16-year history of the Collier Tournament.
Hanson earned MVP honors after making 5-6 three-point shots and scoring 19 points. Fellow guard Mike Shaw, who came off the bench to score 47 points in two games, also earned all-tournament honors. Shaw scored 24 in the 76-67 win over #21 Wooster Saturday and 23 more Sunday. Center Jeff Skemp, who had 17 points and seven rebounds Sunday, also earned all-tournament honors, while Nick Allen earned the tournament Defensie MVP honors. Allen scored 12 Sunday, while Charlie Lohoff dished out six assists.
Jazzmarr Ferguson scored a team-high 16 for IUS, while all-tournament selection Craig Bryant scored 13.
The Pioneers begin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday with a tough assignment at UW-Superior at 1 p.m.
Related Links