UWSP nips Pioneers for title
February 28, 2009
By Paul Erickson, UWP Sports Information Director
Given the competitiveness of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's heavyweights, it was only natural the postseason tournament championship came down to the last seconds.
Sixth-ranked UW-Stevens Point held off fifth-ranked UW-Platteville 45-42 in a tense battle witnessed by 2,100 fans--including a huge Platteville contingent--at Quandt Fieldhouse Saturday.
The conference's automatic bid wasn't decided until Curt Hanson's three-point attempt just missed at the buzzer, although the 22-5 Pioneers will almost certainly join the 23-4 Pointers in the national tournament when bids are announced Monday morning. Seventh-ranked UW-Whitewater (22-5), whom the Pioneers beat 77-74 in overtime in Thursday's semifinals, is also seeking an at-large berth.
"That's just this league this year," Pioneer Coach Paul Combs said. "Those three teams have really played good basketball. Both teams tonight played with a lot of energy and it was just a good college basketball game. I'm very proud of our guys and our effort."
Trailing 41-40, the Pioneers missed four opportunities to take the lead. The Pointers' Khalif El-Amin extended the lead with a high floater from the right side with 33 seconds remaining. After a Pioneer timeout, Nick Allen circled from the top right side to the left, scoring on a layup with 22 seconds left. UWP fouled Bryan Beamish, who made two free throws four seconds later for a 45-42 lead.
The Pioneers missed a two-point attempt with seven seconds remaining, and when the ball was knocked out of bounds, Combs called his final timeout with five seconds to play. The Pioneers ran an inbounds play for Hanson, whose three-point shot from the right corner just rimmed out.
"I thought we executed that play to perfection and got him a good look," Combs said. "Curt's been our go-to guy in those situations all season when we've needed a three...He had a good look, but the game's about more than that one play."
Early on, the Pointers made most of the plays. After Hanson opened the game with a three-point basket, the Pointers scored the next 10 points. UWSP led 18-11 before Charlie Lohoff answered with three three-point baskets in 1:32, giving the Pioneers a 20-18 lead.
"No I haven't been on a roll like that," Lohoff responded when asked the last time he was so hot. "Usually it's Curt or Mike (Shaw) doing that, but they were leaving me with a breath of air, so you have to take those shots."
That the senior point guard was even on the court was impressive, seeing he left Thursday's semifinal on a stretcher with cramps and exhaustion.
"You look at everyone on our team, and you know they'd do the same thing," he said. "You couldn't sit out a game like this with everyone depending on you."
Hanson scored a layup and another three-point basket, completing a 14-0 run. The Pioneers took a 25-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Pioneers held the lead for the first five minutes of the second half before the Pointers tied the score at 31 on a Louis Hurd layup. Eric Wall scored inside, giving the Pioneers their final lead at 33-31. Neither team scored for five minutes as both clubs displayed extraordinarily strong defense. Every shot, every pass, and every dribble were contested.
Hurd finally tied the contest again, and Jerome Wotacheck gave UWSP a 35-33 lead with a free-throw jumper at 7:04.
"You have to give Stevens Point a lot of credit," Combs said. "They made some big plays."
UW-Stevens Point won the first meeting in overtime, and the two teams exchanging three-point wins on Bennett Court in successive Saturdays.
Hurd led the Pointers with 14 points, while El-Amin added nine.
Hanson scored 15 points and Lohoff 12 for the Pioneers, who will learn their NCAA III playoff fate Monday at 10 a.m. The UWP players and staff invite the public to join them to watch the pairings in the University Room of the Pioneer Student Center
"The good news for Platteville is that we're one of 60 teams that will still have an opportunity to play," Combs said. "That's a credit to these guys and their body of work and what they've done all season. We're not going to let one game, although we're disappointed, affect the way we prepare. We'll be very focused for the tournament."
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