Pioneers top Blugolds
January 6, 2010
Shane Kieler scored 17 of his team-high 23 points during a blistering first half, helping UW-Platteville beat visiting UW-Eau Claire 74-67 Wednesday on Bo Ryan Court.
Kieler already reached his career high--by one point--in the first period, leading the Pioneers to a 43-28 halftime lead. UWP made 53.8 percent in the first half, including 7-13 three-point attempts, for the large advantage.
The Blugolds, however, turned up the defense in the second half, holding the Pioneers to three baskets in the first nine minutes. Trailing 53-42, UWEC ran off 11 straight points. Amadou Fofana tied the game with an inside shot with 6:39 to play.
Mitch Tordoff broke the tie with his lone field goal, nailing a three-point basket to stop the run and giving the Pioneers the lead for good. Fofana and Kieler traded baskets, and the Blugolds' Josh Prince made two free throws, but Brett Stangel then hit his lone basket, a three-point shot with 4:10 left for a 61-57 advantage. Eric Wall's layup pushed the margin to 63-57.
The Blugolds came within four again at 66-62 on Geoff Probst's layup at 1:48, but a cutting Mike Shaw took a pass from Tordoff and scored 17 seconds later. The Pioneers, ranked fourth in NCAA III in free throw shooting, then made six of eight free shots down the stretch to secure the win.
Coach Jeff Gard's Pioneers improved to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Blugolds fell to 8-5, 2-3 after having their four-game win streak snapped.
Wall added 14 points to Kieler's 23, while Shaw and Curt Hanson each scored 13. Hanson punctuated the first half with a long three-pointer at the buzzer.
Fofana made 11-14 from the field and scored 23 points, while Prince finished with 11 points for UW-Eau Claire.
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