Posted January 30, 2010
Curt Hanson scored 28 points and moved into sixth place in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history for career three-point baskets, leading UW-Platteville to an 86-64 win over UW-La Crosse and a red-hot Tony Mane.
Hanson and Mane staged an outside shooting duel that thoroughly entertained the 1,281 Bo Ryan Court fans. Mane threw down 22 of his game-high 30 in the first half, while Hanson connected on five three-pointers, giving him 227 in his career.
Hanson, however, had plenty of help from his teammates. Eric Wall scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds; Shane Kieler had 14 points and eight boards; and Mike Shaw totaled nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Defensively, the Pioneers held Mane's teammates to 13 field goals, as no other player scored in double figures.
"Tony Mane gets hot when he does, there's nothing you can do about that," Pioneer Coach Jeff Gard said. "I thought our guys stayed in check and played within their game. They didn't try and do anything they were incapable of doing."
The Pioneers had lost two straight games coming in, but without a game Wednesday, they were able to work on fundamentals all week.
"The biggest thing we focused on all week was just consistency," Gard said. "Having consistency on the offensive end of the floor and the defensive end of the floor but prior to a game, having consistency in practice, constantly having good practice and not having mental letdowns. When you do, that springboards to another good possession on offense and defense. I think that really helped us out. All and all, it was a great team effort."
Despite Mane's big first half, the Pioneers took a 41-32 lead at the break. UW-L made 14 of 23 from the field but went 0-10 from the line. The Pioneers knocked down 54 percent and were 12-18 from the stripe.
The Eagles twice cut the lead to eight early in the second half, the last at 50-42. Kieler's three-pointer put UWP up 53-42, and after UW-L's Al Chery made one of two free throws, Kieler converted six straight free shots for a 59-43 advantage.
The visitors came within 10 again at 61-51 on a Mane jumper, but Wall converted an old-fashioned three-point play and then Mitch Tordoff hit close to a 30-foot three-pointer as the shot clock expired, giving the Pioneers a 67-51 bulge.
The Pioneers improved to 11-8 overall and 5-5 in the WIAC, while the Eagles fell to 14-6, 6-5. The margin of victory was the largest under first-year coach Gard and came in front of an Alumni Day gathering on Bo Ryan Court. The current Pioneers may have learned something in the morning watching the festivities, Gard said.
"It was kind of comical," he said. "I watched our guys sitting there watching the alumni game, the old guys against the new guys and the old guys executing that swing. Still to this day, they run it the way it's supposed to be run. They did a very good job. Coach Ryan would definitely be proud."
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Posted January 30, 2010
Curt Hanson scored 28 points and moved into sixth place in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history for career three-point baskets, leading UW-Platteville to an 86-64 win over UW-La Crosse and a red-hot Tony Mane.
Hanson and Mane staged an outside shooting duel that thoroughly entertained the 1,281 Bo Ryan Court fans. Mane threw down 22 of his game-high 30 in the first half, while Hanson connected on five three-pointers, giving him 227 in his career.
Hanson, however, had plenty of help from his teammates. Eric Wall scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds; Shane Kieler had 14 points and eight boards; and Mike Shaw totaled nine points, five rebounds and four assists. Defensively, the Pioneers held Mane's teammates to 13 field goals, as no other player scored in double figures.
"Tony Mane gets hot when he does, there's nothing you can do about that," Pioneer Coach Jeff Gard said. "I thought our guys stayed in check and played within their game. They didn't try and do anything they were incapable of doing."
The Pioneers had lost two straight games coming in, but without a game Wednesday, they were able to work on fundamentals all week.
"The biggest thing we focused on all week was just consistency," Gard said. "Having consistency on the offensive end of the floor and the defensive end of the floor but prior to a game, having consistency in practice, constantly having good practice and not having mental letdowns. When you do, that springboards to another good possession on offense and defense. I think that really helped us out. All and all, it was a great team effort."
Despite Mane's big first half, the Pioneers took a 41-32 lead at the break. UW-L made 14 of 23 from the field but went 0-10 from the line. The Pioneers knocked down 54 percent and were 12-18 from the stripe.
The Eagles twice cut the lead to eight early in the second half, the last at 50-42. Kieler's three-pointer put UWP up 53-42, and after UW-L's Al Chery made one of two free throws, Kieler converted six straight free shots for a 59-43 advantage.
The visitors came within 10 again at 61-51 on a Mane jumper, but Wall converted an old-fashioned three-point play and then Mitch Tordoff hit close to a 30-foot three-pointer as the shot clock expired, giving the Pioneers a 67-51 bulge.
The Pioneers improved to 11-8 overall and 5-5 in the WIAC, while the Eagles fell to 14-6, 6-5. The margin of victory was the largest under first-year coach Gard and came in front of an Alumni Day gathering on Bo Ryan Court. The current Pioneers may have learned something in the morning watching the festivities, Gard said.
"It was kind of comical," he said. "I watched our guys sitting there watching the alumni game, the old guys against the new guys and the old guys executing that swing. Still to this day, they run it the way it's supposed to be run. They did a very good job. Coach Ryan would definitely be proud."
Related Links