Pioneers fall to Pointers in season finale

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team (12-13, 4-10 WIAC) fell 85-78 to UW-Stevens Point (10-15, 5-9 WIAC) on Bo Ryan Court in the 2019-20 season finale. Both teams entered the game with the sixth seed of the WIAC Tournament on the line, and it was UW-Stevens Point that pulled ahead late in the first half and narrowly held on for the post season tournament berth. A total of 52 points were scored from the free-throw line in Saturday's game while UW-Stevens Point finished 29-of-36 to the Pioneers' 23-of-32.

Senior day salute

The Pioneers recognized the senior class after the game which consisted of three players that started in every game in which they played during the 2019-20 season.

• Morgan Horstman played and started in 105 games which is second in program history of career games played. Last season, Horstman surpassed the 1,000 career points mark and finishes fourth all-time with 1,331 career points. She is tied for fourth all-time with a 76% career free-throw percentage with 275-of-362. Horstman racked up 512 rebounds, 189 assists, 116 steals, and 25 blocks wearing the orange and blue. She sits fifth in WIAC in scoring average and recorded a career high 27 points at Monmouth on Dec. 14 2016. Horstman was named All-WIAC honorable mention  in 2016-17 and first team All-WIAC after the 2018-19 season.
• Rachel Emendorfer played in 101 games with 48 career starts. Emendorfer is fifth in program history in career games played. She leads the WIAC in steals with 2.0 per game and scored a career high 11 points against nationally ranked Loras on Dec. 30, 2019. Emendorfer has recorded 159 career steals, 294 points, 25 blocks, 206 assists, and 189 rebounds.
• Maddy Williams who transferred to UW-Platteville her sophomore year played in 54 games with the Pioneers and started in 25 games. Williams totaled 126 points, 98 rebounds,13 assists, 11 steals, and one block. She had a career high 10 points against Ripon on Dec. 11, 2019… Williams was a member of the 2018-19 WIAC post season team.

First half

• The Pioneers never trailed in the first quarter and had as large as a nine-point lead with 1:50 remaining before the Pointers closed in to within one, 18-17 to close out the period.
• UW-Platteville went on a 9-3 run and pulled away in the first three minutes of the second quarter, but UW-Stevens Point chipped away and tied the game 36-36 with 1:33 remaining. The Pioneers kept it a one possession game, and trailed by two points, 40-38 at the half.
• The Pioneers led for nearly 18 minutes in the first half.
• Overall, the Pioneers shot 43.3% (13-of-30) from the floor and were 27.3% 3-of-11 from three-point territory. The Pointers shot 55.0% (11-of-20) from the field and were 55.6% (5-of-9) from behind the three-point arc.

Second half

• Thanks to UW-Stevens Point's Bailee Collins, the Pointers broke away quickly to extend the lead to six points with back-to-back layups.
• The Pointers led by seven, 46-39 at the eight-minute mark of the third quarter, but the Pioneers rallied and tied the game 50-50 with 3:11 left in the period.
• The Pioneers final lead of the game would fall when sophomore Taylor Gilbert's layup put the Pioneers ahead 54-52 with 1:51 to go.  Collins made layup and free-throw gave the Pointers the lead and UW-Stevens Point held a 57-54 lead in the one-possession game going into the fourth quarter.
• By the 3:10 minute mark, the Pointers had built a 72-62 lead over the Pioneers and UW-Platteville brought it to within four points, 76-72, with 1:07 remaining in the game. However, that would be as close as the Pioneers would reach before the Pointers claimed the 85-78 win and WIAC Tournament berth.
• UW-Platteville shot 36.1% (13-of-36) from the field and went 0-for-7 from three-point range. UW-Stevens Point shot 56.0% (14-of-25) from the field and 20.0% (1-of-5) from behind the three-point arc.

Notables 

• UW-Platteville closes out the 2019-20 season 12-13 overall and 4-10 in the WIAC.
• UW-Stevens Point improved to 10-15 overall and 5-9 in conference play. The Pointers will advance to the WIAC Tournament and will play at the third seed, UW-Eau Claire on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
• Junior Maiah Domask closes out the season earning her 12^th double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
• Junior Jai Clemons dished out 11 points off the bench along with two assists and two boards.
• Emendorfer had a game high three steals.
• The reserves added 32 points to UW-Stevens Point's 19 points off the bench.
• In all, UW-Platteville shot 39.4% (26-of-66) from the field with 16.7% (3-of-18) from three-point range. UW-Stevens Point shot 55.6% (25-of-45) from the field and was 42.9% (6-of-14) from behind the three-point arc.
• The Pioneers finished 71.9% (23-of-32) from the free throw line while the Pointers were 80.6% (29-of-36) from the line. 

Remarks from Coach McNiff

After the game, head coach Kelly McNiff said, "The starters came out with a lot of fire, Maiah especially with the offensive boards. We had key contributions from bench with Taylor  and Erin McGrath, but ultimately credit to Point for doing what they needed to do.  They went on the road and shot 55% / 42% / 80% (FG / 3pt FG / FT) in a must-win game.  We struggled to slow down their posts and they kept the pressure on."

McNiff went on to say "Our three seniors; Maddy, Morgan, and Rachel deserved a better fate. However, we understand that in no way does this tarnish or negate what they have contributed to this team.  We feel that our program turned an important corner this season.  As we build off this year's success, we know that it began with them."

Season overall

• The Pioneers conclude 12-13 overall (48.0%), the best season for the program since 2014-15 when the Pioneers finished 15-11 (57.7%).
• The Pioneers defeated two nationally ranked teams during the 2019-20 campaign with victories over Wartburg and Chicago.
• The Pioneers were nationally ranked for the first time in program history and reached as high as No. 15  on the d3hoops.com poll before falling out of the rankings just before conference play.
• UW-Platteville started the year 5-0 run and the five-game winning streak is a mark that had not been achieved since the 2004-05 season.
• Domask closes out the season leading the WIAC in double-doubles (12) and rebounding (9.0 reb/g) while finishing second in scoring (15.3 pts/g).
• Horstman finishes fourth in the WIAC in free-throw percentage with 78.1% (57-of-73) and fifth in the league in scoring (13.2 pts/g).
• Emendorfer closes out the year by leading the WIAC in steals (48) in the season and finished fourth in the league in assists with (2.58 assists/g).