Pioneers Fall on Buzzer Beater

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball forward Maiah Domask (Sr./Waupun, Wis.) knocked down two free throws with :03.4 seconds remaining to tie its game Saturday against the University of Wisconsin-Stout, 67-67.  However on the ensuing possession, the Blue Devils' Raegan Sorensen broke free streaking towards the hoop, took in a long lob pass and made a layup with :01.8 remaining to re-take the lead.  A desperation heave from the Pioneers' Al Heckert (Sr./Whitewater, Wis.) from near midcourt fell short and Stout escaped Bo Ryan Court with a 69-67 victory.  The loss dropped Platteville's record to 9-8 overall and 2-5 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  UW-Stout improved to 10-7 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC.

Both teams struggled taking care of the ball out of the gates.  Stout and Platteville combined for 11 turnovers in the first quarter.  A Sorensen jumper gave the Blue Devils a 10-7 lead with 2:27 remaining.  Neither team was able to score again and Stout headed into the second up by three.

The end of the second quarter went better for the Pioneers.  UWS guard Lauren Arenz hit a three-point basket with 4:42 remaining to give the Devils a 24-22 lead.  The Platteville defense shut Stout out the remainder of the quarter while the offense went on a 6-0 run, four points coming from a pair of Sarah Mueller (So./Stevens Point, Wis.) layups to lead 28-24 at the break.

Taylor Gilbert (Sr./Kingston, Ill.) opened the scoring in the second half with a layup after a Domask offensive rebound to give the Pioneers its largest lead of the game, 30-24.  Stout answered with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to re-take control, 34-30.  Overall the game featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes.  With 3:17 remaining, Gilbert was fouled on an offensive rebound.  The senior forward stepped to the line and hit both free throws to give the Pioneers a 42-39 advantage.  Stout however once again went on another three minute run, this one an 8-0 streak, allowing them to take a 47-44 lead to the fourth.

In the fourth Stout built its lead to as many as seven, 56-49 at the 6:39 mark.  Platteville would come back.  A steal and layup by Brynlee Nelson (Fr./Fennimore, Wis.) capped an 11-2 run that put the Pioneers up 60-58 with only a few minutes remaining.  Back-to-back layups by Domask moments later put Platteville up 64-60 with 2:12 on the clock.  Stout scored the next 5 points before Domask made 1-2 free throws to knot the teams at 65-65 at the :52 mark.  With :03 remaining, Sorensen made her first free throw to make the score 67-65 before missing her second and fouling Domask and putting her on the line while going for the rebound.

Domask finished the game with 23 points and 7 rebounds.  Nelson scored a career-high 17 points on 6-9 FG shooting.

Platteville returns to Bo Ryan Court to face UW-Eau Claire on Monday, January 24th at 7p.  The game is a re-schedule from a weather postponement earlier in the season.