UW-L Opens Season with Win at Carroll; Mane Scores Twenty-Seven

For Immediate Release: Saturday, November 15, 2008

Waukesha, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse men’s basketball team opened its 2008-09 season with an 88-80 victory at Carroll University Saturday night in Waukesha. It was also Carroll's opener.

The game was tied five times in the first half, including 12-12 with 12:39 remaining when the Eagles went on a 12-0 run. The Pioneers cut the margin to 26-22 with 6:16 left in the opening half before UW-L took a 35-26 advantage. The Eagles led 37-34 at halftime.

UW-L never trailed in the second half as Carroll cut the lead to one seven times, including 64-63 with 6:46 left. The Eagles led 72-69 with 4:46 remaining when UW-L's Tony Mane scored on back-to-back layups and Carroll could get no closer than four points the remainder of the contest. Andy Merklein scored on a three-point play with :50 left to make it 83-76 and the Eagles made five-of-six free throws in the final :27. Trevor Stratton and Mane each hit a pair of free throws while Kurt Kincaid hit one-of-two.

Mane led UW-L with 27 points, hitting 10-of-18 shots from the field, including two-of-six from three-point range. He was five-of-six at the free throw line. Kincaid added 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds in his first collegiate game while Merklein and Stratton, both junior transfers at UW-L, scored 13 points each. Kincaid was six-of-11 from the field, including two-of three-point range. He was also two-of-three at the line. Merklein and Stratton combined to go seven-of-11 from the field and each were five-of-six at the free throw line. Derek Wilcox scored 10 points for the Eagles.

UW-L shot 55.4% from the field, including 59.3% (16-of-27) in the second half. The Eagles were seven-of-16 (43.8%) from three-point range in the contest and 19-of-23 (82.6%) at the line.

John Hoch led four Carroll players in double figures with 26 points, hitting nine-of-11 from the field and seven-of-eight at the free throw line. He was one-of-one from three-point range. Wes Ladwig finished with 25 points for the Pioneers while Josh Gould totaled 14 and Nathan Zimmerman 10. Gould and Zimmerman each had seven rebounds.

The Pioneers shot 44.1% from the field, including 25.0% (four-of-16) from three-point range. The team was 16-of-21 (76.2%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, November 22 at Wisconsin Lutheran College at 5:15 p.m.