Sixth-Ranked UW-Platteville Defeats UW-L with Big Second Half

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – The sixth-ranked UW-Platteville men's basketball team used a big second half to earn a 71-61 victory at UW-La Crosse Wednesday night in Mitchell Hall. The Pioneers improve to 14-2 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC while the Eagles fall to 8-7 overall and 2-4 in the conference. UW-Platteville is ranked sixth on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll.

The Pioneers led by as many as eight points in the first half, including 22-14 with 6:52 left, when the Eagles went on a 14-3 run to take a 28-25 halftime lead.

UW-L, which suffered its first home loss of the season (6-1), led by eight points twice in the second half, including 39-31 with 16:34 remaining on a Tony Mane layup. UW-Platteville came back to force a 47-47 tie with 10:36 left after Nick Allen hit his second straight three-pointer and Curt Hanson connected on a three-pointer with just under 10:00 remaining to give the Pioneers a 52-49 lead. UW-L cut the lead to 52-51 on a TJ Nereng jumper with 7:58 left, but UW-Platteville used an 8-2 run to lead 60-53 with 4:04 left and the Eagles could get no closer than five the rest of the game. UW-Platteville made all nine of its free throw attempts in the final 2:29 and outscored UW-L, 46-33, in the second half.

Mane led UW-L with 19 points, finishing seven-of-16 from the field, including three-of-five from three-point range. He was two-of-two at the line. Kurt Kincaid added 11 points for the Eagles, going five-of-eight from the field (one-of-three from three-point range). Trevor Stratton and Andy Merklein each finished with eight points.

UW-L shot 47.1% from the field, including 33.3% (four-of-12) from three-point range. The Eagles were nine-of-11 (81.8%) at the free throw line.

Jeff Skemp led UW-Platteville with 23 points with 19 coming in the second half. He was nine-of-17 from the field for the contest and five-of-six at the line while adding a game-high eight rebounds. Hanson had 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, finishing three-of-six from three-point range. The Pioneers shot 41.5% from the field, including 38.9% (seven-of-18) from three-point range. UW-Platteville was six-of-12 (50.0%) from three-point range in the second half. The team finished 20-of-23 (87.0%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, Jan. 17 at UW-Oshkosh at 1 p.m.