Michael Metcalf-Grassman scored a game-high 25 points, but it was not enough to prevent the UW Oshkosh men’s basketball team from falling to UW-Platteville 66-61 on the road at the Williams Fieldhouse on Wednesday (Feb.7).
Metcalf Grassman finished the game 10-for-16 from the field and grabbed six rebounds in the loss.
The only other Titan to finish in double-figures was Quinn Steckbauer, who scored 10 points and had three rebounds. Carter Thomas (So. • Neenah) finished with seven points while Tristan Johanknecht added six points and nine rebounds.
UWO (10-12, 3-8 WIAC) finished the game shooting 40.7% from the field and 35.7% from behind the arc. The Titans turned the ball over 11 times but had three steals and five blocked shots.
The Pioneers (19-3, 10-1) kicked off the scoring in the first half with a layup, but Steckbauer responded with a 3-pointer on the other end to give the Titans an early 3-2 lead. Both teams traded baskets for most of the first half until Platteville’s Bristol Lewis knocked down a 3-pointer which sparked an 8-0 run for the Pioneers, giving the home team a 29-22 lead with 2:37 to play in the half. Oshkosh cut the deficit to five points after a layup from Nick Kraftzenk, but Platteville’s Logan Pearson nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pioneers a 32-24 advantage going into halftime.
Metcalf-Grassman opened the scoring in the second half with a layup which sparked a 6-0 run for the Titans to begin the second half and UWO came within two points of the Pioneers after another shot from Metcalf-Grassman. With 13 minutes to play in the game, Metcalf-Grassman connected on a 3-pointer to give the Titans a 35-34 lead. The Pioneers retained the lead after a layup, but Johanknecht put Oshkosh back in front with a hook shot and the Titans embarked on a 7-0 run to claim a six-point advantage.
A 3-pointer and layup from Metcalf-Grassman gave Oshkosh a nine-point lead with eight minutes to play, but a 5-0 run from Platteville brought the Pioneers to within three points late in the game. Platteville hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to one point with 1:34 remaining, but Metcalf-Grassman added a free throw to put the Titans ahead 59-57.
The Pioneers took the lead on the next possession after a 3-pointer from Pearson and Platteville connected on a pair of free throws to take a three-point lead. Metcalf-Grassman pulled the Titans to within one point after a dunk, but Platteville was able to make its free throws down the stretch to hang on for the five-point win.
The Titans return to the Kolf Sports Center to take on UW-River Falls (12-10, 6-5 WIAC) on Saturday (Feb. 10) with tipoff scheduled for 5 p.m.
