UW-La Crosse 65, UW-Superior 64

Superior, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned a 65-64 victory at UW-Superior Saturday night in Mertz Mortorelli Gym in the regular-season finale for both squads.  The Eagles improve to 16-9 overall and 8-8 in the WIAC while the Yellowjackets fall to 14-11 overall and 8-8 in the conference.  Both teams have earned berths in the first round of the WIAC Tournament February 22.  UW-L, the fifth seed, will travel to fourth-seeded UW-Platteville while UW-Superior, the sixth seed, plays at third-seeded UW-Stevens Point.

The Eagles raced out to a 10-2 lead Saturday before the Yellowjackets later cut the lead to 14-13 with 11:42 remaining in the first half.  UW-L's Lucas Collom and Luke Tweed each hit a three-pointer to make it 20-13.  The Eagles later led 33-25, but the Yellowjackets scored the next eight points to force a tie.  The teams were tied 35-35 at halftime.

UW-Superior went on a 9-2 run to start the second half to lad 44-37 with 14:34 remaining, but UW-L tied the game with a 7-0 run with 11:38 left after a Derek Braucht layup.  The contest was tied 50-50 when the Eagles went on a 7-2 run to lead 57-52 with 4:39 remaining.  Cory Degner and Jack Taylor each hit a three-point field goal in the run. 

The Yellowjackets trailed 61-56 with 2:45 left when Ben Aalfs hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 61-59.  The Eagles' Lucas Morrissey made it 63-59 with a layup, but Aalfs converted on a three-point play to cut the deficit ot 63-62 with 1:36 remaining.  After a UW-L turnover and a missed three-pointer by UW-Superior, Morrissey was fouled and hit a pair of free throws with :36 left to make it 65-62.

Brendan Bauer scored on a layup with :09 remaining for UW-Superior to cut the lead to 65-64.  UW-L's Logan Ellman missed a free throw with :07 left, but UW-Superior did not get a shot off at the end of the game.

Collom led UW-L with a career-high 20 points while also finishing with seven rebounds.  He was eight-of-12 from the field, including three-of-four from three-point range, and hit his only free throw attempt.  Morrissey scored 12 points with six rebounds while Degner finished with nine points and Tweed eight.

The Eagles shot 47.2% from the field, including 50.0% (seven-of-14) from three-point range, and 57.1% (eight-of-14) at the line.

Aalfs led UW-Superior with 27 points and six rebounds.  Bauer and Trent Davis each had eight points while Dustin Ritchie finished with seven points and six rebounds.  Adam Hjelter scored seven points.

The Yellowjacket shot 49.0% from the field, including 46.7% (seven-of-15) from three-point range, and 52.9% (nine-of-17) at the free throw line.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, February 22 in the first round of the WIAC Tournament at UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.  The Pioneers won both of this year's regular-season meetings, 66-63 in Platteville January 4 and 70-63 in La Crosse February 11.