Oshkosh, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team won its second straight game with a 70-60 victory at UW-Oshkosh Wednesday night in Kolf Sports Center. The Eagles improve to 12-10 overall and 4-7 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Titans fall to 13-9 overall and 6-5 in the conference.
WIth the win, UWL clinches a berth in the 2016-17 WIAC Championship (Presented by Culver's). The first round will be played Tuesday, February 21 with the semifinals Thursday, February 23 and the championship game Saturday, February 25. The winner of the league tournament earns an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship.
With the scored tied as 6-6, UWL went on an 10-1 run capped by a Ryan Kruser three-pointer to give the Eagles a 16-7 lead with 13:22 remaining in the first half. UWL led 21-13 when UW-Oshkosh used a 13-6 run to cut the lead to 27-26 with 1:46 left on a Ben Boots three-point field goal. UWL's Ben Meinholz hit a three-pointer of his own on the next possession to make it 30-26 with 1:34 to play. A Taulvish McCray jumper followed a minute later, and UWL led 32-26 at the half.
Zach Schradle finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night.
UWL scored the first four points of the second half to open a 10-point margin at 36-26 with 18:36 remaining on a pair of Kruser free throws. UW-Oshkosh later cut the lead to 49-45 with 11:37 remaining on a Brett Wittchow layup, but a 7-0 run gave UWL a 56-45 lead after a pair of Zach Schradle free throws with 5:37 left. The Titans cut the lead to 58-49 with 4:06 left on a Max Schebel layup, but UW-Oshkosh could get no closer the rest of the game as UWL went on another 7-0 run to lead 65-49 with 2:05 remaining.
UWL shot 46.9% from the field Wednesday, including 41.7% (five-of-12) from three-point range, and 70.4% (19-of-27) at the free throw line. Meinholz led four Eagles in double figures with 18 points. He also had nine rebounds. Schradle recorded his 11th double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and game-high 14 rebounds. Kruser finished with 16 points and Austin Fritz 13.
UW-Oshkosh shot 33.3% from the field, including 9.1% (two-of-22) from three-point range, and 72.7% (16-of-22) at the line. Boots led the Titans with 13 points and three assists.
UWL returns to action Saturday, February 11 at UW-Eau Claire at 5 p.m.
