Platteville, Wis.-The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team, ranked 18th on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, fell 83-75 at 12th-ranked UW-Platteville Wednesday night on Bo Ryan Court.  The Eagles drop to 16-4 overall and 5-4 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Pioneers improve to 17-3 overall and 7-2 in the conference. 

UWL started the game scoring the first eight points and took a 10-3 lead on Terek Nesheim's layup with 16:58 remaining in the first half. The Eagles made their first five shots from the field. UW-Platteville used a 10-3 run to force a 13-13 tie on Quentin Shields' layup.  Wyatt Cook's three-point play and Seth Anderson's three-point field goal gave UWL a 19-13 advantage. After the Pioneers cut it to 19-16, the Eagles went on a 9-0 run to lead 28-16 with 8:56 left after Zac Haese' three-pointer. 

UW-Platteville cut it to 28-24 before UWL took a 41-34 halftime lead. 

The Eagles took a 44-36 lead with 17:44 remaining on another Haese three-point field goal, but the Pioneers scored seven straight points to cut it to 44-43 on Justin Stovall's layup. Luke Norcia hit a three-pointer and Seth Anderson delivered a layup for a 49-43 lead with 14:19 left. UW-Platteville then went on a 17-2 run to take a 60-51 lead with 8:12 remaining. Shields' three-pointer with 11:36 gave the Pioneers a 52-49 lead and UW-Platteville would not trail the rest of the game. 

The Pioneers led 65-53 with 6:16 left before the Eagles cut it to 67-61 with 3:03 remaining on Nesheim's three-point field goal. UWL could get no closer the rest of the game as UW-Platteville scored nine straight points from the line at one point in the second half. 

UWL shot 47.2% from the field, including 42.9% (nine-of-21) from three-point range, and 66.7% (16-of-24) from the line. Norcia led the Eagles with a career-high 22 points and four steals while going five-of-five at the free throw line. Nesheim finished with 13 points while Ethan Anderson had 12, Haese 11 and Seth Anderson 10.  Sam Burkart and Ethan Anderson each had five rebounds.

UW-Platteville shot 52.8% from the field, including 45.0% (nine-of-20) from three-point range, and 78.3% (18-of-23) at the line. Shields led the Pioneers with 23 points while Stovall ahd 17 points and game-high nine rebounds. Drew Gunnink added 12 points and Justin Fox 11. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, February 8 hosting UW-Oshkosh at 5 p.m.