MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Greek Tragedy]

https://stoutbluedevils.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024-25

On a side note, it's nice to see ex-Pointer AJ Uttech doing well at Stout. 19 points last night in a win over Oshkosh. Double-figures in points in all but 2 games (the 1st two). Glad he found a place.

AJ Uttech hit the game winner last night.

https://x.com/JordanLoppnow/status/1877190249194889435?t=FYx9t4RAA6PKc-k18pUEtw&s=19

You should watch the 20-30 seconds of game time directly before the game winner.

Sure. He missed a 3 and a bunny, but no one remembers that if you hit the game winner.

[WIACer]

I went and watched. I have to wonder about these players, teams, coaches?  Uttech takes a horrible 3. Not sure why? 2 for 1? Trying to lose the game? Then they get a O rebound so I'm thinking T.O. coach. Nope, another 3 goes up  by Walczak and in. Stout up 3. Again, are you trying to lose the game? They won, but blows my mind. Basketball IQ. I wonder...

[PauldingLightUP]

*Oshkosh's stud sophomore, Michael Metcalf-Grassman only played 4 minutes.   
I hate to speculate and I hope that I am wrong. But he went down with what appeared a knee injury. He was in a lot of pain. Prayers for the best and that he is back soon.

And a 25 point per game scorer.  Titans had to and may need to continue to create a completely different offense, or so it appears.

Going to another long conference season for Oshkosh if he's out long term. Oshkosh will struggle to score as seen right away Wednesday.

[PauldingLightUP]

As Matt Schneidman correctly described, Eau Claire's Roan Demovsky had the big steal in the corner in the closing seconds on Alabama's Amari Allen. Then Roan Demovsky had the awareness to be in right place at the right time to receive to pass on the offensive rebound to dribble out the final seconds.

Fun, big game tonight, Blugolds got a good one.

[Greek Tragedy]

Oshkosh 0-2 at Platteville 2-0:
Oshkosh looked good in the non-conference schedule but have dropped two games that, at least on paper, they should have won. Platteville has won two road games against ranked conference opponents. I don't see any way the visitors can win on Bo Ryan Court, especially if Metcalf grassman is out.

https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=604302&oid0=9068&h=-1&s1=604302&oid1=9077

Whitewater 1-1 at Stout 2-0
Whitewater takes their first road trip of the conference season, heading to the surprise team early on in Stout. The Blue Devils are lead by ex- Pointer AJ Uttech. Stout is at home, but for some reason I can see Whitewater heading back south with the W.

https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=604302&oid0=9110&h=-1&s1=604302&oid1=9097

River Falls 0-2 at Eau Claire 1-1
The Falcons will try to get their first conference win after dropping a close decision at home to Stout. The Blugolds finally get to open their new fancy gym against a conference opponent this weekend. I see the host getting their first conference win at the new Sonnentag Center.

 https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=604302&oid0=9081&h=-1&s1=604302&oid1=9047

La Crosse 1-1 at Stevens Point 1-1
Both teams will try to keep pace after both drop their home games against League leaders and favorites Platteville. The Eagles are packing their bags for the first conference trip of the year. The Pointers will hope for another huge crowd to help them get the victory. I think the home team squeezes out a win.
https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=604302&oid0=9081&h=-1&s1=604302&oid1=9047

[Greek Tragedy]

Big news coming out of Stevens Point. Ex-Pointer Josiah Gillie is returning to Stevens Point!!

https://x.com/UWStevensPoint/status/1877792611634745379?t=4GpZ7vH95am3wcnsp1XGTA&s=19

[Mitch Hall]

OK, GT. I agree with 3 of your 4 picks. I think the Eagles win a close one.

[ChickenHoops]

Tough loss for Oshkosh if MM Grassman is out.  They ran their offense around him.  Matt Lewis will have to develop a new approach.  Would be no different at Platteville without Pearson. 

[Greek Tragedy]

Wow. Stout is 3-0 with another nail biter, 62-61!

[tomt4525]

Point had 1 guy show up for the first half again today.  Has been absolutely awful to watch.  Darrius Bolden needs to find the pine.

[Greek Tragedy]

Point going into one of their patented cold streaks, being outscored 19-8 in the last 5 minutes of the half, trailing 42-31 after tying it at 23. 2-12 from 3. 35.5% shooting.

['95 Blugold]

River Falls goes on the road and takes down the Blugolds 67-65. I was only able to watch the first half before coming into work, but the Falcons had a good first half on the defensive side of the ball and it appears to have carried over in the second to secure the victory. Didn't realize brothers were playing against each other tonight as Mateo & Andre Renta were on the floor together a few times in the first half guarding each other.

[palum]

After opening WIAC play with games at SP and LaX Platteville beat Oshkosh 79-64 on Bo Ryan court. The game started out going back and forth. At around the 10 minute mark of the 1st half Oshkosh led 19-17. Platteville went on a on a 17 to 3 run to take a 34-22 lead at the half. Platteville did most of their damage in the paint both scoring and rebounding. Logan Pearson led Platteville with 31 points. Joey LaChapell led Oshkosh with 30 points. LaChapell was impressive for a freshmen.

[Greek Tragedy]

Well, not the result I wanted. Tough loss at home for the Pointers vs La Crosse. As mentioned, the home team struggled in the 1st half, shooting just 35%, including 2-12 from 3. This has been a theme all year, the lack of outside shooting. La Crosse lead by 11 at the break. Kudos to Point for coming out and making an early run to cut it to 1 less than 5 minutes in. They eventually tied it, at 49, with 13 to play. Point got the lead up to 6 with 8:35 to play but back to back 3s tied it at 7:49. From there on it was a back and forth game. Point had the ball with the game tied at 75 after two Karter Thomas FTs, but Josiah Butler missed a 3 at the buzzer to win it. I didn't see the game, so I'm not sure what kind of look he got. I'm going off the PbP. La Crosse took a quick lead in OT and was up by 5 with less than a minute to go. Darrius Bolden made it a 1-pt game with 9 seconds to go after hitting both FTs. A turnover by Sam Greiger with 4 seconds left gave Point hope for the winner, but again, a last second shot, this time by Cal Krohn, didn't fall for the Pointers.

I suppose lots of positives to look at in the loss. Point bounced back from a horrible 1st half to shoot 62% after the break. Though 3-10 from 3 still isn't going to cut it, they apparently played well enough to turn an 11-point deficit to a 6-point lead at one point. The Purple and Gold again shot poorly from the line, missing 7 of 21 FTs. Of course, La Crosse clanked 10 of 35. I'll still say Point is a young team with 3 of the 5 starters sophomores and the other two, Abdul-Wahid and Bolden really only with the team 2 years (Bolden's 3rd year, but he skipped a year), not to mention the two players off the bench are a freshman and sophomore as well. Point again outrebounded their opponent, 36-26. They also had more steals, more blocks and less turnovers than La Crosse.

Seth Miron lead 4 players in double-figures with 19 on 7-10 shooting. He had 3 turnovers, however, and also fouled out. Carter Combs also fouled out in 19 minutes of play. Abdul-Wahid, Bolden and Butler also had 4 fouls each. Abdul-Wahid had 18 and 4, while Krohn chipped in with 10 and 4, though he missed all 3 of his FTs. Bolden, despite some criticism from tomt4525, still had a solid all-around game. He had 17 pts, 6 rebs, 4 assist, 2 steals and a block. He only turned the ball over twice, but was just 6-16 from the field, including 2-6 from beyond the arc.

Sam Greiger lead 4 players in double-figures for La Crosse with 30, 7-14 FGs, 4-7 from 3, 12-14 FTs. Carter had 19, Paider and Fuhrmann with 11 and 10, respectively.

Tricky trip to River Falls coming up.

[Greek Tragedy]

Tough conference as 3 results were by 1, 1, and 2 points. Platteville topped Oshkosh by 15.

La Crosse 84 Stevens Point 83
https://athletics.uwsp.edu/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024-25/uw-la-crosse/boxscore/11985

Stout 62 Whitewater 61
Stout wins it late to stay unbeaten. Just Nelson hit a bucket with 8 seconds to go and Carter Capstran missed a 3 with 5 seconds to go that would've won it for Whitewater.

https://stoutbluedevils.com/news/2025/1/11/mens-basketball-nelsons-late-basket-lifts-blue-devils-over-warhawks.aspx

River Falls 67-65
The Falcons held off a late rally from the visiting Blugolds to notch their 1st conference win of the year.

https://uwrfsports.com/news/2025/1/11/mens-basketball-falcons-snatch-road-victory-at-uw-eau-claire.aspx

Platteville 79 Oshkosh 64
The Pioneers remained unbeaten with a comfortable win over the Titans. Oshkosh has yet to win in the league.

https://www.letsgopioneers.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/releases/20250111zfwbog

Platteville (3-0)
Stout (3-0)
La Crosse (2-1)
Eau Claire (1-2)
River Falls (1-2)
Whitewater (1-2)
Stevens Point (1-2)
Oshkosh (0-3)

WEDNESDAY:
Eau Claire (1-2) at Platteville (3-0)
La Crosse (2-1) at Stout (3-0)
Whitewater (1-2) at Oshkosh (0-3)
Stevens Point (1-2) at River Falls (1-2)