Issued: January 22, 2003

BLUGOLD MEN DROP CONFERENCE GAME TO PLATTEVILLE

PLATTEVILLE - The UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team could not overcome an 18 point first half despite shooting nearly 53 percent in the second half as they fell to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent UW-Platteville 67-62 here tonight at Williams Fieldhouse.

The Blugold's record falls to 11-6 for the season and 3-5 in WIAC play while the Pioneers improve to 6-10 overall and match the Blugolds with a 3-5 record in the WIAC standings.

Eau Claire dominated the Pioneers in points in the paint scoring 40 points to the Pioneer's 28. The Blugolds also held a commanding edge in second chance points outscoring Platteville 20-3. In the end the Blugolds could not overcome a first half in which Platteville shot over 61 percent from the floor while the Blugolds were just 8-of-22 for 36.4 percent.

The first half saw the Blugolds score first when Will Jefferson (So-Wausau/East) made a lay-up 49 seconds into the game to give Eau Claire a 2-0 lead. It was the only time the Blugolds would lead as the Pioneers went on a 14-1 run to take an 11 point advantage. Eau Claire would never come closer than nine points in the first half and would head to the locker room with a 12 point deficit at halftime.

The Blugolds showed sound improvement in the second half sparked by Jason Larson (Sr-Sugarland, TX/Stephen F. Austin) who scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half. After trailing the Pioneers 45-31, Eau Claire battled back to cut the lead to one point on two different occasions. With just 3:09 left in the game, the Blugolds trailed by just one point at 53-52. Tyler Selk delivered a big blow to the Blugolds with a lay-up plus the foul for a three-point play that put the Blugolds down by four. Eau Claire would never come closer than four points for the remainder of the game.

Larson led the Blugolds with 17 points and also totaled a game-best 10 rebounds and five assists. Andy Witte (Sr-Madison/Monona Grove) added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Blugolds.

Eau Claire now prepares for a Saturday evening match-up against the Stout Blue Devils as part of an EC-Stout doubleheader. The men will face the Blue Devils at 5:00 with the women to play afterward at 7:00.

Eau Claire-Platteville Box