University of Wisconsin-Platteville claimed the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Basketball Tournament (presented by Culver’s) with a 97-74 triumph over UW-Platteville at Bo Ryan Court on Feb. 24.
The tournament title is the fourth in program history for the Pioneers, who also secured the conference’s automatic NCAA bid.
No. 14-ranked UW-Platteville (23-4) exploded for 60 points in the second half, making 9-of-14 three-pointers, to break a 37-37 halftime score against UW-River Falls (15-12).
The first half featured seven lead changes and eight ties, with the biggest lead for each team being five points. Brady Olson (6'0''-PG) provided the early scoring spark with three made threes and 11 points in the half, while Logan Pearson (6'4''-F) added 10 points.
Early in the second half, a 10-point Pioneers run turned a four-point lead into a 60-46 advantage with 13:02 remaining. UW-Platteville's offense continued to click in the coming minutes, as three-point makes by Ben Probst (6'1''-G) and Max Love (6'4''-F) helped the lead grow to 16. Six more unanswered points made it 80-57 with just under five minutes to play and the Pioneers led by as many as 27 in the closing minutes to win 91-74.
UW-Platteville shot 69.7 percent (23-of-33) from the floor in the second half, including 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from beyond the arc. The strong shooting raised the team's field goal percentage to 55.6 percent (35-of-63) for the game and 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from deep. The Pioneers went 12-of-15 (80.0 percent) from the free throw line.
After allowing the Falcons to shoot 46.4 percent (13-of-28) in the first half, UW-Platteville held the visitors to 35.1 percent (13-of-37) in the second half. UW-River Falls finished the game at 40.0 percent (26-of-65) from the field and 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from deep.
Pearson led five Pioneers in double figures with 21 points, while Brady Olson added 15 and Ben Probst 13. Max Love and Miles Hettinger each chipped in 12.
Noah Hansen had a game-high 25 points for UW-River Falls and Zac Johnson (6'3''-G) added 15.

Courtesy of wiacsports.com

WIAC Final: UW-Platteville - UW-River Falls 97-74

WIAC Semifinals:
UW-Platteville - UW-Stout 91-84
UW-River Falls - UW-Stevens Point 82-79

WIAC Quarterfinals:
UW-Stout - UW-La Crosse 93-91, OT
UW-Stevens Point - UW-Whitewater 76-70

Player of the Year: Logan Pearson (6'4''-F) of UW-Platteville
Newcomer of the Year: Michael Metcalf-Grassman (6'5''-G) of UW-Oshkosh
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Quinn Steckbauer (6'0''-PG) of UW-Oshkosh
Coach of the Year: Jeff Gard of UW-Platteville

All-WIAC 1st Team 2024

Abdul-Wahid

Barnstable

Chislom

Fox

Huschka

First Team
Malik Abdul-Wahid (6'5''-F) of UW-Stev.Point
Miles Barnstable (6'2''-G) of UW-Whitewater
Trevon Chislom (6'6''-F) of UW-Whitewater
Brody Fox (6'6''-G) of UW-Stout
Carter Huschka (6'7''-F) of UW-Eau Claire
Zac Johnson (6'3''-G) of UW-River Falls
Jack Leifker (6'8''-C) of UW-River Falls
Max Love (6'4''-F) of UW-Platteville
Michael Metcalf-Grassman (6'5''-G) of UW-Oshkosh
JJ Paider (6'7''-F) of UW-La Crosse
Logan Pearson (6'4''-F) of UW-Platteville

Honorable Mention
Delvin Barnstable (6'4''-G) of UW-Whitewater
Josiah Butler (6'2''-G) of UW-Stev.Point
Dustin Derousseau (6'3''-G) of UW-La Crosse
Will Fuhrmann (6'0''-PG) of UW-La Crosse
Noah Hanson (6'3''-G) of UW-River Falls
Drew Maloney (6'4''-G) of UW-Eau Claire
Brady Olson (6'0''-PG) of UW-Platteville
Ben Probst (6'1''-G) of UW-Platteville
Aidan Shore (6'10''-C) of UW-Stout

All-Defensive Team
Jake Gross (6'4''-G) of UW-La Crosse
Marshall Holland (6'6''-F) of UW-River Falls
Carter Huschka (6'7''-F) of UW-Eau Claire
Brady Olson (6'0''-PG) of UW-Platteville
Aidan Shore (6'10''-C) of UW-Stout

All-Sportsmanship Team
Josh Crubaugh (6'5''-F) of UW-La Crosse
Caden Hoffman (6'1''-G) of UW-Stout
Logan Ketterhagen (6'0''-PG) of UW-Eau Claire
Ryan Peterson (6'0''-PG) of UW-Stev.Point
Will Pytleski (6'3''-F) of UW-Whitewater
Jake Reeck (6'1''-G) of UW-River Falls
Austin Schaff (5'10''-PG) of UW-Platteville
Quinn Steckbauer (6'0''-PG) of UW-Oshkosh