Box Score
Yellowjackets 64, Oshkosh 51
Box Score
With the postseason fast approaching, the UW-Superior men's basketball hoped Saturday's home game with UW-Oshkosh would serve as an opportunity to sharpen their game concluding the regular with a difficult three-game stretch.
Further bolstering the Yellowjackets' chances was a short-handed Titans' team that came into Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium playing without leading scorer John Flanigan.
Even without Flanigan, the Titans pushed the Yellowjackets hard for most of the contest before a late run allowed UW-Superior to pull out a 64-51 win at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.
The victory upped UW-Superior's season mark to 13-9 overall along with 7-6 in the WIAC conference. UW-Oshkosh meanwhile dropped their 12th straight game and fell to 4-17 overall and 0-12 in league action.
UW-Superior jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the first 6:01 of the first half behind three-pointers from Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and Brendan Bauer (Eleva, Wis./Gilmanton) to go along with two baskets from Jarrod Peterson (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata).
The Titans came right back, scoring the next seven points for a 12-10 edge following a pair of free throws from Sean Wise with 12:01 remaining in the opening frame.
UW-Superior again asserted themselves over the next few minutes, retaking the lead at 18-12 after an offensive rebound and basket from Walter Charlton (Nassau, Bahamas/Teleos Christian) with 8:51 showing on the clock.
UW-Oshkosh clawed their way back into the game before halftime however, getting a three-pointer from Dylan Wurtz to bring the Titans to within 24-22 with 2:47 left before the Yellowjackets headed to intermission holding a 27-22 advantage.
Greg Schrimpf continued the Titans' surge early in the second half, knocking down a pair of three's to go along with Jade Royston's free throw with 17:21 remaining in regulation that evened matters 31-31.
Another three by Schrimpf with 14:57 left gave UW-Oshkosh their first lead since early in the ball-game at 34-32.
But the Yellowjackets came right back, outscoring the Titans 10-1 over the next 3:29 to take a 42-35 lead after a three by Adam Hjelter (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson), five points by Bronson Byrne (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) and a short-jumper from the baseline by Peterson with 11:28 remaining in the second half.
A jumper by Wise brought UW-Oshkosh to within 42-40 with 8:22 left before the Yellowjackets again pulled away, outscoring the Titans 8-2 over the next 3:00 to go up 50-42 on a Charlton layup with 5:22 left.
The Titans would get no closer than eight points the rest of the way as UW-Superior got four free throws from Ritchie, two free throws from Bauer and two more from Aalfs in the final 1:39 to seal the win.
UW-Superior was led by Bauer with a game-high 16 points. Byrne added 13 points while Aalfs pitched in with 10. Ritchie had eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Yellowjackets.
UW-Oshkosh was led by Schrimpf with 13 points. Royston finished with 11 points for the Titans, who connected on just 18-of-60 (30 percent) shooting for the game.
The Yellowjackets head to UW-River Falls on Wednesday. Matt Johnson and Monte Stewart will have the call on 91.3 FM KUWS.
