MBB Preview: Stout travels to Oshkosh for second meeting w/Titans

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (3-16, 0-10 WIAC) will attempt to shake off this conference losing streak when they head east to UW-Oshkosh (11-7, 5-4 WIAC), Saturday, Jan. 31 for a 3 p.m. contest. The Titans had a bye on Wednesday, while the Blue Devils fell at UW-Eau Claire. The Titans won the first meeting 66-60 in overtime when the teams meet on Jan. 14 in Menomonie.

WEBCASTS: All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video, with Sam Ripp on the call. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Pete Knutson, Jimmie Kaska, Jay Fahl or Jake Bostrom, will broadcast and provide a live audio stream of away conference games and a select number of home games. Stout will provide Live Stats for all home games. Check the Blue Devil Webcast page or on the schedule page to see broadcasts and Live Stats available when Stout is on the road.

CAREER STATS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to check out the UW-Stout career high for points, rebounds, and assists of each Blue Devil player.

A LOOK AT THE BLUE DEVILS : Jarvis Ragland continues to lead not only the Blue Devils in scoring, but the entire WIAC. Ragland's points per game average did dip below 19 points for the first time since early in the season after scoring only six points against Platteville last week, his only game this season where he was held to less than 10 points.But Ragland is averaging a healthy 18.5 points per contest and he continues to lead the Blue Devils in rebounds with 6.8 per contest. Ragland is shooting at a 50.9 percent mark (112-220). Ragland has scored in double figures in all but one game he has played this season, with a career-high of 25 points and a season-low of six points, that coming against UW-Platteville.  Ragland has been the team's leading scorer in 12 games this season, and has been the team's leading rebounder nine times. Ragland ranks third in the WIAC in rebounding, 12th in field goal percentage, and ninth in minutes played (31.29) . Ragland has the team's only double-doubles of the season, tossing in 25 points and pulling down 15 rebounds against Bethany Lutheran, 18 points and 10 rebounds against UW-Whitewater and 21 points and 11 rebounds against UW-Oshkosh. All of Ragland's career double-doubles have come this year. Ragland also has 28 assists, among the team leaders.

Brett Ahsenmacher scored a career-best 22 points against John Carroll University at the St. Norbert Tournament and is currently averaging 9.9 points. Ahsenmacher leads the team in assists with 29...Freshman John Keefe, who had a 30 point outburst in early December, is averaging 6.9 points and matches Ahsenmacher in assists with 29....Since the calendar has turned, freshman Jalen Patterson has picked up his game, and is the team's second leading scorer in games since Jan. 3, averaging 8.4 points over those seven games, only trailing Ragland, who is averaging 16.6 points during that span.  On the season, Patterson is averaging 6.7 points and his seven blocked shots ranks eighth in the WIAC. Patterson has seen his minutes increase. On the season, he is averaging 19.3 minutes per game, but over the last eight games is averaging 25.1 minutes.

Freshman guard Sam Ortmann has dished off 23 assists, as has fellow freshman D'Marcco Patrick. Ortmann, John Lahti and Isaac Elliott are the only Blue Devils to have played in all 19 games this season. Stout has had 10 players start at least one game this season. Stout's team scoring average of 67.5 is fifth best in the league, but their points allowed, 76.4, is ranked ninth.

KUJAKS OUT: It appears as if the Kujak brothers have been lost for the season. Reggie Kujak went down with a wrist injury against UW-Eau Claire and Hank Kujak went down with a leg injury against UW-Oshkosh. Hank set a career-best in points scored, tallying 17 against UW-Whitewater, Jan. 10 and finished the season with 26 assists in 13 games. Reggie had been coming along as a force in the paint, averaging 4.7 rebounds per game and had 14 blocked shots, which if he had played in the 75 percent minimum of games required to be listed in the WIAC stats list would rank him third.

STOUT'S LAST TIME OUT:  The Blue Devils are still looking for their first conference win and a late rally against UW-Eau Claire fell short Wednesday, resulting in a 69-64 loss at Zorn Arena. UW-Stout held UW-Eau Claire's leading scorer to more than 11 points under his season average and the Blue Devils had four players score in double digits, but that still didn't prove to be the formula as Stout dropped a 69-64 decision at Zorn Arena Wednesday.

SCOUTING UW-OSHKOSH:  The Titans are currently tied for fourth in the WIAC. The team saw their winning streak end at three games when Stevens Point hit a 3-point buzzer beater for the win Saturday.  The Titans have to be earning some type of iron man award lately. Over the last four games, starting with a 66-60 overtime win over the Blue Devils on Jan. 14, the Titans have played three overtime games, winning two. Previous to the win over Stout in OT, the Titans had not played an overtime game since Feb. 9, 2013. The Titans played five overtime games that season. The Titans lead the WIAC in steals as a team with 8.11 and Alex Olson is second individually, averaging 2.22 thefts per contest. Olson leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points. AJ Mueller is pulling down a team-best 5.4 rebounds per contest and Kyle Bolger is dishing off 2.72 assists. Mueller is averaging 10.6 points. Of the six players who have started eight or more games, four are sophomores and two are juniors. The Titans are second in the league in scoring defense (62.3) but eighth in scoring offense (64.6). 

THE TITANS LAST TIME OUT: The lost to UW-Stevens Point on a last second half-court buzzer beater at Stevens Point, Jan. 24. Alex Richard's half-court shot at the buzzer lifted two-time defending WIAC champion UW-Stevens Point to a 69-66 overtime victory over the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 24) in Stevens Point. 

LAST TIME STOUT AND OSHKOSH MET:  In another typically close loss for the Blue Devils, UW-Oshkosh went off on a 9-2 run to start the overtime period and the Titans took a 66-60 overtime win at Johnson Fieldhouse, Jan. 14. Three players for the Titans scored double digit points, Alex Olsen also had 21, while Max Schebel contributed 18 and Kyle Bolger 13. Olsen scored 10 of his points in the overtime period, connecting on 5-of-6 free throws. Ahsenmacher finished with 15 points and three assists, and D'Marcco Patrick added 9 points. Poor free throw shooting, 11-21 from the line, plagued the Blue Devils. 

SCOUTING UW-EAU CLAIRE:  After a two game winning streak, which included a 75-72 win over UW-Stout, to begin the new year, the Blugolds have lost their last three games. The Blugolds were within one point of upsetting top ranked UW-Whitewater, Jan. 14, then lost in double digits to UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville. Tyson Kalien has been the Blugolds' long range shooter, draining a conference best 56-of-125 3-point shots (3.29/game). Kalien is second in the WIAC in scoring at 16.4 points and is shooting 45.5 percent overall, 44.8 percent from downtown. Lew Mau is the team's top rebounder, pulling down an average of 6.1 boards per contest.  Mau is the team's leader in assists, dishing off 3.06 per game, good for fourth in the league. The Blugolds have been outscored, 69.3-65.6.

THE BLUGOLDS LAST TIME OUT:   The UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team fell on the road Wednesday night, losing 79-66 to UW-Platteville at Bo Ryan Court. The Pioneer offense was hot right out of the gate, nailing seven of their first eight shots from the field. Despite the early Pioneer lead, the Blugolds rallied late to cut the deficit to 11 to end the half as Platteville led 40-29.

LAST TIME STOUT AND EAU CLAIRE:   UW-Stout had the opportunities, but allowed UW-Eau Claire to go past them as the Blugoldsdowned the Blue Devils, 75-72, Wednesday at Johnson Fieldhouse. Tyson Kalien of Eau Claire led all scorers with 25 points, 20 in the first half. Jarvis Ragland scored 23 for the Blue Devils. Brett Ahsenmacher and Jalen Patterson each scored 10.


CLIMBING THE LADDER: Jarvis Ragland has been climbing the UW-Stout career scoring list throughout the season. He currently has 806 career points, good for 44th on the all-time list, recently passing passing Doug Eha (1970-73, 788 pts), the 1973 WSUC player of the year. Willie Tucker (1988-91, 813 pts) is 43rd and Harlan Hesslemann (1940-43, 46-47, 829 pts) is 42nd. Ragland currently has 314 points this season, moving onto the single season list and should soon move into the top 45 of the all-time UW-Stout leading rebounders.

AWARDS AND HONORS: Brett Ahsenmacher was selected as the UW-Stout Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Jan. 5, after his performance at the St. Norbert Tournament...Brett Ahsenmacher was selected to the all-tournament team at the Nicolet National Bank Holiday Tournament hosted by St. Norbert College, Dec. 29-30...Jarvis Ragland was selected as the UW-Stout Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week, Dec. 1 and as the WIAC Athlete of the Week Dec. 2 after averaging 22.5 points during the UW-Stout Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captain for the 2014-15 season is Brett Ahsenmacher.

THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Eddie Andrist (186-193 at Stout, 436-383 overall) is in his 15th year as the coach of the Blue Devils, and his 26th overall in the collegiate ranks. Andrist led the Blue Devils to their first NCAA Division III appearance five seasons ago when Stout advanced to the second round. Andrist coached at Mount Senario for 11 seasons and won three national championships. Andrist spent two stints coaching international basketball, working with the country of Qatar. UW-Eau Claire:  Matt Siverling (55-65, overall;  26-41, at UW-Eau Claire) is in his third year as the Blugolds' head coach, and is fifth overall. Siverling was the UW-Superior coach before taking over at Eau Claire.  UW-Oshkosh: Pat Juckem (135-118, overall; 30-39, at UW-Oshkosh)  is in his third ar as the head coach of the Titans, and his 10th overall. During the 2014 season, Juckem led UW-Oshkosh to a 12-14 overall record, a 7-9 mark in the WIAC and a berth in the conference tournament. The Titans tied for fifth in the conference, their best showing since 2009. Juckem was the head coach at Coe College from 2006-12.

CONFERENCES: Stout is a member of the nine team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-La Crosse, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls. Superior will leave the conference after the 2014-15 season.

UP NEXT: The Blue Devils will host UW-La Crosse, Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils have the conference bye, Saturday, Feb. 7.


UW-Stout 2014-15 Individual Season Highs (Updated January 28, 2015)

Points: 30, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 5, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Rebounds: 15, Jarvis Ragland vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Assists: 7, Hank Kujak vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Steals: 3, (8x) Jalen Patterson vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014; John Lahti vs. John Carroll, Dec. 29, 2014; John Keefe vs. UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 10, 2014; Hank Kujak vs. UW-La Crosse, Dec. 6, 2014; Hank Kujak vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; John Keefe vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014; Brett Ahsenmacher vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014; D'Marcco Patrick vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014

UW-Stout 2014-15 Team Season Highs (Updated January 28, 2015)

Points: 90 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Field Goals Made: 35 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Field Goal Percentage: .547 (35-64) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
3-Pointers Made: 12 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Free Throws Made: 28 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014
Free Throw Percentage: .800 (16-20) vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 46 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 16 (2x) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014; vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014
Steals: 11 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014


UW-Stout Career Bests (updated January 28, 2015)

Jarvis Ragland - #3
Points: 26 vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014
Rebounds: 15 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Assists: 4 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014

John Keefe - #4
Points: 30 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014
Rebounds: 6 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 5 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014

Mac Oreskovic - #5
Points: 6 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015; vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 2 (3x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 3, 2015; vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014; vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:
Assists: 2 vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 21, 2015

D'Marcco Patrick - #10
Points: 15 vs. Coe College, Nov. 16, 2014
Rebounds: 4 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 28, 2015; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 14, 2015
Assists: 3 (4x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 25, 2015;  vs. UW-Superior, Jan. 17, 2015; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 14, 2015; vs. UW-Whitewater, Jan. 10, 2015

Zac Doll - #11
Points: 3 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 3 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Assists: 1 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014

Sam Ortmann - #12
Points: 10 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 5 (3x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 28, 2015; vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014; vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:
Assists: 6 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014

Brett Ahsenmacher - #13
Points: 22 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Rebounds: 5 vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015
Assists: 3 (5x) vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 21, 2015; vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 14, 2015; vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 7, 2015; vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014; vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 3, 2014

Isaac Elliott - #14
Points: 14 vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 21, 2015
Rebounds: 5 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 24, 2015
Assists: 2 vs. Northwestern, Dec. 20, 2014.

Jalen Patterson - #15
Points: 17 vs. UW-Superior, Jan. 17, 2015
Rebounds: 5 vs. UW-River Falls, Jan. 21, 2015
Assists: 3 (2x) vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 28, 2015; vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014

Cory Speer - #23
Points: 5 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Rebounds: 3 vs. Ripon College, Nov. 15, 2014
Assists: 5 vs. Viterbo University, Nov. 19, 2014:

Hank Kujak - #33
Points: 17 vs. UW-Whitewater, Jan. 10, 2015
Rebounds: 9 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 7 vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014

Reggie Kujak - #32
Points: 11 vs. St. Scholastica, Dec. 30, 2014
Rebounds: 10 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. UW-Stevens Point, Dec. 10, 2014

John Lahti - #42
Points: 12 (2x) vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 24, 2015; vs. UW-Whitewater, Jan. 10, 2015
Rebounds: 6 vs. Cardinal Stritch, Nov. 30, 2014
Assists: 2 vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014


The Last Time...(updated January 28, 2015)

A Stout Individual...
Scored 30+ points: 30, John Keefe vs. Bethany Lutheran, (12/3/14)
Scored 25-29 points: 26, Jarvis Ragland vs. Northwestern, (12/20/14)
Recorded 15 rebounds: 15, Jarvis Ragland vs. Bethany Lutheran, (12/3/14)
Recorded 10 assists: 11, Erik Olson vs. UW-Stevens Point (2/13/13)
Recorded 6 steals: 8, by Jerrel Enerson-Matthews vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/21/08)

A Stout Team...
Had five players score in double digits:vs. Wartburg College, Nov. 29, 2014 - Jarvis Ragland (24), Isaac Elliott (11), John Keefe (10), Brett Ahsenmacher (10), John Lahti (10)
Had four players score in double digits: vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 28, 2015 - Jarvs Ragland (14), D'Marcco Patrick (14), Brett Ahsenmacher (10), Isaac Elliott (10)
Scored 105 points: 109, vs. Crown College (2/15/11)
Scored 100-104 points: 102 vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Recorded 60 rebounds: 64, vs. Concordia-Texas (12/11/2011)
Recorded 55-59 rebounds: 56 vs. Northland College (11/24/12)
Recorded 25 assists: 25, vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Won 10 or more games in a row: 10, 2005-06 season
Lost 5 or more games in a row: 8, 2014-15 season
Was held to 40 or fewer points in game: 40, vs. Plattsburgh State (12/30/13)