Blue Devils ever so close in snagging Senior Day win, but edged 66-65

UW-Oshkosh 66, UW-Stout 65 | Photo Gallery | Archived Video

MENOMONIE (February 6, 2016) - The energy in Johnson Fieldhouse was electric Saturday. It looked like UW-Stout was going to snap their long conference losing streak, but UW-Oshkosh creeped back into the game and spoiled the Blue Devils' Senior Day by taking a 66-65 win back with them.

The Blue Devils (4-16, 0-10 WIAC) played perhaps their most inspired game of the season, jumping out to a 39-24 halftime lead as John Keefe (So, Medford) scored 11 first half points and Jalen Patterson (So, Lauderdale, Minn) dropped in 10 points.

Stout forced Oshkosh (13-8, 6-4 WIAC) into 10 first half turnovers, and senior Hank Kujak (Sr, Blair) recorded four steals. The Blue Devils took care of the ball, committing only four first half turnovers.The team shot 53.3 percent from the floor and drained 6-of-13 first half 3-pointers.

The Blue Dvils wasted little time in the second half when Kujak hit a 3-pointer 27 seconds into the half and less than 20 seconds later, Keefe hit a lay-up to give Stout a 20 points, 44-24 lead.

The Titans went on a 10-5 run, but Patterson hit a bucket to give Stout a 51-34 lead with 15:26 remaining. The Titans went on a run, outscoring Stout 14-3 over the next seven minutes.

Stout countered. Isaac Elliott (So, Stevens Point) hit a 3-pointer and John Lahti's (So, Turtle Lake) basket after a Keefe steal put Stout back up by 13 points, 61-48, with just over six minutes left. The teams traded points, but it wouldn't be an even trade. Over the next three minutes, Stout would get a pair of free throws by Patterson, but Oshkosh had two 3-pointers by Charlie Noone and another by Alex Olson to pull the score to within 63-57 with 2:50 left.

Stout would get one more basket the rest of the way, a lay-up by Patterson with 2:24 left to make it 65-58. Noone connected on another trey to cut the score to 65-61. Ben Boots hit a 3-pointer with a minute left to pull the Titans to within one point, 65-64. Alex Olson hit a jumper with 21 seconds left to give the Titans the win.

Patterson led Stout with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Keefe finished with 15 points. The Blue Devils shot 46.3 percent (25-54) for the game from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers. Kujak finished the day with seven points, five steals and four assists. Keefe had three steals and four assists, whle Patterson had four steals, three blocked shots, three assists and two dunked shots.

The Titans were led by Noone with 16 points. Olson finished with 13 points and Brett Wittchow came off the bench to score 11. The Titans shot 52.2 percent (24-46) from the floor, 57.1 percent (16-28) in the second half and drained 12 3-pointers, nine in the second half.

The Blue Devils stay at Johnson Fieldhouse and will host UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.