UW-Stout 74, UW-Oshkosh 67
OSHKOSH (January 7, 2017) - UW-Stout had four players in double figures, led by
John Lahti's career-best 20 points, as the Blue Devils extended their winning streak to seven by downing UW-Oshkosh, 74-67, Saturday Kolf Sports Center.
Lahti was 8-for-9 from field goal range and was perfect at the free throw line on all four attempts.
John Keefe tossed in 18 points,
Cory Speer 17, and
Jacob Nordstrom 10, including the final two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach.
The Blue Devils were perfect from the line, hitting all 15 of their free throw attempts, matching a feat of perfection that has happened only four times before, twice against UW-Oshkosh. Stout was 11-11 against the Titans in 2005 and 10-10 in 2003. Stout was 16-16 against UW-La Crosse in 2003 and 13-13 against UW-Superior in 2004.
Oshkosh held an early lead in the game, taking as much as an eight point lead eight minutes into the game, but Stout would go on to take the lead on a 3-pointer by
Cory Speer at the 9:37 mark of the first half. The teams traded leads through the next six minutes.
Stout took the lead on a 3-pointer by Keefe.at 3:06 and would surrender the lead the rest of the way, holding a 38-34 halftime lead. Stout inched the lead up through the second half. Stout held a 14-point lead, their largest of the game with 8:40 left after Nordstrom layed in a shot. The Blue Devils held the Titans at bay, but Oshkosh pulled to within one point, 68-67, on a jumper by Brett Wittchow with 51 seconds remaining.
But the Blue Devils had an answer. Lahti gave Stout a three point lead with 27 seconds left. Following a timeout, Nordstrom drained two free throws with 10 seconds remaining. Keefe stole the ball, tossed it to Speer, who scored the final points of the game as time expired.
Stout shot 56.5 percent (26-46) on the evening from the floor. In addition to perfection from the free throw line, Stout connected on 53.8 percent (7-13) of their 3-point shots with Keefe making four.
Speer had the near perfect evening, going 6-of-7 from the floor, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the line.
The Titans shot 41.1 percent (23-56) from the floor, 25.0 percent (5-20) from 3-point range and 80 percent (16-20) from the line.
Wittchow led the Titans with 19 points. Charlie Noone contributed 11. The Blue Devils held Ben Boots to less than half of his game average. Boots was averaging 14.6 points, but was held to seven.
Oshkosh had a 30-25 advantage off the glass. Nordstrom had six rebounds to lead Stout and the Titans'Â Max Schebel matched Nordstrom with six.
Stout will be at UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The date marks the 110th anniversary of the first known UW-Stout men's basketball game in 1907.
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