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| Vanessa Nemitz came up with the big block |
UW-Platteville scored the final seven points of the game to beat UW-Oshkosh 66-63 in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game Wednesday on Bo Ryan Court.
"That was a big win," said sophomore Vanessa Nemitz, who had a career-high 22 points. "We needed it, and we got it. We're all pretty excited."
Not only did Nemitz take scoring honors, she came up with the biggest defensive play of the game. After Lisa Wubben made two free throws with 18.8 seconds remaining, Nemitz blocked Michelle Boeder's shot. She rebounded the ball, was fouled and made one of two free throws with eight seconds remaining.
"Everyone said that if I don't have another one (block) the rest of the year, that was enough," she said. "It was pretty cool to hear that."
The Titans' Laura Ebens missed a three-point attempt in the final seconds, and the Titans' Whitney Tyriver could not get off a rebound attempt before the final horn.
The Pioneers improved to 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while the Titans fell to 6-8, 1-4.
UWO led 33-25 and by as many as 10 twice in the second half. UWP's Megan Guernsey tied the contest at 59 with a three-point basket with 3:35 remaining.
Tiffany Pugh (2:20) and Tyriver (2:00) each made two free throws, giving the Titans a 63-59 advantage.
Lisa Grantman scored on a rebound basket with 1:36 to play, and Wubben tied the game with a layup with 51 seconds remaining. After a Titan miss, Wubben was fouled and made the two free throws with 18.8 left.
Wubben recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Grantman added 15 points to Nemitz's 22.
Nemitz made just 1-6 three-point attempts in the first half then nailed 4-7 in the second half.
"I'll still shoot, even if it's not going in," Nemitz said. "Sooner or later, the ball will go in the hole. I know it will, so I'll keep shooting. I didn't want to lose, and then I just got into a zone."
Freshman Erin Baganz led the Titans with 19 points, while Pugh had 18 and Tyriver 15. UWO went the final 3:50 without a field goal.
"We stepped it up on defense, especially in the second half, because we came out flat," Nemitz said. "Along with defense comes our offense. We all came together in the second half."
The Pioneers return to WIAC action Saturday at UW-Stevens Point in a 3 p.m. game.
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