Blue Devils Pierce Titans In Season Finale

Alex Oman and Jay Higgins each hit two free throws during the last 15 seconds to propel UW-Stout past the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team, 71-68, on Saturday (Feb. 18) in Kolf Sports Center. The contest was the season finale for both squads.

Oman scored a team-high 28 points and drew a foul with 15 seconds remaining. His first free throw tied the game, and his second gave the Blue Devils (9-16/4-12 WIAC) a 69-68 lead. UW-Oshkosh (4-21/0-16 WIAC) then committed a turnover on its next possession. Higgins buried his foul shots with two seconds left to ice the game.

John Flanigan (Sr. • Oshkosh), playing his 100th and final contest, notched a career-high 32 points on 10-of-11 shooting. He added nine rebounds and 12-of-13 accuracy at the charity stripe. Flanigan concludes his career with 1,120 points and 527 rebounds.

The next-best scorer for UW-Oshkosh was Greg Schrimpf (Sr. • Manitowoc), who marked 18 points and four triples. Schrimpf sank all six of his free throws to finish the year with 94 percent marksmanship (47-50). He wrapped up his 95-game run with 878 points and 188 three-point baskets.

The Titans got things going with a 15-2 scoring run midway through the first half. Holding a two-point lead, Cory Nickel (So. • Waupun) booked seven consecutive points to go ahead, 18-11. Schrimpf then connected twice from downtown to make it a 26-13 cushion with 8:49 on the clock.

UW-Stout bounced right back with a 14-4 sequence to stay within range. Oman counted a three-point play, two foul shots and a lay-up to pull his team within 32-23. UW-Oshkosh took a 37-32 cushion to halftime.

The margin shrunk to 39-38 after two Jarvis Ragland hoops early in the second period. The Titans wouldn't relinquish the lead, however, using a Flanigan jumper to stay on top, 52-46. Six straight points from Flanigan put UW-Oshkosh ahead, 64-59, with 5:13 left.

After trailing for 35 straight minutes, UW-Stout made its move. Oman missed a jumper with two minutes remaining, but the Blue Devils snatched the offensive rebound and Oman drilled a three-pointer. Carter Ciolkosz sank a lay-up with 1:48 to play that gave UW-Stout a 67-66 advantage.

Ciolkosz compiled 17 points and three steals for the night, while Ragland posted 12 points and six rebounds. The Blue Devils took 17 more shots than UW-Oshkosh, thanks to 11 more offensive rebounds (17-6) and six fewer turnovers (10-16).

UW-Stout totaled 44 percent (26-59) accuracy from the field, including 29 percent (5-17) from long range, and 64 percent success (14-22) on free throws. The Titans countered with 52 percent (22-42) overall shooting, including 6-for-19 behind the arc (32 percent), and 90 percent efficiency at the foul line (18-20).