Green Knights Battle Nationally Ranked Oshkosh

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, December 18, 2018 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

OSHKOSH - St. Norbert College charged back after a slow start but eventually succumbed to nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh 79-68 in a non-conference game at Kolf Sports Center.

The Titans (9-1), ranked No. 6 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 and last season's NCAA Division III national runner-up, scored on their first nine possessions of the game to take a 19-10 lead early. Oshkosh made 11 of its first 13 field-goal attempts but led just 28-22 with 7:52 left in the first half.

St. Norbert (5-4) cut the deficit to 30-26 with 4:57 left in the half but Oshkosh went on an 8-0 run to take a 12-point lead. The Green Knights countered late in the half and trailed 40-33 at halftime after Drew Yetka's 3-pointer came just before the horn.

The Green Knights had a solid start to the second half, opening on a quick 9-2 run with three baskets from Connor Curtis and a triple from Joe Ciriacks to tie the score at 42-42. The two teams traded baskets before consecutive 3s from Ciriacks pushed St. Norbert ahead 50-44 with 12:40 to go.

The two teams parried shots with St. Norbert taking a 58-57 lead with 8:10 remaining on a pair of Curtis free throws. Oshkosh's Ben Boots canned consecutive 3-pointers to put the Titans ahead 63-58, a lead they would never relinquish. St. Norbert cut its deficit to two points on two more occasions, the last at 68-66 with 2:44 to go, but Oshkosh would close out the game on an 11-2 run - including an 8-for-8 showing at the free-throw line.

St. Norbert shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from the floor. Ciriacks finished with a career-high 20 points to lead the Green Knights, while Curtis added 17 points - with 14 coming in the second half. Jared Murphy added 13 points off the bench.

Oshkosh finished 27-for-45 from the floor, a 60 percent clip. Boots led the Titans with 31 points - with 25 in the second half - while Jack Flynn added 13 points and Brett Wittchow 11 points.