PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Duhawks.com) - The Loras men's basketball team dropped their second consecutive game to a Wisconsin state school on Tuesday night, 67-62 to UW-Platteville.
Ryan DiCanio led the offensive charge for the Duhawks, finishing with 16 points. Junior
Danny Quinn recorded his first double-double of the season off the bench, adding 14 points and 11 rebounds.
TURNING POINT
Free throws were the name of the game on Tuesday, with UW-Platteville using their strong shooting to their advantage. The Pioneers (5-3) went 19-of-23 from the charity stripe, including 16-of-19 in the second half. Meanwhile, the Duhawks had a tougher time from the line, shooting 70 percent. UW-Platteville converted on 11-of-12 free-throw chances over the final two minutes of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
Both teams jockeyed for position throughout the first eight minutes of the game, but a 6-2 run by the Pioneers over a five-minute stretch gave them enough cushion to keep Loras in check. The Duhawks cut the deficit to two with 1:04 to play, but couldn't find the stroke to level before the end of the half. As a team, Loras struggled to find their shot in the first half, missing several open looks, finishing 1-of-7 from distance and 32.3 percent overall on 10-of-33 from the floor.
Coming off the bench, Quinn immediately made his presence felt, using heart and hustle to collect second-chance points. He collected three of his four offensive rebounds in the first half. Quinn's play was the lone offensive bright spot for Loras in the opening frame.
Defensively, the Duhawks held the Pioneers to 35.5 percent from the floor and forced them into committing 10 first half turnovers, but three 3-point baskets proved to be the deciding factor on the scoreboard.
SECOND HALF
Loras found their offensive stride in the second half, but with it came a drop in their defensive identity. The Duhawks improved their shooting to 48 percent (12-of-25) but their counterparts nearly matched them basket for basket, shooting 10-of-21 for 47.6 percent. Quinn once again made his presence felt, adding 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks to his final line. DiCanio scored consistently in each half, tallying nine of his team-high 16 in the second.
UW-Platteville's Boston Johnson scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and gave the Duhawk defense fits. Repeatedly, Johnson found an open seam in the lane and dropped in a layup just before the shot clock expired.
Loras brought the game to within three 40 seconds left on the clock, but consistent free-throw shooting put the Duhawks in a position where they were unable to catch the Pioneers and collect the lead.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Danny Quinn | Quinn provided the Duhawks with much needed energy at times tonight when the team was desperate for a spark. The junior played his most complete game of the season, scoring 14 points while hauling in 11 rebounds. A 6-of-8 performance from the floor provided Loras with the efficiency needed to keep the game close, despite the team shooting 39.3 percent.
SOUNDBITES | Danny Quinn
SOUNDBITES | Greg Gorton
UP NEXT
Loras battles Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday, looking to avenge a loss from last season. The Titans enter this weekend's action with a 4-2 record, with losses coming against ranked Benedictine and Ohio Wesleyan. Bryce Dolan leads the offensive charge for the Titans, averaging 16.8 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the floor.
