PLATTEVILLE, WIS. -- The environment was hostile. The game might have slipped away. Instead, Nebraska Wesleyan's Nate Schimonitz, incredible all night long, went one-on-one and made a driving bank shot to lift the Prairie Wolves to a 79-78 win over UW-Platteville in the NCAA's Sweet 16. NWU moves on to play Whitman tomorrow. The Blues easily ousted UW-Stevens Point in the first game of the evening, 65-55, in a game that tightened up in the closing minutes.
The Prairie Wolves played well in the first half and led at halftime, 45-39. Schimonitz had 11, while Cooper Cook had 10. Out of the locker room, it became clear the Pioneers weren't going away. Though the Wolves went up eight, consecutive 3-pointers eventually gave UW-P a 58-55 lead with 12:34 left. Schimonitz took over for the next few minutes, making a conventional three, a layup and a 3-pointer with a Jack Hiller layup in between. Schimonitz then assisted Deion Wells-Ross and the lead was back to nine with 7:11 left.
A key moment, one that seemed to put NWU in great position, occurred with 2:29 left. Schimonitz was fouled and a technical foul was called on the play as well. Cook went to the line and made both FTs, but Schimonitz missed the front end of a one-and-one. It was 75-68 but back came the Pioneers with consecutive 3-pointers to make it 75-74 with 1:49 left. Schimonitz hit a huge layup to put NWU back up three, but UW-P answered with a baseline layup of its own.
Up 77-76, NWU took possession with 1:03 left and ran the shot clock down to four with a baseline inbounds play. A missed jumper and an uncontested follow-up misfired and gave the ball back to the Pioneers. UW-P missed a three but got the rebound and hit the shot to go ahead, 78-77.
A sideline inbounds play began with Schimonitz down low. He popped out and took the ball, drove right, and banked in a 10-footer. UW-P scrambled to get the ball in but it fell helplessly around the midcourt line when a UW-P player stumbled. The clock ran out ... the victory secured.
Schimonitz led all scorers with 27 points -- 16 in the second half -- on 10-of-21 shooting. He was 3-of-8 from 3-point range and an uncharacteristic 4-of-8 from the foul line. He was an 81% foul shooter coming into the game. Cook finished with 14, while Hiller and Wells-Ross went for 13 apiece. NWU shot 52% from the field (31-65) but only 7-of-25 from behind the arc and 10-of-16 from the line. The Wolves turned it over just nine times and had seven steals.
Whitman is the top-ranked team in the country and has a daunting 29-1 record. They feature a full-court press from beginning to end and play stifling D in the halfcourt as well. NWU likes to run and will have to take advantage when they have open shots.
Until then, it will be a good night in Wisconsin for the visitors from Lincoln.
Tournament Schedule
Final Results Friday, March 2
5:30 p.m. Nebraska Wesleyan - 94 vs. Maryville College - 70 BOX SCORE
7:30 p.m. Aurora - 82 vs. No. 4 Washington-St. Louis - 80 BOX SCORE
7:30 p.m. | Walla Walla, Wash. No.1 Whitman - 87 vs. Schreiner University - 77 BOX SCORE
Saturday, March 3
7:00 p.m. Nebraska Wesleyan - 82 vs. Aurora - 61 BOX SCORE
7:00 p.m. | Walla Walla, Wash. No.1 Whitman - 89 vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps - 84 OT BOX SCORE
Friday, March 9
5:30 p.m. | Platteville, Wis. No.1 Whitman 65, No. 17 UW-Stevens Point 55 - BOX SCORE
7:30 p.m. | Platteville, Wis. Nebraska Wesleyan 79, No.8 UW-Platteville 78 - BOX SCORE
Saturday, March 10
7:00 p.m. | Platteville, Wis. Nebraska Wesleyan (27-3) vs. No. 1 Whitman (29-1)
Ticket Prices
Adult - $10
Child (2-17) - $5
College student - $5
Senior (62+) - $5
Children under 2 years - Free
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