St. Norbert College played almost nine minutes of shutout defense to top the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team, 59-44, on Thursday (Nov. 18) in Kolf Sports Center.
This is the third consecutive year the Green Knights (2-0) defeated the Titans (0-1) in the season opener. UW-Oshkosh, which knocked down 7-of-11 three-pointers in the first half, missed all 14 deep attempts during the final period. David Wipperfurth marked 18 of his game-high 22 points during the opening half to pace St. Norbert College, the 10th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com.
Midway through the second period, St. Norbert College held a five-point lead (43-38). The Green Knights then recorded an 11-0 scoring run to take a 54-38 advantage with 7:52 remaining. Chris Peterson buried a three-pointer and Wipperfurth added a mid-range jumper to cap the spurt.
The Titans' scoreless drought lasted 8:39 and ended on Paul Wojahn's (So. • Oshkosh) pair of free throws. UW-Oshkosh, playing without D.J. Marsh for the first time in 106 games, made 4-of-24 field goal attempts (17 percent) in the second half after hitting 50 percent during the first 20 minutes.
St. Norbert College jumped to a 9-3 lead on Steve Papke's lay-in. Fighting back, the Titans tallied their first 12 points of the contest behind the three-point arc. After two John Flanigan (Jr. • Oshkosh) triples, Kyle Kannenberg (Sr. • Oshkosh) buried a deep one to cut the deficit to 14-12.
A Wipperfurth three-pointer, followed by Paul Appleton's jump shot, put the Green Knights up, 19-12. Again, UW-Oshkosh took aim from long range. Flanigan swished his third bucket before T.J. Kellner (So. • Sheboygan) connected to make it a 24-20 St. Norbert cushion with 8:10 to play before halftime.
Wipperfurth accounted for four points as St. Norbert College marked five in a row at the free-throw line. Wojahn had an answer, making two uncontested tosses and a turnaround 12-footer at the shot-clock buzzer. The Titans then pulled closer (33-28) after Greg Schrimpf's (Jr. • Manitowoc) three-point basket with 2:05 on the clock.
St. Norbert College tallied six of the half's final eight points to lead, 39-30, at intermission. Brian Washington (So. • Waukesha), who didn't score during the first half, posted his team's first six of the second period. His steal and three hoops in the lane shrank the Green Knights' lead to 43-38.
UW-Oshkosh was led by Flanigan, who booked all 14 of his points in the first half. Wojahn added nine points for the Titans, who also received three assists, three steals and three blocks from Washington. UW-Oshkosh won the turnover battle, 11-14, but fell in the rebounding department, 22-29.
Chris Peterson tallied 14 points, while John Taylor guided his squad with seven assists and three steals. St. Norbert College also cooled off after the break, going 4-of-6 on three-pointers before halftime and just 1-of-6 after.
The Green Knights marked advantages in field goal shooting (54 percent to 32 percent) and three-point accuracy (42 percent to 28 percent). Wipperfurth's 10 made free throws helped St. Norbert College finish 14-of-20 (70 percent), as UW-Oshkosh connected on 9-of-14 attempts (64.3 percent).
The Titans square off against Lawrence University in Kolf Sports Center next Wednesday (Nov. 24).