Box Score

OSHKOSH, Wis. – In a battle of top 25 teams Saturday, Wisconsin-Oshkosh took advantage of a 48-35 edge on the boards and outlasted Augustana 95-89 in double overtime at the Kolf Sports Center. The 18th-ranked Titans improved to 5-0 on the year, while the Vikings, ranked second in the nation by D3hoops.com, suffered their first loss in five outings.
 
Two Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) free throws with 2:14 left in the second overtime gave Augustana an 87-86 lead, its last of the night. On the ensuing possession, junior Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) was called for a hold away from the ball and Ben Boots converted both free throws to put UWO back on top. After a Viking turnover, the Titans' next possession yielded three shots, with Alex Van Dyke finally converting a tip-in with 48 seconds left that gave the hosts a 90-87 lead. Augustana turned it over again and Boots converted five of six free throws in the final 30 seconds to sew things up.
 
The visitors needed to overcome and 11-point deficit in the second half to get the game to overtime. Two Jack Flynn free throws put Oshkosh up 47-36 with 15:17 left in regulation. Sophomore Micah Martin's (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) layup at the 15:04 mark began the Vikings' comeback and his second of two straight buckets eventually gave Augustana a 57-56 lead—its first since 6-4—with 8:33 on the clock.
 
The Titans came back to lead for much of the final eight minutes of regulation and still had a 73-69 edge as the clock ticked under 30 seconds.  Orange converted a pair of free throws and sophomore Lucas Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) one and Martin's hoop at the 10-second mark tied the contest at 74-all.  Boots' layup at 0:04 put Oshkosh back on top, but Orange beat the buzzer with one of his own to force overtime.
 
Senior Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) scored the Vikings' first four points in overtime and Benning's two free throws with 42 seconds left tied things at 82-all. Each team missed a shot in the final half-minute, forcing a second extra session.
 
A Boots layup with 15:57 left in the first half gave UWO its first lead at 8-6 and it would maintain it for the rest of the period, eventually taking a 36-28 advantage to the locker room at halftime. The Titans outrebounded Augustana 16-9 in the opening 20 minutes.
 
There were 10 lead changes and 13 ties in the contest. The Vikings finished the night 33 of 70 (.471) from the field, but hit just three of 17 (.176) from beyond the arc. They converted 20 of 28 (.714) free throw attempts. Oshkosh shot .441 from the field on 30 of 68 and also struggled from three-point range (4-24, .167). UWO finished 31 of 45 (.689) from the foul line. The Titans' large margin on the boards led to a 21-10 advantage in second chance points and they committed 13 turnovers to 16 for Augustana and led 29-8 in points off turnovers.
 
Orange logged 45 minutes and led the Vikings with 23 points. Sortillo added 20 and junior Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) scored 18 before fouling out with 35 seconds left in regulation. Martin had career highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds, along with a game-high four blocked shots.
 
Oshkosh placed five players in double figures, led by Boots with 23 points. Brett Wittchow added 19 and Charlie Noone 17. Adam Fravert (18 rebounds and 12 rebounds) and Flynn (11 points and 11 rebounds) each contributed a double-double.
 
Coach Grey Giovanine's club opens College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play on Wednesday, December 6, hosting North Central at Carver Center with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.