OSHKOSH, Wis. - Rallying from a double-digit deficit to force the game into overtime, the UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team came up short in the comeback, losing to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent UW-Oshkosh, 91-84 tonight at the Kolf Sports Center.

With the loss, the Blugolds are unable to get back to .500 in conference play, dropping to 2-4 in the WIAC and 8-6 overall. The win gives the Titans a 3-4 mark in the WIAC and a 9-7 record overall.

The first five minutes of the contest saw the lead change hands on a number of occasions, with Eau Claire able to take a 12-8 lead after a Colin Boone (Jr.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) three-pointer. However, the remainder of the half would be all Oshkosh as the Titans began to slowly pull away and create an eleven point lead at halftime.

After a Matt Miller three extended the Titans lead to 45-31 to start the second half, the Blugolds caught fire. As a team, Eau Claire was lights-out from the field, connecting on 18 of 25 shot attempts and erasing the 14 point margin. A three-pointer from Geoff Probst (Jr.-Moose Lake, Minn.) tied the game at 58 with 10:11 left to play in regulation. With 3:16 left in the half, the Blugolds took a 73-69 lead on two Ryan Shea (So.-Duluth, Minn./East) free throws. But with 1:30 remaining, Dane Seckar-Anderson converted a lay-up to tie the game at 73. A baseline jumper at the buzzer from Boone went by the wayside as the game was sent into overtime.

In the extra frame, Eau Claire took an early 75-74 lead, but the Titans rattled off nine straight points to put the game away for good. Down by five with less than 30 seconds remaining, the Blugolds were forced to foul, and Oshkosh managed to convert six of eight free throws to seal the victory.

Shea led the Blugolds with 25 points and six assists. Boone chipped in 24 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds, while Amadou Fofana (So.-Appleton, Wis./West) and Josh Prince (Fr.-Cadott, Wis./Chippewa Falls) also reached double-digits, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Eau Claire heads back home on Saturday to face WIAC opponent, UW-River Falls. The Falcons are currently 8-7 on the season and 2-4 in conference play. River Falls took its last game into overtime as well, beating UW-Superior 73-67. Saturday's contest is part of a double-header with the women's game following. It will also serve as Alumni Day for the men, and is set to begin at 3 p.m.

Eau Claire-Oshkosh Box Score

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