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The UW-Oshkosh men’s basketball team is doing what UW-La Crosse did last season to perfection. All five of the Titans’ starters are logging major minutes and not caring. In fact, Oshkosh sophomore forward D.J. Marsh says the Titans use what last year’s UW-L squad did to motivate them.
The Titans felt pretty good about their 81-68 WIAC victory over UW-L on Saturday at Mitchell Hall. Four of Oshkosh’s five starters logged 30 minutes or more of playing time. And all four scored in double figures, led by Marsh’s season-high 30 points.
The Titans (12-4, 6-2), who are ranked 16th by D3hoops.com, had plenty of get-up and go from the opening tip until the final buzzer. Koelbl, UW-L’s coach, wished the Eagles (7-9, 2-5) had played with the same intensity from start to finish. Koelbl saw flashes of it, but not on a consistent basis.
“(Oshkosh) played with toughness and with a purpose,” Koelbl said. “What’s disappointing to me is that we weren’t tough enough. That (toughness) was something that I lived by as a player. As a coach, I have to take responsibility for our guys not playing that way.
“We just have to keep going and getting better day by day. ... Tonight we had a little bit of a setback.”
The Eagles were able to work through the tough times last year even though three of their starters (Chris Ask, Brandon Brown and Joe Werner) averaged more than 31 minutes a game. UW-L went 19-8 and reached the WIAC Tournament championship game.
Oshkosh might be in a position to have similar success. Four of the Titans’ starters are averaging 30 minutes a game, but thriving. Marsh leads the way at 18.1 points a game.
Marsh helped keep the Titans, who built a 36-27 halftime lead, in control. He went 7-for-9 from the floor, and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line in the second half.
“If we have to (play) 40 minutes, we all feel like we can do it,” said Marsh, who played 37 minutes. “La Crosse did last year, so we know it’s possible.”
UW-Oshkosh 81,
UW-La Crosse 68
OSHKOSH (12-4, 6-2)
M. Miller 3-9 3-4 10, Marsh 8-14 14-15 30, Schrimpf 4-7 3-3 14, Johnson 4-11 7-7 15, Seckar-Anderson 2-10 0-0 4, Johnsen 3-4 0-0 8, L. Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Borgardt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 27-29 81.
UW-L (7-9, 2-5)
Mane 10-19 8-12 29, Fehrenbach 3-8 0-0 8, Brown 5-8 4-4 14, Haass 1-5 1-2 3, Kegler 1-2 0-0 2, Nereng 1-3 0-0 2, Scott 2-3 1-1 5, DeMars 1-2 0-0 2, Back 0-1 0-0 0, Wilcox 0-0 2-2 2, Milsap 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 24-52 17-23 68.
Halftime—Oshkosh 36, UW-L 27. 3-Point Goals—Oshkosh 6-12 (Schrimpf 3-6, Johnsen 2-2, M. Miller 1-4), UW-L 3-12 (Fehrenbach 2-7, Mane 1-3, Nereng 0-1, Scott 0-1). Rebounds—Oshkosh 38 (Johnson 13), UW-L 24 (DeMars 5). Assists—Oshkosh 10 (Johnson 4), UW-L 5 (five players tied with one). Total fouls—Oshkosh 20, UW-L 22. Fouled out—Seckar-Anderson. Turnovers—Oshkosh 11, UW-L 9. A—350.
