The UW-Platteville men’s basketball team traveled to Division I Bradley University Nov. 9 to participate in a David versus Goliath match-up. The Pioneers came away with the 84-79 victory, upsetting the Braves, who were previously 18-0 in exhibition play.

The Pioneers took their first lead of the game with a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Nick Allen at the 13:22 mark. Even without senior forward Jeff Skemp, who sat out the final eight minutes of the first half with two fouls, the Pioneers continued to build their lead.

The Pioneers led by as many as 10 points in the first half. UW-P was perfect from the charity stripe, making all 17 of its free-throw attempts.

“We knocked down free throws in a hostile environment and outscored Bradley in free throws by 12 points,” head coach Paul Combs said.

The Pioneers went into the locker room at half-time leading the Braves 46-37.

“Going into the locker room, we knew Bradley was going to come right at us in the second half,” Combs said. “I was pleased with our effort, but knew we could play better. We talked about how nobody remembers the half-time score; they only remember the final outcome. We wanted to leave the game with no regrets.”

The Pioneers went out and continued to hold their lead against the Braves in the second half. Bradley would get within three points with little over 14 minutes left, but the Pioneers put a stop to their run. Starting at the 11:41 mark, UW-P scored 14 points in a span of three minutes, including three 3-pointers from junior guard Curt Hanson, to expand the lead 69-56. Hanson finished with a team-high 24 points.

“This was a big win and gave a lot of respect to the program,” Hanson said. “It sets us up for playing in big games and gets us ready to play hard this year.”

The Pioneers maintained their lead throughout the rest of the game. The Braves would make one final run against UW-P cutting their lead down to five with four minutes left, but a 3-pointer by junior guard Mike Shaw put the Pioneers up by eight with 39 seconds left on the clock.

“I was pleased with the seniors’ effort and the great leadership they provided us,” Combs said. “Also with Curt and Mike stretching the defense with perimeter shooting. Anytime you play a high-caliber team like we did Sunday, it’s only going to make you better.”

The Pioneer offense showed a well-balanced attack in their season debut with Skemp adding 20 points and Shaw added 15. Skemp also led UW-P with eight rebounds.

“This game opened eyes for us,” Skemp said. “We hope the students continue to come to the games and support us this season. It’s important to have a big crowd behind your team. We appreciate the fan support.”

The Pioneers’ regular season starts 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, when they host Viterbo at Bo Ryan Court.