UW-Fox Earns 2014 WCC Tournament Title

UW-Fox 84 UW-Richland 59

2014 WCC Tournament Championship Game

The UW-Fox men’s basketball team captured the 2014 Wisconsin Collegiate Conference tournament championship with an 84-59 victory over UW-Richland at JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.  It is the third tournament title in the past four years for the Cyclone men who earned the crown in 2011 and 2013.

Sunday’s game was closer than the score would indicate and the Roadrunners, who became the hot team in the WCC-West over the last few weeks, came to play.  The Cyclones struggled offensively in the first half, but played enough defense to lead 39-28.  Richland guard Grant Dull continued his torrid offensive play with 11 first half points, while UW-Fox first year big Nick Mohl had a career high 12 points in the opening period.  Mohl turned all four of his offensive rebounds into baskets.

UW-Fox maintained a double digit lead for most of the second half, but every time they seemed poised to pull away UW-Richland was up for the task.  Chase Hawley scored on a driving lay-up with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game then turned a steal on the next possession into an assist to Cameron Schaefer for a lay-up that put the Cyclones up 52-37, but back to back baskets had Richland back in the game at 52-42.

Richland had come back to win their first two tournament games from 16 and 18 down in the second half, but the Cyclones would not let that happen in the this game.  Trevor Krizenesky’s three-point field goal with just over 5 minutes remaining, off a great screen from Hawley and an assist from Nate TeGrootenhuis, pushed the UW-Fox lead to 67-50. 

From there the Cyclones would finish with a flurry.  Schaefer’s lay-up in transition with 2:06 left capped off a 10-2 run that would push the lead to 77-52.  UW-Fox also converted 22/24 (91.7%) free-throws for the game.

Schaefer led UW-Fox with 17 points, while Mohl finished with 14 points on 6/7 shooting, and 10 rebounds.  Matt Lehner, whose play offensively was huge for the Cyclones over the last few weeks, hit all 11 of his free-throw attempts to finish with 13 points.  Krizenesky finished off his stellar Cyclone career with 13 points and 4 assists and Jon Schlaver also capped off a fine career with 8 points and 7 rebounds. 

For their two day efforts Krizenesky and Mohl were named to the all-tournament team.  They joined George Johnson, UW-Richland;  Murdock Smith, UW-Barron;  and Devonte Pinckney, UW-Manitowoc on the five member team.

UW-Fox finishes the season 24-4 overall.  The Cyclones have posted a 117-17 record over the past 5 seasons.