Purdue Fort Wayne
Wisconsin
Shorthanded Mastodons Fall in Season Opener
11/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2009
Madison, WI – Junior forward Jon Leuer tossed in a game-high 19 points as Wisconsin topped IPFW, 75-46 in the season opener for both teams Sunday night at the Kohl Center.
The 6’ 10” Leuer was 8-10 from the floor and 3-3 from the foul line for his total. He also hauled down six rebounds and blocked four Mastodon shots. The Badgers (1-0) rejected 11 IPFW shots in the contest.
Leuer staked the Badgers to an early double-digit lead with a layup inside making it 14-4.
Having a difficult time scoring early, IPFW inserted sophomore Jeremy Mixon into the lineup and Mixon responded with six quick points as the ‘Dons tried to keep pace.
Wisconsin would go on a 7-0 run to end the half, and they did it in fashion, as junior guard Jason Bohannon drilled a triple at the buzzer to give the Badgers a 39-18 lead at the break.
The UW lead quickly grew to 33 as Bohannon hit another 3-pointer at the 14:22 mark.
Mixon would add nine more to his first half total. He finished with a team-high 17, but it wasn’t enough as the Mastodons fell by 29.
Bohannon was the only other Badger to hit for double-figures with 12. Starting guard Trevon Hughes, who had 25 the last time the two teams met in 2007, finished with just eight.
Mixon was the only ‘Don to hit double-digits. Senior guard Nick Daniels added seven while junior guard Zach Plackemeier chipped in six.
One of the Mastodons’ strengths was their weakness on the night. Normally a strong 3-point shooting team, IPFW managed just 3-13 from behind the arc (23.1%) and shot just 34.0% from the floor.
Wisconsin hit 57.1% of their attempts and outrebounded the ‘Dons, 33-22.
IPFW did a nice job of protecting the ball, turning it over just seven times to UW’s 13.
IPFW, who played without senior forwards Deilvez Yearby (coaches’ decision), Aaron Richie (injury) and sophomore forward John Peckinpaugh (injury), will return home to host Madonna University on Tuesday night at the Coliseum. Tip off is 7:00 p.m.
~Dons~
