Jeff Skemp and Curt Hanson combined for 30 of UW-Platteville's 46 second-half points, as the sixth-ranked Pioneers rallied to win 71-61 at UW-La Crosse Wednesday night.

Skemp scored 19 of his game-high 23 in the second period, while Hanson had 11 of his 16, helping the Pioneers overcome a 28-25 deficit. The Eagles' lead grew to as many as eight (37-29 and 39-31) before the Pioneers began their comeback.

The Pioneers made five three-pointers in a 5:29 span of the second half, with Hanson knocking down three and Nick Allen two. Allen's second long-range bomb tied the score at 47, and Hanson's third made it 50-47.

With the Eagles forced to stretch the defense to guard the hot shooters, Skemp took over inside. The all-American center scored the Pioneers' next 13 points, leading to a 63-55 advantage with 2:29 remaining. The Pioneers closed the game by making eight straight free throws and improved to 14-2 overall and 6-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Skemp's 23 points raised his career total to 1,223, good for 16th place on the Pioneer scoring list. Allen and Mike Shaw each added nine points, and Charlie Lohoff dished out four assists.

Tony Mane led the Eagles (8-7, 2-4) with 19 points, while Kurt Kincaid had 11. Both players hit three-point baskets during the Eagles' 14-3 run to close the first half.

The Pioneers are off this weekend, then play host to seventh-ranked UW-Whitewater Wednesday at 7 p.m. The first game with the students back is the Orange Out Night, and all Pioneer fans are encouraged to wear orange for this rivalry contest.

(UW-Platteville Athletics)