Box Score
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Box Score

SOMERS, Wis. (Jan. 3, 2014)-- Erasing a 19-point second half deficit, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside men's basketball team opened the New Year and Great Lakes Valley Conference play with a bang, surging past Quincy University 73-71 on Friday night inside the friendly confines of DeSimone Gymnasium.

The homestanding Rangers (8-2, 1-0 GLVC) were staring at a 19-point hole with 9:23 left in the game before utilizing an 18-2 scoring binge to pull within a possession at 58-55 with 5:45 left in the contest. The Hawks' (5-7, 0-2 GLVC) advantage swelled to six points with just over four minutes left before Colt Grandstaff tied the contest with six consecutive points. Grandstaff's scoring rampage began with a tip-in off his own missed shot, drawing a foul on the play. The senior guard sunk the free throw to pull the Rangers back within three before tying the game at 63 with a three-pointer with 3:11 left.

Quincy briefly retook the lead but a three-point play from Andy Mazurczak gave the Rangers' their first lead since midway through the opening half at 66-65 with 2:48 remaining. The sides traded jabs and the score was tied at 69 with one minute left. UW-Parkside cobbled together the next four points from various players going to the line while Quincy's Scottoie Bruzvoort hit a layup at the buzzer to conclude the scoring.

The opening nine minutes of the game witnessed five lead changes and four ties before Quincy took control, finishing the half on a 10-2 run to grab a 41-28 advantage at the break.

Aiding the defending GLVC East Division Champion Rangers improbable comeback was a stingy defense that forced 25 Quincy turnovers and notched  a season-high 12 steals on the night.

Jimmy Gavin was a force off the bench, scoring a season-high 21 points for his seventh straight game in double figures. Zygimantas Riauka tallied his third straight double-double, pouring on 14 points and seizing 11 boards before having his night cut short after fouling out with five minutes to play while Mazurczak added 10 points. Jordan Mach added nine points while Grandstaff tallied eight points and a team-high five assists.

Chris Babbitt paced the Hawks with 23 points while Dalton Hoover and Evan McGaughey added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

UW-Parkside finished the contest with a 34-22 edge in points in the paint while holding a 31-11 advantage in points off turnovers. The Ranger bench out-muscled Quincy by a 30-23 margin in the wild affair that featured eight lead changes and seven ties.

The Rangers return to the court on Sunday, closing out the homestand against GLVC newcomer Truman State University. Tipoff inside DeSimone Gymnasium is slated for 3 p.m.