BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The Maryville men's basketball program wrapped up its weekend at the Shirk Center with a split, falling 94-91 in a Friday night shootout to Wisconsin - Oshkosh before bouncing back for a hard-earned 69-65 victory over Illinois College. The results push the Scots to 4-1 overall.
Game One
Following Friday's tight loss, Head Coach
Raul Placeres emphasized the quality of competition and what the game revealed about the group. "It was two high-quality programs going at it, that's why we go on these types of tournaments," Placeres said. "We were able to learn a lot about ourselves in the game."
Despite the circumstances, Placeres said the team's mindset stayed positive. "Moral was great because we knew we had another opportunity on Saturday to compete at a high level," he said.
Maryville opened the weekend with one of its sharpest offensive performances this season, dumping in 56 second-half points and shooting 57.1 percent after the break against the UW - Oshkosh Titans.
Matt Schneider led the charge with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including four threes, while
Chase Morgan added 19 points and multiple momentum-shifting plays around the rim.
Javi Rosell (14) and
Jackson Garner (13) rounded out four Scots in double figures.
The first half was a track meet from the start. Morgan scored two early baskets to settle Maryville in, including a dunk at the 15:50 mark that cut the gap to 11-8.
Jamal Ware and
Jaylon Green provided a lift off the bench, helping tie the game at 33-33 before Oshkosh closed the half on an 8-2 push to take a 41-35 lead.
Maryville came out of the break firing. Morgan scored the opening bucket, Schneider followed with a tip-in, and back-to-back triples from Schneider swung momentum back to the Scots. Garner's fast-break three at 12:53 gave Maryville a 57-54 lead, and Morgan extended it with a tough finish inside.
From there, the two teams exchanged punches. Oshkosh gradually reclaimed the lead at the line, but the Scots kept answering. Schneider's three at 1:24 kept hope alive, and Garner buried a deep buzzer beater to make it 94-91 at the horn.
Afterward, Placeres said the focus remained on responding the next day. "The message was getting them back to work," he said. "I was happy that we got the right result in Saturday night's game."
Game Two
Saturday afternoon brought a very different style fo game that Maryville embraced. In a matchup featuring 10 ties and 14 lead changes, the Scots leaned on toughness, defense, and timely scoring to secure the road win.
Schneider delivered again with 23 points, while Morgan followed with 15 points, four blocks, and an expressive dunk that sealed the win in the final minute. Garner added 10, and
Collin Smith came off the bench with seven points, five boards, and three blocks at crucial moments.
Placeres said the contrasting styles of the two opponents helped shape the weekend. "The opponent on Friday was more up-tempo, pressing for 40 minutes, while the opponent on Saturday is more of a slower possession team," he said. "We were comfortable playing either style."
He also highlighted the importance of the supporting cast. "We had great production from
Jaylon Green and
Collin Smith off the bench," Placeres said. "And
Kobe Franklin was really good on Saturday."
The first half was a push-and-pull battle. After Schneider knocked down an early three to make it 5-2, Illinois College answered with a run to grab a 25-21 lead. Maryville responded with a surge of its own. Morgan's fast-break dunk at 8:31 shifted momentum, Schneider's tip-in at 2:54 tightened the score, and Garner connected on a three with one minute left to send the Scots into halftime, 40-39.
Schneider opened the half with four straight points, and after the Blueboys tied it at 46-46, Garner and Smith delivered timely responses - first with a fast-break three, then with a second-chance tip-in to make it 65-63.
From there, Maryville closed strong. Rosells' finish with 1:14 remaining pushed the lead to 67-63, and seconds later, Morgan hammered home a fast-break dunk for a 69-63 cushion. Illinois College added a late basket, but Maryville controlled the final possessions to secure the victory.
Looking ahead, Placeres said the team is eager to return home to Cooper Athletic Center. "We're really excited as a team to be able to come back home," he said. "Playing in front of our fans and our community is always as big as we want it to be."
The Scots are back in action Tuesday, November 18th at 7:00 PM to take on the Berea Mountaineers.
Tickets are available to purchase at the door, or at the link below:
https://mcscots.com/sports/2025/9/9/tickets.aspx
