COLLEGEVILLE, Minn.- The UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team traveled to Collegeville, Minn. to take on No. 12 nationally ranked Saint John's University at Sexton Arena on Saturday (Nov 9). The Titans lost the season opener by a score of 62-73.
 
The Titans (0-1) were efficient with their shots hitting 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field compared to the Johnnies' 35.9 percent (23-of-64). Saint John's (1-0) looked good from behind the arc hitting 32.4 percent (11-of-34) of its 3-point attempts compared to Oshkosh's 21 percent (four-of-19) from three point land. Both teams were also solid from the charity stripe with Saint John's having the edge shooting 89 percent (16-of-18) to the Titans' 75 percent (12-of-16).
 
Oshkosh was led by Michael Metcalf-Grassman (So. • Shawano/Waukesha), who had 28 points on 48 percent (10-of-21) from the field in his 32 minutes on the floor. Metcalf-Grassman also pulled in 10 boards for a double-double in the first game of the season. Joey LaChapelle (Fr. • Appleton) added seven points on 38 percent (three-of-eight) from the field and one three.
 
Oshkosh won the tip to start the game and Metcalf-Grassman converted on a foul committed by Saint John's to put the Titans up 2-0.  The Johnnies proceeded to go on a 13-point run to go up 13-2 with 15:57 to go in the half. The Titans stormed back on a 12-2 run with LaChapelle scoring five of his seven points on the spurt, putting the Titans within a point, at 14-15 with 11:00 left in the first half.  For the next eight minutes, the two teams were neck and neck with the Johnnies leading 13-10 and putting the score at 28-24 with 2:43 left in the half. Over the next two and half minutes, both teams scored six to head into the break with the Johnnies up by three, 33-30.
 
The Titans came out hot to start the second half shooting 60 percent in the first three minutes, fueling an 8-2 run, led by Metcalf-Grassman with four points in the stretch, helping the Titans gain the lead at 38-35. After a Johnnies timeout, Saint John's went on a 15-4 run over a seven and a half minute period to put it on top again 42-50 with just over nine minutes to go in the game. The Titans got back within five points (47-52) with 8:15 to go. Saint John's then surged, going up 61-49. The Titans then clawed back to within six at 57-63 with a minute to go before the Johnnies closed out the contest with a 10-5 run to win, 62-73.
 
The Titans are on the road again next week, heading to Tiffin, Ohio for the Heidelberg University Ron Linhart Memorial Tournament, where they will first take on Calvin University (Mich.) on Friday (Nov. 15) at 6 p.m.