PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – A game-tying shot attempt missed at the buzzer as the University of Wisconsin-Platteville men's basketball team (1-1) fell 71-68 in a closely contested game against Coe (3-0) in Friday's second game of the Gabe Miller Classic presented by the DRA.

Neither team led by more than six points in a contest that featured 15 lead changes and 14 ties. Coe led for much of the game, but the Pioneers hung close throughout and had an opportunity to take the lead in the final seconds.

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, and the game entered the break tied at 29 apiece. Coe held the largest lead of the half at just four points, but a layup from junior Bristol Lewis made it a one possession game again.

Lewis led the way for UW-Platteville across the first 20 minutes, scoring nine points on 3-of-6 shooting. Seniors Max Love and Aiden Wieczorek pitched in with six points each, as the Pioneers shot 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the field.

The two teams traded points in the early stages of the second half until Coe pushed out a six-point advantage at 52-46 with 8:39 remaining. A layup by senior Joey Fuhremann and a triple by Wieczorek cut the deficit to one, but the Kohawks countered with a triple to go back up by four. The Pioneers continued to cut away at the lead, but Coe answered every time and led 69-63 with forty seconds left.

Love buried a corner three to make it a three-point game with 26 seconds remaining and Fuhremann made it 69-68 on a layup with 16 seconds on the clock. UW-Platteville forced a turnover and had a chance to take the lead, but Lewis' shot attempt didn't fall with three seconds left. Coe converted a pair of free throws to increase the lead back to three, and junior Max Lucey's running three-point try at the buzzer was no good.

After adding 12 more points in the second half, Lewis finished with a career-high 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep. Fuhremann joined him in double figures with 16 points and a team-high eight boards after shooting 7-of-9 from the field in the second half. Love joined the duo in double figures with 11 points and a team-leading five assists.

For the game, UW-Platteville shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58) and 32.0 percent (8-of-25) from three-point range. Coe was very efficient in the second half and finished at 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the floor and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from deep. Leading the way for the Kohawks was Cole Hrubes and Cooper Nailor, who each scored 19 points.

The Pioneers will play their second game of the Gabe Miller Classic presented by the DRA tomorrow at 5 p.m. against Carroll.