http://cslab.uwlax.edu/~ander_rj/mensbball/RF.html (Internet on a CD, 07/1998)
It's called playing out the string.
Bowen's UW-River Falls Falcons, however, are heading in the opposite direction than Gross's Eagles. UW-River Falls' 78-63 victory over UW-L on the Eagles home floor Wednesday was further proof.
Proof that UW-L, once 8-0 and ready to make a statement, has hit bottom with a resounding thud. The Eagles have lost 12 of their last 14, and are currently entrenched in last place in the WSUC at 2-11. UW-L, with three games remaining, is 10-12 overall.
River Falls, meanwhile, has won four of its last eight, and is 4-9 in the WSUC, 10-12 overall.
``For a 10-12 team, we really putting it together right now,'' Bowen said. ``We are really focused right now. This time of year it is mental, and we knew they (UW-L) were struggling.''
Struggling may be putting it kindly.
The Eagles started fast, building a 7-2 lead on a 3-pointer by Chuck Simpson. Just when a crowd of 249 thought it may see the inspired, hustling, and intelligent play once displayed by the 8-0 Eagles, instead they saw the lackadaisical play characteristic of a team which has lost five straight.
``There is no reason we shouldn't have been motivated,'' said Gross, who had yet another closed-door meeting with his team after the game. ``We constantly play to the level of our opponent.''
If that was true, UW-L would be close at the end. It wasn't.
The Eagles never led again after their opening two-minute spurt, although UW-L did pull within a basket at 43-41 on a three-point play by Melvin Veasley with 16 minutes, 22 seconds remaining. Veasley, in fact, was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal outing for the Eagles.
Veasley came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points and pull down six rebounds in 24 minutes.
``It's the best he has played (at home) since the game with UW-Platteville,'' Gross said. ``He played with confidence, and made some quick moves.''
Unfortunately for UW-L, it wasn't contagious.
River Falls reeled off 10 consecutive points, four of which came from Chad Meschke. Meschke, a 6-foot junior guard, finished with a team-high 15 points for the Falcons. Tony Fisher (13 points), Matt Chitwood (12) and Cory Berseth (11) gave River Falls more balance the UW-L could handle.
The Falcons pushed the lead to 16 points over the final eight minutes, and ballooned the margin to 78-59 at one point.
``I gave our upper classmen the first half of the season to make some things happen,'' Bowen said. ``It wasn't happening, so I went with three freshman, the sophomores and juniors. A couple of kids quit because the freshmen were playing so much.''
Bowen stuck to his plan, and now smiles when talking about the future.
``The last three weeks the young kids have started to figure out what we are doing offensively,'' Bowen said. ``I'm excited. If there was a conference tournament this year, this win would be huge.''
A conference tournament featuring the top eight teams will be instituted in 1998-99. If it was in effect this season, UW-L would be watching.
``We have some young players, like a Paul Manchester, who are playing well,'' Gross said of the freshman from Logan. ``Paul has been a very bright spot for us. The fire, intensity and emotion he plays with, things like that are catchy.''
Error Eagles. UW-L didn't catch any of those things Wednesday night.