Stevens Point, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned a 53-52 win at UW-Stevens Point Saturday afternoon in Quandt Fieldhouse. The Eagles, receiving votes on D3hoops.com, improve to 18-5 overall and 7-5 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Pointers drop to 14-9 overall and 6-7 in the conference.
UWL's 18 wins are the most since finishing 19-8 in 2006-07. The school record for wins is 21 set in 1975-76 when UWL finished 21-6 overall and advanced to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 14 semifinals.
It is also UWL's second straight win in Stevens Point after a 61-57 victory last season. The Eagles snapped a 24-game losing streak at UW-Stevens Point with last year's win.
Wyatt Cook had 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Eagles have won four straight games overall over the Pointers after a 63-58 victory January 11 in La Crosse. It marks UWL's first four-game winning streak over UW-Stevens Point since winning seven consecutive from 1974-77.
The game was tied three times in the first half Saturday afternoon, including 19-19 with 9:17 left on
Sam Burkart's free throw for UWL. UW-Stevens Point took a 22-19 lead on a Zach Mootz three-pointer, but UWL used a 10-0 run to lead, 29-22 with 4:05 remaining in the first half on a Burkart layup. The Eagles led, 33-27, at halftime.
UWL never trailed in the second half. The Eagles took a 43-33 lead with 12:19 remaining on a
Wyatt Cook layup and later led, 47-37 with 9:37 left. The Pointers cut the deficit to 49-46 with 5:43 remaining on a Blake Ehrke three-pointer, but the Eagles'
Terek Nesheim converted a layup with 3:51 left to make it 51-46. Nesheim gave UWL a 53-48 lead with 2:57 remaining, but UW-Stevens Point scored the next four points make it a one-point game. Garrett Nelson's layup cut it to 53-52 with 2:21 left, but neither team scored the rest of the contest.
UWL had three missed field goal attempts and one turnover in the final 2:26 of the game while UW-Stevens Point missed a pair of jumpers and had a turnover in the final 1:32. Ehrke missed a jumper at the buzzer as UWL held on for the win.
UWL shot 38.5% from the field, including 29.4% (five-of-17) from three-point range, and 88.9% (eight-of-nine) at the free throw line. Nesheim led the Eagles with 15 points while Cook finished with 11. Both players had a team-high eight rebounds.
UW-Stevens Point shot 33.3% from the field, including 20.8% (five-of-24) from three-point range, and 60.0% (15-of-25) at the line. Brandon Spray led the Pointers with 15 points while Ehrke finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Nelson had nine points and game-high 11 rebounds.
UWL returns to action Wednesday, February 15 at UW-River Falls at 7 p.m.
