UW-Stout 67, UW-Stevens Point 64
STEVENS POINT (February 4, 2009) - Julia Hirssig (Jr, Rochester, Minn.) tied her career high 37 points and hit a pair of game-winning free throws, Wednesday, as UW-Stout defeated second ranked UW-Stevens Point, 67-64, in Stevens Point.
The visiting Blue Devils led by as much as 13 halfway through the first stanza, but a late surge by the Pointers cut the lead down to three heading into the locker room.
With 11 minutes remaining to play, the Pointers took their first lead of the game, 47-46. That lead was later stretched to six points with two and a half minutes to go.
Charlee Edwards (Sr, Danbury) answered with a 3-pointer, cutting the lead in half. After a Pointer bucket, the Blue Devils turned to Edwards again, as she cut the lead back down to three when she took an assist from Megan Maslowski (Jr, Marshfield). Edwards hit another bucket on Stout's next possession, pulling her team within one point with one minute remaining.
After a defensive stand, Hirssig hit two free throws with nine seconds remaining to give the Blue Devils a one-point lead. Edwards closed out the game with free throws to stretch the lead to three points after grabbing a rebound off a desperation 3-pointer by the Pointers.
Edwards finished the game with 16 points, nine of which came in the final two and a half minutes of play.
Hirssig notched her 10th double-double of the season by adding 12 rebounds to her night. Hirssig has scored 26 or more points in each of the last four games and has twice scored 37 points during that span. Only five Blue Devils scored, but only nine Blue Devils entered the game.
Stevens Point got 16 points from Britta Petersen, 14 from Jessi Sporle and 13 from Janell Van Gomple.
The win marks Stout's first victory at Stevens Point since Dec. 8, 2001, when Stout defeated the Pointers, 72-71. The win also halted Stevens Point's winning streak at 14.
The Blue Devils return to action Saturday, Feb. 7 when they travel to UW-Whitewater, then return to Johnson Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 11, when they will host UW-Superior at 7 p.m.
