UW-Stout 82, Buena Vista College 74
STORM LAKE, Iowa (November 27, 2016) -
Cory Speer came off the bench to spearhead a UW-Stout attack, scoring a career-best 31 points, as the Blue Devils downed Buena Vista College, 82-74, Sunday, at Siebens Fieldhouse.
Speer scored 17 points in the first half, shattering his previous career-high of 12 points, as Stout trailed 38-37 at halftime. Speer matched his uniform number of 23 by scoring six points in the first five minutes of the second half.
John Lahti made a 3-point basket less than a minute into the second half to give Stout (4-1) a 40-38 lead then, following a 3-pointer by the Beavers' David Jeffries, made a lay-up second later to give Stout the lead back at 42-41. Speer stretched Stout's lead to 44-41 five minutes into the second half.
The score stayed within three points and a Stout advantage for the next nine minutes until Buena Vista (2-1) took a 64-62 lead on a 3-pointer by Paul Gallagher. Stout's
Sam Ortmann and Buena Vista's Kennedy Drey traded free throws for a 65-63 home team lead with 5:21 remaining.
Speer gave Stout the lead for good seconds later, making good on the old-fashioned three-point play, with a hoop-and-the-harm, giving Stout a 66-65 lead. Lahti stepped out and hit his second 3-pointer of the half to give Stout a four-point, 69-65 lead at 4:25.
The game would get no closer as Speer would make four free throws and the Blue Devils would make nine total charity shots in the final 1:48 of the game.
Speer was 10-of-14 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 9-of-12 from the line. Speer collected a team-high and personal-best nine rebounds in the contest.
As a team, Stout shot 43.5 percent (27-62) from the floor, but connected on nine 3-pointers.
Sam Ortmann dropped in three long balls to finish with a career-best 14 points.
John Keefe collected his fourth double-digit game of the season, finishing the late afternoon contest with 15 points. Lahti finished with 11 points.
The Beavers shot 44.6 percent from the field (25-56) and hit five 3-pointers. Both teams made 19 free throws. Drey led four Buena Vista players in double figures with 17 points. Thomas Wisecup finished with 13 points and Gallagher with 10. Sean Morgan collected a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds. Buena Vista held a 44-32 advantage off the glass.
The win marked Stout's fourth of the season. Three of Stout's four wins this year were reversals of decisions from last year. Previous to the win over Buena Vista, Stout had beaten NCAA Division II UM-Crookston and UW-Superior. Stout last year lost to Buena Vista, 96-80, lost to Crookston, 74-54, and to UW-Superior, 79-71. The season, Stout beat Crookston 81-73, and Superior, 95-60. Stout's only loss came to Top 25 Hope College.
Stout is off for more than a week and will be away from home for nearly two weeks. Stout will be at Bethany Lutheran College, Monday, Dec. 5 and at the University of Northwestern, Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Stout returns home Saturday, Dec. 10 to face the University of Dubuque at 4 p.m. The court in Johnson Fieldhouse will be officially dedicated as Dewey Mintz Court at halftime.
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