Blue Devils come up just short, fall to Pointers

UW-Stevens Point 71, UW-Stout 68 | Photo Gallery by D3photography

STEVENS POINT (January 11, 2017) - UW-Stout recovered from a 15-point deficit midway through the second half to put themselves back into contention, but the Blue Devils lost their first conference game of the season, 71-68, to UW-Stevens Point Wednesday at Bennett Court.

The Pointers (8-5, 2-1 WIAC) held a 34-27 halftime lead, then worked their way to a 15 point, 56-41, lead at the 10:20 mark of the second half before cutting into the lead and going ahead with one-minute, 38-seconds remaining.

The Blue Devils (11-3, 2-1 WIAC) went on a 13-0 run to pull to within 58-54 with 5:40 left on the clock. pointerAfter the Pointer went up 62-54, Stout went on another run.

Sam Ortmann (Jr, Buffalo, Minn) hit a 3-pointer to make it 62-56. Cory Speer's (Sr, Elgin, Minn)  bucket made it 62-59, then stole ball. Brett Ahsenmacher (Sr, Andover, Minn) pulled Stout to within 62-61 with 2:28 remining on a layup and John Keefe (Jr, Medford) gave Stout the lead, 64-63, with 55 ticks remaining.

The Pointers regained the lead, 64-63, on Ethan Bublitz's layup. MJ Delmore made a pair of charity shots and Bublitz drained two more to put the Pointers up 68-63 with16 seconds remaining. Ahsenmacher went to the line and made both attempts to pull Stout to within three points, 68-65. Bublitz dropped in two more free throws to stretch the lead to 70-65 with nine second left. Ahsenmacher drilled a 3-pointer to make it 70-68 with six seconds left. Delmore made one last free throw and  Isaac Elliott's (Jr, Stevens Point) desperation 3-pointer was off the mark.

Delmore led all players with 23 points. Bryce Williams came off the Pointer bench for 13 points and Bubllitz finished with 10 points.

The Blue Devils got 18 points from Keefe. Elliott contributed 15 points and Ortmann finished with 11.

Stout will host UW-La Crosse, Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m.

PARTING SHOTS

• The Blue Devils kept up their stellar free throw shooting, hitting 10-11 (.909). In the three conference games, Stout has hit 35-37 free throws (.948)
• Rebounds were even, with Stout pulling down 31, Stevens Point 30. Keefe led Stout with five, Bublitz ahd five for the Pointers
• This was only the third game this season Stout did not have a blocked shot.
• Jan. 11 marked the 110th anniversary of the first Stout men's basketball game, played Jan. 11, 1907, at the Menomonie Armory. Stout lost to Wisconsin.