UW-Eau Claire 80, UW-Stout 62
EAU CLAIRE (January 18, 2017) - UW-Eau Claire used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to take an 18-point lead and went on to down UW-Stout 80-62 Wednesday at Zorn Arena.
Eau Claire (13-3, 3-2 WIAC) opened the game with a 6-0 lead, but the Blue Devils (12-4, 3-2 WIAC) answered back with 3-pointers by
Sam Ortmann and
John Keefe sandwiched a basket by
Jacob Nordstrom to give Stout an 8-6 lead. It would prove to be Stout's only lead of the game, although the game stayed close until the Blugolds took off on their run around the eight minute mark.
Eau Claire held a 49-34 halftime lead. Stout did cut the lead to as little as 10 points several times throughout the second half.
Eau Claire had four players score in double digit, led by Jack Martinek's 21 points. George Diekelman tossed in 15 points, Chris Duff 12 and Sean Miller 10. Jared Schneiderman pulled down 14 rebounds, as Eau Claire outrebounded Stout, 43-31.
The Blugolds also took many more trip to the free throw line, dropping in 13-of-16 charity shots. Stout, in contrast, tallied two free throws in only three attempts.
Eau Claire shot 56.3 percent (18-32) from field in the first half, but cooled down to finish at 48.4 percent (30-62), four percentage points under the NCAA DIII leading 52.4 percent.
Stout was led by
John Keefe, who finished the night with 19 points, scoring 15 in the first half.
John Lahti added 11 for Stout. Stout finished the night shooting 39.4 percent (26-66) and did drop in eight 3-point shots, four in each half.
Brett Ahsenmacher hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points.
Stout will host UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Jan. 21 at 3 p.m., then will head to UW-River Falls, Wednesday, Jan. 25.
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