UW-Stout 79, Crown College 75 |
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MENOMONIE (November 15, 2017) - Playing without their leading scorer for almost the entire game, UW-Stout found a way to win the season opener, downing Crown College, 79-75, Wednesday at Johnson Fieldhouse.
John Keefe, who led the team in scoring last season had Stout's first four points of the game, was injured and left the game with just over a minute off the clock.
Crown (0-1) led for much of the first 10 minutes of the first half, but Stout's
Sam Ortmann scored eight of his career-high 23 points in a three minute span to give Stout a 25-20 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Crown tied the game before Stout jumped out to a seven points, 37-30 lead with four minutes left after Ortmann connected on a bucket and free throw.
Stout never trailed in the second half, but the pesky Storm kept the game close, tying the game or pulling to within one point several times. Stout built a nine-point, 65-59, lead at the midway point of the second half, only to see Crown cut the lead to one point, 69-68, with just over five minutes left. Stout closed out the game on a 10-7 advantage for the four point win.
Brandon Emery, a junior college transfer playing in his first Stout game and getting the start, scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half. Emery went 6-of-12 from the floor and connected on all five of his free throw attempts for the night. Emery also led Stout off the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds.
Ortmann was 9-of-18 from the floor and hit three 3-pointers.
Isaac Elliott finished the game with 13 points.
Crown's Timothy Wendel led all scorers with 24 points, dropping in 8-of-15 shots, but 4-of-9 3-pointers and the Storm hit 10-of-30 from 3-point range. Austin VanDerHeyden scored 18 points and Josh Volness contributed 15 points. Trey Peace had 11 rebounds and Wendel secured 10.
Stout shot 28-of-69 from the field (40.6 percent) and 6-of-22 from 3-point range (27.3). The Blue Devils' free throw shooting paid off, knocking down 17-of-19 free throws at an 89.5 percent clip.
Crown shot 28-of-59 from the floor (47.5 percent) and 10-of-30 from beyond the arc (33.3). The Storm did not have as many opportunities at the free throw line and hit 9-of-13 (69.2).
Stout will host the UW-Stout Tip-Off Tournament this weekend. Colorado College and UW-Superior will meet in the opener, Friday, Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m. Stout is scheduled to meet Marian University at approximately 7:30 p.m. The consolation game is scheduled Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m., with the championship game to follow.
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