Men's Basketball Preview: Stout travels to Washington state

at Whitworth Games: Live Stats | Live Video |  WIAC Weekly Release

THIS WEEK'S GAMES:  The Blue Devils (6-3, 0-0 WIAC) return to action after nearly three weeks off and will have their hands full with a pair of games hosted by Whitworth University in the Whitworth Men's Classic presented by Quality Inn Oakwood in Spokane, Wash.

The Blue Devils will face seventh-ranked Whitworth University, (8-1, 2-0 NWC) Friday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. (PT), then will meet high-scoring University of Puget Sound, (6-2, 0-2 NWC) Saturday, Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. (PT). The Blue Devils have been idle since Dec. 10 when they defeated Finlandia University, 84-57.

EDDIE ANDRIST INTERVIEWS: Throughout the season, Pete Knutson of Sports Radio 1400 AM will speak with men's basketball head coach Eddie Andrist. You can find all of the broadcasts and interviews on iHeartRADIO. | Listen to Interviews

WEBCASTS: All UW-Stout home games will be available in a live video stream by Blue Devil Video. WMEQ 880 Radio, with Pete Knutson, Jay Fahl or Jake Bostrom, will broadcast and provide a live audio stream of away conference games and a select number of home games. Stout will provide Live Stats for all home games. Check the Blue Devil Webcast page or the schedule page to see broadcasts and Live Stats available when Stout is on the road.

CAREER STATS: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to check out the UW-Stout career high for points, rebounds, and assists of each Blue Devil player.


A LOOK AT THE BLUE DEVILS

• The Blue Devils are led in scoring by senior Isaac Elliott, who is averaging 16.1 points per contest. Elliott is ranked fifth in the WIAC in scoring and leads the team in 3-pointers, hitting 22-of-48, fourth in the WIAC in 3-pointers made (2.44). Fellow senior Sam Ortmann is averaging 12.8 points per contest and leads the team in rebounds with 4.2 caroms per contest. Freshman Joe Duty is averaging 9.9 points, tops of all league freshmen, and Zach Dahl, who has started the last four games, is averaging 9.7 points.  Junior transfer Brandon Emery was averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds before missing the last four games.
• Keegan Dickson is second in the conference in blocked shots with eight.
• As a team, the Blue Devils are averaging 76.7 points per game and are giving up 69.7.
• Brandon Emery scored a double-double in his first Blue Devil appearance. The junior college transfer scored 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in his UW-Stout debut against Crown College, Nov. 15. Against Colorado College, Emery sent the game into overtime with his layup with less than a second left on the clock.
• Freshman Joe Duty scored 21 points in the win over Marian University and played 34 minutes.
• The Blue Devils return nine players from last year's roster: John Keefe (Sr, Medford), Sam Ortmann (Sr, Buffalo, Minn), Keegan Dickson (Jr, Apple Valley, Minn), Isaac Elliott (Sr, Stevens Point), Adam Mackey (Sr, Ironwood, Mich), Zach Dahl (Jr, Buffalo, Minn), Brandyn Christman (Sr, Rice Lake), Peyton Fulkerson (So, Lodi) and Tanner Schmitt (So, Coon Valley).
• Stout was picked to finish eighth in a 2017-18 preseason poll conducted by WIAC coaches and sports information directors
• 2017-18 Statistics

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT

• UW-Stout forced 12 first half turnovers that allowed the Blue Devils to take a 14-point halftime lead, then Stout controlled the rebounding game in the second half to run away from Finlandia University, 84-57, Dec. 10 at Johnson Fieldhouse.
• The Blue Devils' pressure game forced the Lions (2-5) into numerous first half turnovers that Stout converted to points and freshman Joe Duty scored 10 first half points.
• After a relatively even first half off the glass, Stout controlled the boards in the second half and finished the game with a 41-30 advantage in rebounds. The Blue Devils had six players pull down four or more rebounds.
• Duty and teammate Isaac Elliott finished with a game-high 19 points. Elliott scored 16 of his points in the second half. Zach Dahl popped in 17 points and Sam Ortmann scored 10. Ortmann and Duty each had six rebounds and Dahl and Elliott each recorded five.
• Finlandia Story and Statistics

HOMEBODIES

• With the exception of two games between Christmas and New Years, UW-Stout does not play a game out of state this season. Stout plays teams from Minnesota, Michigan and Colorado at home this year. Stout does travel to Washington state to play Whitworth University, Dec. 29, and Puget Sound, Dec. 30. Stout has 13 home games in Johnson Fieldhouse this season. Last season, Stout played four games, plus one exhibition game, out of state.

SCOUTING WHITWORTH COLLEGE

• The Pirates (8-1, 2-0 NWC) lost their first game of the season, a 92-84 loss to Wheaton University, Dec. 19.
• Whitworth was ranked seventh in the Dec. 17 D3Hoops.com Top 25 before losing to Wheaton. The Pirates finished last season at 23-5 overall and don't have appeared to miss much of a beat despite returning only one starter from last year - Kyle Roach, who is one of four players averaging more than 10 points, dropping in 11.8 points. The back court consists of transfer Jordan Lester, who is averaging 15.7 points and 4.6 assists. He is joined by Ben College, the team's scoring leader with 18.6 points. College has recorded 31 3-pointers. Both guards are shooting over 50 percent, with Lester shooting at a 56.5 percent clip (52-92) and College 50.9 percent (58-114). Jared Christy is team's top rebounder at 8.7 caroms per contest, and is scoring 12.3 points. The Pirates are outscoring their opponents, 85.8-71.6.
• Aston Francis scored 21 points and dished nine assists to lead visiting Wheaton College to a 92-84 win over seventh-ranked Whitworth University Dec. 19 in the Whitworth Fieldhouse. The Thunder ended the Pirates' 30-game regular season winning streak against non-conference opponents.  Whitworth fell to 8-1 after playing only its second game in the last 16 days due to final exams. Wheaton outrebounded the Bucs 43-37 and made 21 of 24 free throw attempts to hold off several Whitworth comeback attempts. Jordan Lester led Whitworth with a game-high 24 points, 18 after halftime.  He added four assists.  Kyle Roach scored 21 points, while Jared Christy finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.  Garrett Hull came off of the bench for 11 points.  The Pirates struggled at the free throw line, making only 17 of 30 attempts (56.7%). | Game Story and Statistics
• The Blue Devils lost at Whitworth, 104-84, during the 2009-10 season, in the teams' only meeting, Dec. 27, 2009. That game was the last time Stout allowed 100 points. Game Story | Box Score
• Pirates Statistics
   

SCOUTING THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND

• The Loggers (6-2, 0-2 NWC) were scheduled to be at Warner Pacific, Dec. 18, but that game was canceled due to the Amtrak derailment which closed the highway near Tacoma, Wash., earlier in the day. The Loggers will be trying to shake off a two-game losing streak, dropping a wild 111-108 decision to Whitman, Dec. 2, and a 95-84 loss to Whitworth, Dec. 1, after winning their first six games. Puget Sound will take on Calvin College, Dec. 29, at the Whitworth Tournament the night before playing Stout.
• Puget Sound plays a high-scoring game, averaging 101.6 points, ranking sixth in the NCAA Division III, but only second in the Northwest Conference (NWC), behind Whitman's 106.1 points. Surprisingly, the Loggers have only two players averaging more than 10 points per game. But Jimmy Wohrer leads the NWC in scoring with 23.0 points per contest, ranking 21st in Division III. Wohrer has scored more than 20 points six times this season, with a season-high 27 points coming in a 116-115 win over the University of Redlands. Wohrer has hit five or more 3-pointers in seven of the team's nine games and ranks ninth nationally in 3-pointers made. He is 58-134 from the floor and 37-91 from 3-point range. Nate Viera is averaging 12.8 points. On the flip side, the Loggers are giving up 95.3 points per game.  As a team, the Loggers rank sixth in the nation in scoring (101.6), fourth in 3-pointers made (120), and seventh in total steals (119).
• The Blue Devils lost to Puget Sound, 85-70, during the 2007-08 season, in the teams' only meeting, Nov. 25, 2007, in the championship game of UW-Stout's Thanksgiving Tournament. Game Story | Box Score
• Loggers Statistics

AWARDS AND HONORS: 2017-18: Freshman Joe Duty was selected as the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week, Dec. 12, after scoring 19 points in a win over Finlandia University. Duty also had five assists in a win at Silver Lake College....

BLUE DEVIL HISTORY: UW-Stout, then Stout Institute, played their first game Jan. 11, 1907, hosting the University of Wisconsin at the Armory in Menomonie. The Badgers handed the Trainers a 29-19 loss.




UW-STOUT COACH EDDIE ANDRIST

• Eddie Andrist (206-234 at Stout, 456-425 overall) is in his 18th  year as the coach of the Blue Devils, and his 29th  overall in the collegiate ranks.
• Andrist led the Blue Devils to their first NCAA Division III appearance six seasons ago when Stout advanced to the second round.
• Andrist coached at Mount Senario for 11 seasons and won three national championships.
• Andrist spent two stints as a UW-Stout assistant, first as a student coach in the 1970s, then again during the 1980s.
• Andrist spent two stints coaching international basketball, working with the country of Qatar

CONFERENCES: Stout is a member of the eight team Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) along with UW-La Crosse, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls. UW-River Falls is projected to win the conference crown, according to a preseason poll conducted by WIAC coaches and sports information directors, followed by: UW-Whitewater; UW-Oshkosh; UW-Eau Claire; UW-Stevens Point; UW-Platteville; UW-La Crosse; and UW-Stout.


DEWEY MINTZ COURT: The basketball court in Johnson Fieldhouse was named Dewey Mintz Court, Dec. 10, in honor of 27-year Blue Devil coach Dwain Mintz, who coached the Blue Devil men's basketball team from 1962-1989. Nearly 30 years after he retired, Mintz is currently fourth on the WIAC all-time men's basketball coaches wins list with a record of 385-280.Mintz coached league contenders throughout his tenure at UW-Stout from 1963-89, including conference championships in 1966, 1969 and 1975. He was the NAIA District 14 Coach of the Year in 1966 and 1973, and NAIA Area IV Coach of the Year in 1969. During his 27 years at UW-Stout, Dewey Mintz Court is the fifth floor named among member schools in the WIAC. The others include: Bo Ryan Court at UW-Platteville; Ken Anderson Court at UW-Eau Claire; Dave "Augie" Vander Meulen Court at UW-Whitewater; and Bennett Court at UW-Stevens Point, named in honor of Dick and Jack Bennett.

UP NEXT: The conference season will open Wednesday, Jan. 3 when Stout host UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.  Stout will host UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m.


UW-Stout 2017-18 Individual Season Highs (Updated December 11, 2017)

Points: 25, Isaac Elliott vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
3-Pointers Made: 6, Isaac Elliott vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
Rebounds: 11, Brandon Emery vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017
Assists: 5, Joe Duty vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017; Brandon Emery vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
Steals: 3, Isaac Elliott vs. Northwestern, Dec. 2, 2017; Joe Duty vs. Northwestern, Dec. 2, 2017

UW-Stout 2017-18 Team Season Highs (Updated December 11, 2017)

Points: 94 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Field Goals Made: 37 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Field Goal Percentage:  .612 vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017
3-Pointers Made: 13 vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
Free Throws Made: 19 vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017
Free Throw Percentage: .895 vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017
Rebounds: 41 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: 16 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
Turnovers: 14 vs. St. Scholastica, Nov. 25, 2017
Blocked Shots: 5 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017
Steals: 11 vs. Northwestern, Dec. 2, 2017
Double-Doubles: 17 pts, 11 rbs, Brandon Emery vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017


UW-Stout Career Bests (updated December 11, 2017)

John Keefe - #0
Points: 32 vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 22, 2016
Rebounds: 15 vs. Silver Lake College, Jan. 3, 2017
Assists: 9 vs. Dubuque, Dec. 8, 2015

Brandon Emery - #1
Points: 17 vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017
Rebounds: 11 vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017
Assists: 5 vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017

Keegan Dickson - #2
Points: 20 vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 22, 2016
Rebounds: 9 (2x) vs. University of Dubuque, Dec. 10, 2016; vs. Robert Morris, Nov. 19, 2016
Assists: 4 vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017

Kevin Stroemple - #3
Points: 4 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017
Rebounds: 4 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017
Assists: 1 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017

Luke Geiger - #4
Points: 2 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017
Rebounds: 1 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017
Assists: x

Josh Mericle - #10
Points: 4 vs. St. Scholastica, Nov. 25, 2017
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

Zach Dahl - #12
Points: 17 (2x)  vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017
Rebounds: 6 vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017
Assists: 2 (3x) vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. Northwestern, Dec. 2, 2017; vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017

Hayden Reese - #13
Points: 5 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 1 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: x

Isaac Elliott - #14
Points: 25 vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017
Rebounds: 6 (3x) vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017;  vs. UW-Eau Claire, Jan. 30, 2016; vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 24, 2015
Assists: 3 (3x) vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 26, 2017; vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017

Peyton Fulkerson - #20
Points: 2 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 2 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: x

Brandyn Christman - #23
Points: 13 vs. UW-Platteville, Jan. 16, 2016
Rebounds: 7 vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 20, 2016
Assists: 3 vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017

Sam Ortmann - #24
Points: 23 vs. Crown College, Nov. 15, 2017
Rebounds: 8 (2x) vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017; vs. Robert Morris, Nov. 19, 2016
Assists: 6 (2x) vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 11, 2017; vs. John Carroll University, Dec. 29, 2014

Jon Ciriacks - #25
Points: 11 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 5 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: 3 (2x) vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017; vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017

Joe Duty - #30
Points: 21 vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017
Rebounds: 6 (2x) vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017; vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017
Assists: 5 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017

Adam Mackey - #32
Points: 13 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 7 (2x) vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017; vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 26, 2017
Assists: 2 vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017

Tanner Schmitt - #33
Points: 2 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 1 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: x

Trey Hake - #40
Points: 5 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Rebounds: 1 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: x

Brady Booth - #44
Points: x
Rebounds: x
Assists: x

McKinley Gehlhausen - #45
Points: x
Rebounds: 1 vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017
Assists: x


The Last Time...(updated December 11, 2017)

A Stout Individual...
Scored 30 points: 31, Cory Speer vs. Buena Vista (11/27/16)
Scored 25-29 points: 25, Isaac Elliott vs. Colorado College, 11/18/17
Recorded 15 rebounds: 15, John Keefe vs. Silver Lake College (1/3/17); Jarvis Ragland vs. Bethany Lutheran, (12/3/14)
Recorded 10 assists: 11, Erik Olson vs. UW-Stevens Point (2/13/13)
Recorded 6 steals: 8, by Jerrel Enerson-Matthews vs. Bethany Lutheran (11/21/08)

A Stout Team...
Had five players score in double digits: vs. Bethany Lutheran, Nov. 29, 2017: Zach Dahl (17); Keegan Dickson (13); Isaac Elliott (10); Sam Ortmann (10); Joe Duty (10); vs. UW-Eau Claire, Feb. 1, 2017: John Keefe (21); John Lahti (17); Keegan Dickson (16); Brett Ahsenmacher (14); Sam Ortmann (13); vs. UW-La Crosse, Jan. 14, 2017: Jacob Nordstrom (12); Cory Speer (12); Brett Ahsenmacher (11); John Lahti (11); Sam Ortmann (10); vs. Bethany Lutheran, Dec. 5, 2016: Sam Ortmann (16); John Keefe (13); Keegan Dickson (12); Jacob Nordstrom (10); Cory Speer (10); vs. UW-Superior, Nov. 22, 2016: John Keefe (32); Keegan Dickson (20); Cory Speer (12); John Lahti (11); Jacob Nordstrom (10). vs. Robert Morris, Nov. 19, 2016: John Keefe (24); Isaac Elliott (19); Keegan Dickson (16); Sam Ortmann (10); John Lahti (10).
Had four players score in double digits: vs. Finlandia University, Dec. 10, 2017, Isaac Elliott (19), Joe Duty (19), Zach Dahl (17), Sam Ortmann (10); vs. Silver Lake College, Dec. 7, 2017, Sam Ortmann (17), Isaac Elliott (15), Adam Mackey (13), Jon Ciriacks (11); vs. Colorado College, Nov. 18, 2017, Brandon Emery (11), Keegan Dickson (11) Isaac Elliott (25), Sam Ortmann (14); vs. Marian University, Nov. 17, 2017, Joe Duty (21); Zach Dahl (15); Isaac Elliott (15); Brandon Emery (13); vs. UW-Whitewater, Feb. 21, 2017 - John Lahti (16); John Keefe (15); Isaac Elliott (12); Braden Walbeck (11(; vs. UW-Stevens Point, Feb. 11, 2017 - John Keefe (15); John Lahti (13); Jacob Nordstrom (12); Brett Ahsenmacher (10); vs. UW-Oshkosh, Jan. 7, 2017. John Lahti (20), John Keefe (18), Cory Speer (17), Jacob Nordstrom (10); vs. Buena Vista, Nov. 27, 2016, Cory Speer (31); John Keefe (15); Sam Ortmann (14); John Lahti (11).
Scored 105 points: 109, vs. Crown College (2/15/11)
Scored 100-104 points: 102 vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Recorded 60 rebounds: 64, vs. Concordia-Texas (12/11/2011)
Recorded 55-59 rebounds: 56 vs. Northland College (11/24/12)
Recorded 25 assists: 25, vs. Silver Lake College (2/17/2010)
Won 10 or more games in a row: 10, 2005-06 season
Lost 5 or more games in a row: 7, 2016-17 season
Was held to 40 or fewer points in game: 40, vs. Plattsburgh State (12/30/13)

UW-Stout Individual Game Records
Most Points: 43, Chris Korba vs. UW-Oshkosh, 1991
Most Field Goals Attempted: 32, Bill Heideman vs. UW-River Falls, 1967-68
Most Field Goals Made: 17, Bill Heideman vs. UW-River Falls, 1967-68
Most 3-Point Field Goals Attempted: 14, Eric Hostetter vs.Crown College, 2010-11; Jeff Vandenberghe vs. Elmhurst, 12/13/03
Most 3-Point Field Goals Made: 9/14, Jeff Vandenberghe vs. Elmhurst, 12/13/03; 9/12, Jerrod Buchholtz vs. UW-River Falls 1/5/11
Consecutive Field Goals Made: 13, Craig Summers vs. E. Montana,1981-82
Best Field Goal Percentage: 100%, Tuwan Clayton (8/8) vs. Northwestern, 12/1/94; Jimmy Whitehead (8/8) at UW-Eau Claire, 1/25/14; Aaron Jenny (5/5) vs. Northland, 11/24/12; Josh Kosloske (5/5) at Luther College, 11/25/13; Brandon White Blackmon (5/5) vs. UW-La Crosse, 1/12/08
Most Free Throws Attempted: 22, Cal Glover vs. UW-Stevens Point, 1970-71
Most Free Throws Made: 16, Cal Glover vs. UW-Stevens Point, 1970-71; Troy Hamilton vs. Mt. Senario, 1989-90; Keith Moessner vs. UW-La Crosse, 1957-58
Consecutive Free Throws Made: 16, Cal Glover vs. UW-Superior, 1970-71
Best Free Throw Percentage: 100%, 16-16, Cal Glover vs. UW-Superior, 1970-71; 12-12, Duke Severson vs. Augsburg, 1959-60; 11-11, Nate Templer vs. La Crosse, 2/12/03; 8-8, Erik Olson vs. UW-Superior, 1/30/13
Most Rebounds: 38, Mel Coleman vs. UW-Whitewater, 1967-68
Most Assists: 14, Brian Ellingson vs. Northland, 1986-87
Most Steals: 8, Jerrel Enerson-Matthews vs. Bethany Lutheran 11/21/08
Most Blocked Shots: 9, Jacob Nonemacher vs. UW-Whitewater, 1/27/07