Stout sees big lead evaporate, fall by two points to Pointers

UW-Stevens Point 65, UW-Stout 63 | Photo Gallery

MENOMONIE (January 25, 2020) – UW-Stout held an 18-point lead with nearly four minutes remaining in the third quarter, but saw that lead disintegrate and UW-Stevens Point came out of Johnson Fieldhouse with a 65-63 WIAC win over the Blue Devils Saturday.
 
The Blue Devils (12-6, 3-4 WIAC) held a 50-32 lead with 3:41 remaining but the Pointers outscored Stout 33-13 the rest of the way, including holding Stout to five points in the fourth quarter.
 
Taylor scored eight of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and Kellen Schmidt scored seven of her 11 points in the fourth quarter for the Pointers. The Pointers connected on 7 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter and dropped in 7 of 13 shots from the floor, including two 3-pointers.
 
Stout rushed out to a 21-10 first quarter lead, but Stevens Point came back to pull to within 34-30 at halftime. Stout still held a 16-point 58-42 lead at the end of the third quarter.
 
The Pointers tied the game at 61-61 with 1:16 left on Amber Baehman two free throws, but Stout's Amber Fabeck tied the game with a pair of free throws.
 
Stevens Point took their first lead of the game, 64-63 on a Bailee Collins free throw with 16 seconds remaining after Collins drew a foul on Fabeck, who left the game with five fouls. Stout was forced to foul with four seconds left and Schmidt hit one foul for what would prove to be the final 65-63 score. The Blue Devils called time out, but their heavily contested shot to tie the game did not find the bottom of the basket.
 
Collins led all players with 19 points. Taylor Greenheck finished with 18 points and Schmidt had 11. Fabeck led Stout with 14 points, all in the second half, with 12 scored in the third period.
 
For the game, both teams shot evenly from floor, with the Pointers shooting 40.4 percent (23-57) and Stout 40.0 percent (26-65). Stout was 1 for 16 from the floor in the fourth quarter. The Pointers made four total 3-point shots, but Stout countered with six. The Pointers won the game on the line, hitting 15 of 18 charity shots, while Stout made 5 of 12.
 
The loss was Stout's first home loss of the season.
 
The Blue Devils will host UW-Eau Claire, Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. as the first part of a doubleheader with the UW-Eau Claire programs.