UW-Stout 84, UW-Whitewater 82
WHITEWATER (February 22, 2020) – In the final 16 seconds of the game,
Josh Mericle connected on three free throws and
Luke Geiger produced a game-sealing steal as UW-Stout had to overcome a gigantic game by UW-Whitewater's Equan Ards. The Blue Devils did just that and went on to close the season with an 84-82 win at Kachel Gymnasium Saturday.
The Blue Devils (6-19, 2-12 WIAC) trailed 46-42 at halftime and trailed by as much as nine points midway through the second half. Trailing 70-61 with 11:03 left in the game, Stout outscored the Warhawks (7-18, 2-12 WIAC) 11-3 to pull to within one point, 73-72, with 4:52 remaining in the game.
Whitewater went back ahead 76-72, but Stout's Geiger brought it back to one point, 76-75, on a three point play. Geiger put the Blue Devils ahead 76-77 on a layup, but two Warhawk free throws by Trevon Chislom put the home team back in the lead and a layup by Chislom made the score 80-77 at 2:11.
Stout's
TYreese Alexander made it 80-79 and two free throw by Geiger put Stout ahead 81-80 with 37 seconds left.
The Warhawks' Ards scored his 49
th point of the game with 26 seconds left to give Whitewater an 82-81 lead, but Mericle made two free throws with 16 seconds left, then added another with six seconds remaining for an 84-82 lead. Geiger sealed the game with a steal. And Stout recorded their second conference win of the season.
Ards connected on 21 of 38 shots, making four 3-pointers and three free throws. The transfer also had nine rebounds.
Geiger led Stout with 26 points. Alexander recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Jon Ciriacks and
Cliff McCray each had 13 points. Stout held a 46-39 rebound advantage.
The last time Stout beat Whitewater was Dec. 7, 2013, 74-69, in Johnson Fieldhouse. The last time Stout beat Whitewater in Whitewater was Jan. 30, 2010, taking a 95-77 win at Kachel Gym. Whitewater was ranked fifth nationally at the time. In the next game, the Blue Devils beat fourth-ranked Stevens Point, 69-67, in Menomonie
Editor's Note: Today's date is the 40th anniversary of the US Olympic men's hockey team's win over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics, Feb. 22, 1980 in the game that became known as the Miracle on Ice.
