Menomonie, Wis. –The UW-Stout men's basketball team fell in the final seconds Wednesday night. A last-second three-pointer by UW-Eau Claire spoiled the Blue Devils victory, handing them a tough 80-79 loss at Johnson Fieldhouse.
Hot Start Gives Stout First-Half Edge
UW-Stout set the tone early, building a commanding 13-point lead in the first half behind sharp shooting and strong defensive play. Jacob Walczak paced the offense, while the Blue Devils' depth proved to be a key factor, with the bench contributing 33 points on the night. Stout shot an impressive 51.6% from the field in the opening half and took a 39-32 lead into the break.
Second-Half Battle
UW-Eau Claire responded with a big second half, led by Andre Renta's 28 points. The Blugolds caught fire from the field, shooting 66.7% in the second half to erase Stout's lead. Despite UW-Stout's efforts to regain control, the Blugolds slowly chipped away before setting up a dramatic finish.
Heartbreaker at the Buzzer
With just 12 seconds left, the Blugolds knocked down a clutch three-pointer to give UW-Eau Claire an 80-79 lead. UW-Stout had one last chance, but a contested layup at the buzzer wouldn't fall, sealing a gut-wrenching defeat for the Blue Devils.
By the Numbers
- 11 – Domanyck Schwarzenberger scored a career-high 11 points.
- 25 – Jacob Walczak scored 25 points, his seven game scoring 20+ points in a game
- 13 – Largest lead of the game, held by UW-Stout in the first half.
- 33 – Bench points for Stout, compared to just 7 for UWEC.
- 54.5% – UW-Stout's shooting percentage (30-55).
- 4 – Lead changes throughout the game.
Up Next
UW-Stout looks to rebound as they head on the road to Whitewater, Wis. for a 5 p.m. tip with the Warhawks on Saturday Feb. 8.
