MENOMONIE, Wis. – Behind a blistering second-half shooting performance and a defense that set the tone from the opening tip, the UW-Stout men's basketball team delivered a statement win Wednesday night, knocking off No. 11 UW-Stevens Point 83–67 at Johnson Fieldhouse.
The Pointers entered the night ranked No. 4 in the NPI rankings, riding a 13–1 record with their only loss coming in triple overtime, and having won five straight against the Blue Devils. None of that mattered once Stout caught fire after the break.
After trailing 33–27 at halftime, the Blue Devils erupted for 56 second-half points, shooting 64.3% from the field and 60% from three over the final 20 minutes. It was Stout's most efficient shooting half of the season and quickly turned a close game into a runaway.
Defense fueled the surge. Aidan Shore delivered one of the night's most emphatic moments early, skying for a highlight-reel block on a dunk attempt as part of his four-block performance. Nolan Stauffacher added a momentum-swinging rejection in the second half, pinning a Stevens Point lay up against the glass as the crowd roared.
Offensively, Stout was balanced and relentless, with four players in double figures. AJ Uttech, facing his former team, stayed hot following his 25-point outing on Saturday. Uttech poured in 20 points, repeatedly answering Pointer pushes with timely buckets. His pull-up three at the 9:50 mark of the second half pushed the lead to double digits, and another triple at 7:30 ignited a run that broke the game open.
Domanyck Schwarzenberger finished with 18 points, including a key three at 9:50 of the second half and several tough finishes that kept momentum squarely with the Blue Devils. Wesley Mboga was ultra-efficient, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, highlighted by a corner three at 6:25 that stretched the lead past 20. Collin Vick was everywhere, contributing 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and relentless defensive pressure, including steals that led directly to points.
Gavin Johnson also delivered big moments off the bench, knocking down multiple threes in the second half. His triple at the 8:28 mark capped a flurry that ballooned the lead to 14, and another late three sent the advantage past 20 as both teams emptied their benches.
Johnson Fieldhouse once again proved to be a difficult place for ranked opponents. Just days after No. 17 UW-Eau Claire narrowly escaped with a last-second win, the Blue Devils left no doubt against another nationally ranked foe, pulling away so decisively that reserves filled the floor well before the final horn.
By the Numbers
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Final: UW-Stout 83, #11 UW-Stevens Point 67
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Second-half shooting: 64.3% FG, 60.0% 3PT
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Team 3PT shooting: 11-of-21 (52.4%)
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Points off the bench: 38
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Blocks: 7 (Aidan Shore – 4)
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Double-figure scorers: Uttech (20), Schwarzenberger (18), Mboga (12), Vick (12)
Up Next
UW-Stout hits the road for another WIAC test on Saturday, traveling to UW-Whitewater for a 5 p.m. tipoff.
