EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – One meeting earlier this season ended in heartbreak at the horn. This time, the UW–Stout men's basketball team made sure there was no doubt late.
Behind a career-high night from Domanyck Schwarzenberger and a decisive edge on the glass, the Blue Devils earned a 67–63 road victory over UW–Eau Claire on Wednesday night in Eau Claire. The win gives Stout a two-game cushion over the Blugolds in the WIAC standings as the race for a conference tournament berth tightens.
Stout led by just one at the break and traded punches throughout the second half, but timely second-chance points and consistent paint touches proved to be the difference in a game that featured eight lead changes.
The Blue Devils set the tone early by attacking inside. Collin Vick scored twice in the paint in the opening minutes, and Stout leaned on offensive rebounds to extend possessions. Midway through the first half, Mason Stoik knocked down a three off an offensive board to halt an Eau Claire run, one of several momentum-swinging plays that kept the Blugolds from pulling away.
After Eau Claire briefly took the lead late in the first half, AJ Uttech and Aidan Shore provided a spark. Shore threw down a powerful dunk off an offensive rebound, and Uttech followed with a finish inside to help Stout carry a slim 29–28 lead into halftime.
The second half followed a similar script. Eau Claire answered nearly every Blue Devil surge, but Stout's ability to win the rebounding battle and score around the rim continued to tilt the game. Schwarzenberger hit a deep three midway through the half to push the lead to six, then answered again moments later after Eau Claire closed the gap.
With the game hanging in the balance in the final two minutes, Schwarzenberger delivered the defining sequence of the night. After Eau Claire cut the lead to one, he buried a clutch three from the wing, then followed it up on the next possession with a strong finish in the paint, a personal 5–0 run that gave Stout breathing room down the stretch.
Stout sealed the win at the free throw line after forcing turnovers late, a fitting end on a night defined by toughness and execution in winning moments.
Schwarzenberger led all scorers with a career-high 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. Vick posted a strong all-around performance with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Uttech added 16 points and Shore chipped in eight points and key defensive plays off the bench.
By the Numbers
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Points in the Paint: UW–Stout 34, UW–Eau Claire 26
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Second Chance Points: UW–Stout 10, UW–Eau Claire 0
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Rebounds: UW–Stout 35, UW–Eau Claire 24
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Bench Points: UW–Stout 24
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Lead Changes: 8
Up Next
UW–Stout returns to the road on Saturday, traveling to face UW–Stevens Point at 7 p.m. as the Blue Devils continue their push toward a WIAC tournament berth.
