MENOMONIE, Wis. – UW-Stout women's basketball traded punches with Wis.-Stevens Point for all 40 minutes Wednesday night at Johnson Fieldhouse, but a tough fourth quarter ultimately swung the game in favor of the Pointers as the Blue Devils fell, 74-66.
Stout set the tone immediately with effort. In the first minute, Addy Verhagen poked the ball loose and dove on the floor to secure it, sparking a transition layup for the Blue Devils' first basket of the night. The fast-paced first half featured end-to-end action, with both teams pushing tempo and attacking early in the shot clock.
Julia Rybacki made her presence felt defensively midway through the second quarter, coming over for an emphatic block around the 8:30 mark. A few minutes later, Eleice Dahl knocked down a big three at the five-minute mark to tie the game at 25, finishing a strong inside-out sequence as Olivia Johnson drew the defense in the post before kicking it out to the top of the key.
Stout opened the second half with more hustle, as Bills poked the ball loose and dove on the floor to create an extra possession. The Blue Devils capitalized when Rybacki pulled down an offensive rebound and finished through contact for an and-one, part of a career-high scoring night for the sophomore.
The momentum continued to swing as Molly Bills buried a three off a Verhagen assist, and Stout carried that energy into a pivotal third quarter. Brooklynn Birt jumped a passing lane around the 6:40 mark, leading to a transition layup by Rybacki, before Birt drilled a go-ahead three — again assisted by Verhagen — to give Stout a 42-41 advantage. The teams traded buckets and leads throughout the quarter, with neither side able to create separation.
Johnson provided key minutes late in the third, finishing a putback layup before powering through contact for another basket. As time wound down, Verhagen beat the buzzer with a deep three, giving the Blue Devils a 56-48 lead heading into the final period.
Stevens Point responded with a dominant fourth quarter, holding Stout to just one field goal over the final six minutes. Mary Berg snapped the drought with a clutch three at the 1:40 mark — Stout's first basket since the six-minute mark — but the Pointers closed the game at the free-throw line to seal the win.
Despite the loss, the Blue Devils showed grit, energy, and resilience throughout a game that featured 12 lead changes and eight ties.
By the Numbers
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Career night: Julia Rybacki finished with a career-high 18 points, adding five rebounds and an and-one finish in the fourth
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From deep: Stout shot 42.1% from three (8-for-19), including a 5-for-6 third quarter
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Ball movement: The Blue Devils tallied 16 assists on 25 made baskets
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Momentum swings: The game featured 12 lead changes and eight ties
Up Next
UW-Stout hits the road Saturday for a tough WIAC test at #9 ranked UW-Whitewater, with tip-off set for 3 p.m. in Whitewater, Wis.
