Objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear. UW-Whitewater fell behind by eighteen points in the first half, then opened the second half with a 32-5 run in a 61-58 win at UW-Stevens Point Wednesday night. UW-SP came in to the game ranked number one in Division III and UW-Whitewater fifth.
box score
UW-SP opened up with a 7-0 lead. Point built the margin in to double figures, 15-4 at 12:39 on a Jerrel Harris three-pointer, one of six the Pointers would hit in the first half. The lead stretched to 21-7 at 10:05 on a Harris free throw, and finally the largest bulge of the half at 30-12 with a Louis Hurd lay in at 5:50. Jared Jenkins hit a three as time ran out, giving him eleven points, to give UW-SP a 36-21 lead going in to the locker room.
On a good news-bad news note, Point wasn't burning up the nets in the first twenty minutes, shooting 41%, but the UW-SP defense put the clamps on Whitewater's shooters, limiting UW-W to 30% from the floor. And Whitewater turned the ball over just six times, but UW-SP only had three turnovers.
But even Meatloaf couldn't have done justice to the turnaround in the second half. Whitewater got the lead under ten, 36-27 on a Phil Negri (Minocqua/Lakeland) three at 17:33. Seven minutes later, at 10:11, Dustin Mitchell (Lac Du Flambeau/Lakeland) hit a shot in the lane to give UW-W its first lead of the game, 42-41. Whitewater continued its hot streak, piling up a 53-41 leads on Negri's third three of the second half at 6:50. The Pointers' drought finally ended at 6:26 on a Louis Hurd basket.
Negri hit another basket, giving him eleven of Whitewater's last thirteen points, to put UW-W in front 55-43. But in a game that was played on the highest of all possible see-saws, the Pointers clawed their way back to 57-56 on a Matt Moses layin with 1:16 remaining. Ross Forman went to the line with 0:27 left and put the Pointers back in front with two free throws, 58-57. Dupree Fletcher (Milwaukee/Rufus King) responded with a driving layup to take the lead back for UW-W, 59-58. The Pointers did not get a shot off in their next possession and had to foul to try to get the ball back. In an unusual case, the Pointers had not committed enough fouls to put Whitewater in the bonus, forcing them to foul twice as the clock ticked before Dustin Mitchell (Lac Du Flambeau/Lakeland) went to the line. Mitchell made two free throws with four seconds left for the final score.
The score was the most important reversal of the first half, but there were others. UW-W wound up shooting 45% from the floor, while Stevens Point cooled off to 37%. Whitewater hit 9-11 free throws and the Pointers uncharacteristically went 7-14.
Whitewater was led in scoring by the trio of Negri, 16, Mitchell, 15, and Fletcher 14. Mitchell led UW-W with five rebounds and shared the assist lead with Negri at three. Negri was also UW-W's steals leader with three. The Pointers were topped in scoring by Hurd and Jenkins, both with 13. Matt Moses added 12 points. Nick Krull, Moses and Forman had five boards apiece for UW-SP. Moses contributed three assists and Dan Tillema chipped in with a game high four steals.
Point has also lost to WW 67-60, in overtime, December 10 in Whitewater.
UW-Whitewater is 16-2 overall and 8-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. UW-SP is 17-2 and 8-2.
UW-W will return to Kachel Gym in Williams Center to host UW-Stout at 6:00 Saturday.
For additional information: Pat Miller, UW-W coach
