Box Score Sixth-ranked UW-Stevens Point defeated UW-Whitewater, second in the D3hoops.com poll, 72-61 in the Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater Wednesday night.

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Jenny DuPuis, available for purchase)

There were eleven lead changes and three ties in the first half.  At 10:18 Point led 19-17 on a Tyler Tillema jumper, and the Pointers did not trail the rest of the game.  With just 1:55 left in the half, sophomore forward Jordan Lutz gave UW-SP its largest lead of the half, 30-23.  Freshman forward Darnell Harris (Milwaukee/Hamilton) drained a three-point jumper with six seconds left which pulled Whitewater within two, 30-28, at the half.

Tillema led both teams with ten points, but an injury prevented him from taking the floor in the second half.   Despite the low score at the half, UW-W shot 57% from the floor and Point hit 54% of its shots.

Whitewater's Eric Bryson (Elkhorn/Elkhorn), a junior guard, hit the first basket of the second half to tie the game, 30-30.  Point left that tie in the rear view mirror with a 12-0 run, capped off by a Lutz three, for a 42-30 lead at 15:49.  UW-W couldn't overcome that run, trailing by as many as 17 points, three times.

Point parlayed accuracy at the free throw into taking control of the game.  UW-SP made 15-20 charity tosses, while Whitewater had its poorest night of the season, going 8-19 at the line.

UW-SP's tandem guards, sophomore Austin Ryf and junior Trevor Haas, both tallied 18 points to lead all scorers.  Lutz chipped in with 11.  Junior center Clayton Heuer grabbed a game high nine rebounds.  Whitewater was led by Bryson's 15 points, with Harris contributing ten.  Sophomore guard Quardell Young (Kenosha/Bradford) led both teams with eight assists.

Whitewater is now 7-1 and 3-1 in league play. UW-SP remains unbeaten at 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the WIAC.

The Warhawk men will face Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin Saturday, December 22 at 7:00. UW-W will host Cardinal Stritch January 2.