With a late 19-6 run, UW-Stevens Point took down the UW Oshkosh men’s basketball squad 76-75 on Wednesday night at the Kolf Sports Center.
Both teams shot extremely well from the field with UWO connecting on 51% of its shots to the Pointers’ 51.9%. Oshkosh got the best of the Pointers on the glass, pulling down 26 to the Pointers’ 22. The Titans also lit it up the scoreboard from 3-point land, shooting 46.4 percent% while Stevens Point shot 42.9%.
The Titans were led by Carter Thomas, who notched 23 points going 6-of-9 from the field with three 3-pointers and a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe. Thomas also recorded four rebounds, two assists and a block in his 33 minutes on the hardwood. Brandon Beck was huge for Oshkosh also as he scored 15 points, going 5-of-9 from three and pulling down five boards while dishing out four assists. His made 3-pointers and assists were season highs.
Reed Seckar and Jonah Rindfleisch also reached double-digit scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Rindfleisch led the Titans with a pair of blocks and steals each.
The WIAC foes started the contest neck-and-neck with each scoring 8 points in the first six minutes. Stevens Point found some separation by producing a 13-8 spurt to go ahead 21-16 with just under seven minutes to play in the half. UWO regained the lead with an 11-5 run to put them up 26-27 with 2:50 to go in the first half. The Pointers tied the game at 30-30 headed into the half with a 4-3 run.
The second half started with each team scoring 7 points through the first three minutes. Stevens Point claimed the edge with a 13-12 run to go ahead by one, making the score at 50-49 with 9:55 remaining in the contest. The Titans then surged ahead, producing a 12-3 run led by Beck and Thomas who each scored 6 points over the stretch, putting the Titans up 61-53 with six minutes to play. The Pointers fought back within six after a 12-10 run with under two minutes to go. In those last two minutes, Stevens Point produced an 11-4 tally to take down the Titans 76-75.
UWSP improved to 16-6 overall and 6-5 in the WIAC and UWO fell to 12-10, and 3-8 in conference play.
The Titans are set to host the No. 9 nationally ranked UW-La Crosse Eagles on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Kolf Sports Center. The annual Youth Dance Clinic will occur at halftime and kids get in free for Clash’s Kids Day.
