STEVENS POINT, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Taking on No. 1-ranked UW-Stevens Point, the UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team kept it close early but couldn't keep the pace as the Blugolds fell 74-50 on Bennett Court tonight.
During the first seven minutes of the game, the score was tied five times. With the Blugolds leading with 13 minutes to play in the opening half, the Pointers built an advantage with a 13-0 run. The Blugolds had a scoreless stretch of nearly seven minutes and couldn't recover from there.
After the Blugolds got down by 12, they fought back and got to within five points (32-27) with less than four minutes to play before halftime, but Stevens Point outscored the Blugolds 11-1 to end the half and take a 43-28 lead into halftime.
In the second half, the closest the Blugolds got was 13 points after Lewis Mau (Jr.-Colfax, Wis.) hit a shot to open the half. The Pointers led by at least 16 points for the final 18 minutes of the game, reaching their largest lead of the night of 25 points twice within the final eight minutes.
Mau led the Blugolds in scoring with nine points while Adam Hjelter (So.-Hutchinson, Minn.) led Eau Claire in rebounding with five.
The Blugolds finished the game shooting 35.4 percent (17-for-48) while Stevens Point shot 53.2 percent (25-for-47). The Pointers outrebounded the Blugolds 31-26.
Eau Claire drops to 8-11 on the season and 1-9 in WIAC play while the Pointers remain undefeated with a 19-0 overall and 10-0 conference marks.
The Blugolds will be home Saturday, hosting UW-La Crosse for a contest beginning at 7 p.m. in Zorn Arena.
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