Box Score

MENOMONIE, Wis. - Janell Van Gomple (DeForest/DeForest) (DeForest) scored a team-high 17 points, 15 in the second half, as the eighth-ranked Pointers overcame a six point halftime deficit to defeat the Blue Devils of UW-Stout 63-54 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Wednesday evening.

The win is the first for the UWSP women's basketball team in Menomonie since the 2003-04 season.

The bitter cold temperatures outside also applied to the Pointers shooting in the first half, as UWSP connected on just nine of their 36 shot attempts in the first half, including 0-for-11 from beyond the three-point arch, as the host Blue Devils used an 8-2 run midway through the first half to jump ahead by seven, 15-8. A strong defensive effort kept the Pointers in the game, as the UWSP was down just six, 24-18, heading into halftime.

In the second half, Stout built a nine point lead, 33-24, with 13:38 to go before the Pointer offense came alive. UWSP went on a 16-6 run over the next four minutes, sparked by Van Gomple, Andrea Flease (New London/New London) (New London), Katie Weber (Reedsburg) and Jessi Sporle (Mineral Point/Mineral Point) (Mineral Point), as the Pointers took their first lead since the game's opening minute, pulling ahead 40-39. From there UWSP used another run, this time 14-6, to pull ahead by nine, 54-45, with 3:00 remaining.

In the game's final minutes, the Pointers connected on 7-of-10 free-throw attempts to keep the Blue Devils at bay, holding on for the nine point road victory.

Van Gomple added four rebounds and three steals to her 17-point performance while Petersen added 16 points (10 in the second half), eight boards and two blocks and Weber added 15 points (11 in the second half) and four steals. Cassie Bando (Plover) tallied a team-high 10 rebounds on the night.

Megan Maslowski led the way for the Blue Devils, scoring 12 points. Julia Hirssig added eight rebounds in the loss.

UW-Stevens Point improves to 14-1 overall, 6-0 in the WIAC and extend their season-best win streak to 10 games.  UW-Stout falls to 8-7 overall, 3-3 in the WIAC.

The Pointers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 17 when they travel to Superior for a 5 p.m. match-up with the Yellowjackets of UW-Superior.