Box Score | Coach Semling Postgame

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Jerrel Harris (Whitefish Bay) scored a game-high 19 points in his Pointer debut as the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team jumped out to an early 21-6 lead and never looked back, defeating the Johnnies of St. John's 81-57.

The Pointers built the early 15 point advantage in the game's first eight minutes and continued to build on their lead, pushing the advantage to 21, 40-19, at halftime. The Pointers took full advantage of eight Johnnie turnovers to score 13 points and also received 19 points off the bench in the opening half.

In the second half, the Johnnies cut the deficit to 13 at the 12:59 mark, 50-37, but the Pointers answered with and 8-0 run, pushing the lead back to 21. The rest of the way, the Pointers continued to add to their lead, as they pulled away for the 24 point victory.

St. Johns shot just 22.7 percent from the floor in the first half and just 36.5 percent for the game, while the Pointers shot 51.8 percent from the floor for the game. The Pointers defense forced 11 Johnnie turnovers in the victory.

Harris added five rebounds and a steal off the bench for the Pointers while Louis Hurd (Portage) and Nick Krull (Marshall) each added 13 points in the victory. Hurd finished as the team's leading rebounder, grabbing six boards. Matt Moses (Fond du Lac) added 11 points and a team-high four assists.

St. John's was led by Aaron Latzke, the only Johnnie to score in double figures. He had 13 on the evening.

The tenth-ranked Pointers return to action on Friday, Nov. 20 when they travel to Tacoma, Wash. where they will take on Whitworth College in the opening round of the Puget Sound Tournament. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. central time.