SUPERIOR, Wis. – Seniors
Stephen Pelkofer (Hales Corner, WI/Whitnall) and
Sean McGann (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) combined for 38 points as the ninth-ranked UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team opened its season with a 69-61 road win over UW-Superior on Saturday evening at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
Box Score Pelkofer logged the first double-double of his career, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead UW-Stevens Point (1-0). McGann added 18 points and five rebounds for the Pointers, who defeated UW-Superior (0-1) for the 27th time in a row.
After a tight start to the game, UW-Stevens Point built a 30-16 lead after a 16-3 extended run. Pelkofer and freshman
Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, WI/Kettle Moraine Lutheran) combined to score 12 of the Pointers' 16 points during the stretch, as Pelkofer had seven and Bublitz added five.
The Pointers led by as many as 16 late in the first half and took a 36-23 lead into the break after shooting 53.8 percent (14-for-26) from the field in the first half. UW-Stevens Point held UW-Superior to just six field goals on 25.0 percent shooting (6-for-24) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
The Yellowjackets used a 12-5 start to the second half to get within 41-35 with 14:41 remaining but that would be as close as the hosts would get the rest of the way. Pelkofer and McGann combined for 22 points in the second half, while UW-Superior's Zach Schradle and Brian Lindblom totaled 27 second-half points.
UW-Superior shot 68.2 percent (15-for-22) from the field in the second half to finish at 45.7 percent (21-for-46) for the game. UW-Stevens Point shot an even 50.0 percent (14-for-28) after halftime to shoot 51.9 percent (28-for-54) in the game.
The Pointers outscored the Yellowjackets 36-16 in the game in the paint and held a 14-3 advantage in points off turnovers. UWSP committed just five turnovers in the game and forced 13 UW-Superior turnovers.
Bublitz was the third UW-Stevens Point player in double figures, chipping in with 10 on his collegiate debut.
Jared Gjertson (Wausau, WI/D.C. Everest) and
Mark Nelson (Madison, WI/Monona Grove) each added six points.
Schradle scored a game-high 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting and added 10 rebounds to record a double-double. Lindblom finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists.
UW-Stevens Point hosts No. 15 St. Olaf in its home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Bennett Court at Quandt Fieldhouse.
