NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Host St. Olaf College used a 19-0 run to begin the second half to down visiting UW-Stevens Point, 63-55, in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday evening.  The Pointers (0-1) held a 27-20 lead at the break before the Oles (1-0) ran out to a 12-point advantage less than eight minutes into the second half.

Sophomore Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) led the Pointers with 17 points.  Junior MJ Delmore (Wisconsin Dells, Wis./Wisconsin Dells) had nine points in his Pointers' debut and fellow newcomer Bryce Williams (Maple Grove, Minn./Spring Lake Park) added seven points.

UWSP's bench outscored St. Olaf 29-16 in the game, but it was a tale of two halves for the Pointers who shot just 29 percent from the field in the second stanza.

Junior Zack Geodeke drained a basket nearly three minutes into the game for the first points for either team this season.  Later in the half, back-to-back layups by Canon O'Heron (Bangor, Wis./Bangor) and Brett Tauber (Madison, Wis./Memorial) gave UWSP a 10-5 lead. 

After an 18-all tie, Bublitz scored the final seven points of the first half as UWSP took a seven-point edge into the break.

The Pointers came out in the second half ice cold, missing their first 10 shots from the field.  After four-consecutive free throws made by O'Heron snapped the Oles run, Bublitz buried his second three of the game to pull UWSP within eight points.

With less than eight minutes remaining, Williams hit a three of his own as the Pointers cut it to a two-possession game.  Delmore also cut the deficit to six points with a three-pointer under the six minute mark, but that
was the closest UWSP got the remainder of the game.

The Pointers head to Baltimore this weekend for the Hoopsville Classic.  UWSP will take on Final Four participant Christopher Newport on Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT.  The Pointers face Lynchburg on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. to close out the opening weekend.