OWINGS MILL, Md. – The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (1-2) earned its first victory of the season, 83-73, over Lynchburg College (2-1) with the help of a 16-4 run in the first half at the Hoopsville Classic on Saturday. 

Sophomore Mark Nelson (Madison, Wis./Monona Grove) had a career-high 22 points for UWSP going 10-for-10 from the free throw line and 5-for-6 from the field.  Nelson made two shots from behind the arc as well.

Fellow sophomore Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) had 16 points for the Pointers, his third-straight game in double figures to begin the season.  Bublitz was 3-for-7 in three-point attempts.  Senior Bryce Williams (Maple Grove, Minn./Spring Lake Park) contributed 15 points on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Zack Goedeke (Valders, Wis./Valders) hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds, a career-best for the junior.  He added six points and blocked a shot.

The Pointers began the game slow on offense missing the first four shots from the field.  A Pair of free throws by MJ Delmore (Wisconsin Dells, Wis./Wisconsin Dells) snapped the scoreless drought nearly three and a half minutes into the game.  Nelson poured in seven-straight points to initiate the turnaround from an early five-point deficit.

Luke Zuiker (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) and Williams hit back-to-back threes to give UWSP a 15-11 lead.  Zuiker hit another long-range shot to up the advantage to 20-13.  With three minutes left in the first half, Williams hit another three-pointer and UWSP finished the half on an 8-1 run capped by a Nelson three at the buzzer for a 30-20 halftime lead.

Bublitz hit a pair of threes and had eight of the Pointers' first nine points of the second half.  A dunk by senior Aaron Retzlaff (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) gave the Pointers a 15-point lead at the 16:39 mark.  Sophomore Drew Frederickson hit back-to-back shots from downtown to keep the UWSP lead near double digits near the midway point of the second half.

The Hornets went on a 10-2 run later in the half to pull within three points of UWSP with just under six minutes remaining.  Nelson and Williams combined for the next eight points for the Pointers, but LC managed to stay close at 67-65. 

Bublitz and Williams each drilled a three and the Pointers hit all eight free throws down the stretch to extend the lead back to 10 in the first win of the season.

UWSP will conclude the season-opening road trip on Saturday, Nov. 26 at Lawrence before the home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7:00 p.m. versus UW-Superior.