MENOMONIE, Wis. – Stephen Pelkofer (Hales Corner, WI/Whitnall) scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half as the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat UW-Stout 65-61 on Wednesday evening at Johnson Fieldhouse.

Box Score

Pelkofer did all his damage in the second half from behind the arc, shooting 6-for-9 from long distance after the break to lead UW-Stevens Point (12-10, 5-6 WIAC) to the come-from-behind victory. UW-Stout (4-17, 0-11 WIAC) led by as many as 10 points in the first half but made just 3-of-8 free throws in the second half.

The Blue Devils led 45-41 with 12:29 remaining in regulation before the Pointers went on a decisive run behind a flurry of three-pointers. UW-Stevens Point hit five threes as part of a 17-6 run that culminated in a Pelkofer three with 5:48 remaining. Four different Pointers connected from behind the arc, including Brett Tauber (Madison, WI/Memorial)'s three with 10:43 to go that put the visitors ahead for good.

UW-Stevens Point led by at least four the rest of the way and shot 10-for-17 (58.8 percent) from long range in the second half. The Pointers were 12-for-25 (48.0 percent) from behind the arc in the game and the 12 makes were a season-high total.

In addition to Pelkofer's sixth 20-point performance this season and his third in four games, Luke Zuiker (Marshfield, WI/Marshfield) contributed a career-high 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The sophomore was 3-for-6 from three-point range in the game. Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, WI/Kettle Moraine Lutheran), Sean McGann (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) and Tauber each scored seven and Bublitz handed out a career-high nine assists.

John Keefe led UW-Stout with 20 points on 7-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 from long distance. Jalen Patterson added 12 points and John Lahti registered eight points and eight rebounds for the Blue Devils, who outrebounded the Pointers 36-29.

UW-Stout ran out to a 9-4 start in the first 5:44 of the game and took the largest lead of the game for either team at 26-16 with 2:58 remaining in the first half on a Keefe three. The Blue Devils took a 32-25 lead into the break behind scoring from eight different players.

The Pointers scored 13 of the first 20 points of the second half to climb with one after back-to-back three-pointers from Pelkofer. The senior connected on three three-pointers in the first 5:25 of the second half prior to UW-Stevens Point's three-point barrage gave the visitors the lead for good.

UW-Stevens Point hosts UW-Eau Claire for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. at Bennett Court at Quandt Fieldhouse.