EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, WI/Kettle Moraine Lutheran) poured in a team-high 20 points while Sean McGann (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) added 17 and Stephen Pelkofer (Hales Corner, WI/Whitnall) added 13 but it was not enough as the sixth-seeded UW-Stevens Point men's basketball fell 72-66 to third-seeded UW-Eau Claire in the opening round of the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship Tournament, presented by Culvers.

Box Score

Six ties and seven lead changes marked a back-and-forth first half. The host Blugolds built a nine-point advantage, 29-20, with just under three minutes remaining in the opening stanza.

UWSP responded with three-pointers from Pelkofer and two from Luke Zuiker (Marshfield, WI/Marshfield) knotted the score at 29-29 before the first half buzzer.

The Blugolds struck first in the second stanza but the Pointers responded with a 10-2 run to build a seven point advantage, 40-33 just four minutes into the second half.

UWEC responded with a run of its own over the next four minutes to tie the score at 44-44 and then go in front by eight, 52-44 with 10:49 to go.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch but Eau Claire went in front for good with a George Diekelman basket with 6:46 remaining.

The Pointers pulled to within two twice and never allowed the UWEC lead to grow to double digits, but the Blugolds connected on 12 of 16 free throws down the stretch to ice the six-point victory, ending the Pointers season.

The Blugolds advance to face #2 seed UW-Oshkosh in the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament while the Pointers season comes to a close with a 14-12 overall record.