STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (0-1) was not able to sustain an offensive rhythm in a 60-45 defeat to St. Olaf (1-0) at home to open the season on Wednesday night.
 
Juniors Nate Dodge (East Troy, Wis./East Troy) and Canon O'Heron (Bangor, Wis./Bangor) scored eight points each to lead the Pointers.  Fellow junior Brett Tauber (Madison, Wis./Memorial) added seven points and grabbed eight rebounds.
 
UWSP made just four three-pointers in the game, fewer than any game a season ago.  The Pointers shot just 20 percent from the floor in the second half and were limited to 19 points.
 
Drew Fredrickson (Mount Horeb, Wis./Mount Horeb) buried his lone three-pointers of the game a little under five minutes in to pull the Pointers within 6-5.  Chaz Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) completed an and-one and Mark Nelson (Madison, Wis./Monona Grove) capped a 5-0 run as UWSP took its only lead of the game at 10-9.
 
The Oles went on a 13-4 run to create separation from the Pointers.  A trio of buckets by O'Heron closed the gap to 24-20 with 6:37 to go in the first half.  Another run by St. Olaf pushed the deficit to double figures.   Blake Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) hit from behind the arc in the final minute to cut the lead to 33-26 at the half.
 
Brett Tauber (Madison, Wis./Memorial) scored the Pointers' first five points of the second half and a three by Dodge got UWSP within five.  Midway through the half, O'Heron again pulled the Pointers within five, but UWSP went scoreless from the field the final 10 minutes of the game as St. Olaf closed out the win.
 
The Pointers head to Iowa to face Buena Vista on Saturday.  Tip-off in Storm Lake is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.