PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The No. 18 UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (15-7, 9-2) held No. 9 UW-Platteville to a season-low 56 points, but the defensive performance was not enough to offset a dismal shooting night in a 56-47 loss in Platteville.
Canon O'Heron (Bangor, Wis./Bangor) led UWSP in scoring for the seventh time in the last nine games. He had 14 points, the lone double-figure scorer for the Pointers. He added two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Brandon Spray (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) chipped in nine and tied for the team-lead with six rebounds.
Mark Nelson (Madison, Wis./Monona Grove) also had six boards and contributed six points.
UWSP shot just 4-of-23 from three-point range, the lowest shooting percentage from behind the arc this season.
Brett Tauber (Madison, Wis./Memorial) ended a nearly six minute drought to open the game with a three-pointer as UWSP started to climb back from an 8-0 deficit. O'Heron scored six of the next 10 points by the Pointers and
Drew Fredrickson (Mount Horeb, Wis./Mount Horeb) completed an and-1 to give UWSP a 16-12 lead. Spray scored with just over a minute left to snap a seven-and-a-half minute scoreless span, but the Pointers trailed by just three, 21-18, at the half.
Nate Dodge (East Troy, Wis./East Troy) and O'Heron combined for six points over the first five minute of the second half as UWSP attempted to keep the Pioneers from pulling away. Spray hit a triple near the midpoint of the half as UWSP closed to within two at 37-35. With just under four minutes to go, Spray completed a personal 4-0 run and tied the game at 44-44. An
MJ Delmore (Wisconsin Dells, Wis./Wisconsin Dells) three with 22 seconds left accounted for UWSP's points in a 12-3 run by the Pioneers to end the game.
The Pointers host UW-Stout on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for Military Appreciation and Youth Honor America Day at Quandt Fieldhouse with all active and retired military admitted free with ID. Also, one child age 13 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult.
