STEVENS POINT, Wis. – UW-Stevens Point head men's basketball coach Bob Semling looks for his 2019-20 seniors to step up as the Pointers tip off his 15th year at the helm.  After losing seven seniors to graduation, the Pointers return two-time all-conference selection Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) as one of five seniors this year.
 
Bublitz returned to his all-conference form last season with 12.5 points per game while starting 25 games.  He led UWSP in free throw attempts and makes while also pulling down the most defensive rebounds on the year.  His two-way play at its highest level will be pivotal to a successful season for the Pointers.
 
Semling looks for the other four seniors – Blake Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield), Matt Koerner (West Bend, Wis./West), Aaron Knez (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls) and Brandon Spray (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) – to step up this season.  The quartet have played in a combined 208 games, but only have 11 combined starts.
 
Ehrke played in 26 games a season ago, logging 322 minutes.  He pulled down 87 rebounds, dished out 25 assists and had five blocks.  Koerner played in 22 games and 14 of his 18 made field goals were three-pointers.  The duo is expected to be big players on both ends of the floor.
 
Knez played 173 minutes a season ago and will be relied upon to join the point guard fray.  Spray played in 22 games with five blocks.  His athleticism will be key to UWSP's traditional success with inside-out play on the offensive end.  Semling says consistency and continued improvement will be vital in translating to victories.
 
Junior Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) played in 26 games with a start last year.  He has the speed and aggressive style to be successful despite his size.
 
Fellow junior Brady Wagner (Lake Mills, Wis./Lake Mills) and sophomores Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) and Peter Timmerman (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) have playing experience and look to take the next step in 2019-20.  Their depth and experience are much needed this season.
 
The Pointers bring in four fresh faces in Kaden Clark (Menasha, Wis./Appleton East), Mayson Hazaert (Greenleaf, Wis./Wrightstown), Jeven Sachtjen (Manawa, Wis./Little Wolf) and Isaac Woelffer (Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee).  Hazaert and Sachtjen were their respective conference players of the year last season.
 
UWSP again faces one of the toughest schedules in the country with non-conference and WIAC games featuring six NCAA Tournament opponents.  After reaching the WIAC Tournament title game for the second season in a row, the Pointers were left out of the NCAA Tournament while three other league foes, including national champion UWO, were selected.
 
This season, UWSP is picked to finish fourth in the league after going 18-9 last year.  Semling likes that his team is under the radar entering the season and hopes the fans continue to make Quandt Fieldhouse one of the toughest places in the nation for opponents to play.
 
The Pointers open the season on Wednesday (Nov. 13) with a 7:00 p.m. home game against St. Olaf.