MADISON, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (2-0) needed a late surge to eke out a 76-71 win at Edgewood (0-2) on Saturday.  The margin of victory was the Pointers' largest lead of the game.
 
Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) led a quartet of UWSP players in double figures with a game-high 17 points.  He also tied for the game-high with eight rebounds in the victory.
 
Matt Koerner (West Bend, Wis./West) added 15 points.  Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) and Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) were also in double digits with 14 and 12 points, respectively. 
 
Bublitz scored four of UWSP's first seven points for an early lead.  Midway through the first half, Blake Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) buried a three to tie the game at 22-22.  The Eagles put up six straight, but the Pointers bounced back with a 9-0 run capped by a Brandon Spray (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) triple.
 
Aaron Knez (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls) nailed a three to open the second half as UWSP went ahead by four, 36-32.  Edgewood put up a pair of five-point bursts, but UWSP kept it close.  With 6:49 to go, the Pointers trailed by seven, the largest deficit of the game.  Mootz drilled a three and Koerner completed an and-one to tie the game at 62-62.
 
Nelson had six points from the field down the stretch, but the Pointers couldn't shake the Eagles.  Then in the final 30 seconds, UWSP made 4-of-6 free throws to secure the win.
 
The Pointers travel to UW-Superior on Tuesday (Nov. 26) to continue the season's longest road trip.