STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Visiting Augustana (7-3) outscored the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (7-2) by a 22-8 margin over the final 8:45 of the game as the Pointers fell in the final home non-conference game, 68-60.
 
Senior Brandon Spray (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) registered a double-double for the Pointers with team-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Fellow senior Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) added 19 points.   Junior Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) was also in double figures with 12 points.
 
Bublitz scored UWSP's first four points and a put-back dunk by Spray gave the Pointers their first lead at 6-5.  Spray nailed a three-pointer and Nelson hit a pair of free throws as UWSP built a 15-7 lead. 
 
The Vikings scored 13 of the next 16 points to leapfrog the Pointers into a 20-18 advantage.  Bublitz scored five points for UWSP late in the half and the Pointers clung to a slim 27-26 lead at the half.
 
Early in the second half, Matt Koerner (West Bend, Wis./West), Spray and Blake Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) combined for nine points as UWSP expanded the lead to 36-30.  Nelson poured in five points and triples by Bublitz and Spray pushed the lead to eight with just under 10 minutes left. 
 
From there, Augustana seized control holding the Pointers to just two field goals in the final 9:39.  Augustana's Austin Elledge had 21 of his game-high 27 points in the second half as the Vikings rallied past the Pointers.
 
UWSP travels to Texas for the final two non-conference games of the year.  The Pointers will face UT Dallas on Dec. 28 and East Texas Baptist on Dec. 29.  Tip-off both days is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.