STEVENS POINT, Wis. – In a game that featured 15 lead changes, the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (14-9, 6-6) came up a point short in a 53-52 loss to UW-La Crosse (18-5, 7-5) on Saturday.
 
Brandon Spray (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) led the Pointers with 15 points.  Blake Ehrke (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) added 12.  Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) nearly had his first career double-double with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
The teams traded leads early with threes by Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) and Matt Koerner (West Bend, Wis./West) each giving UWSP brief leads.  Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) nailed a three with 7:32 remaining in the half for a 22-19 lead, but UWSP went dry from the floor while UWL went on a 12-2 run until UWSP's next field goal.  Nelson buried a three just 36 seconds before halftime, but the Pointers were down, 33-27, at the break.
 
The second half started slow offensively for both teams, but back-to-back buckets by the eagles with 12:19 left put UWSP down 10.  Ehrke scored five points, including a three, as the Pointers got within a possession with 5:43 to go.  Spray added four points late and Nelson made it a one-point game, but neither team scored in the final 2:21 of the game.  Ehrke had a chance at a game-winning shot at the buzzer, but his tough-angle shot was no good.
 
The Pointers head to Menomonie for the final regular season road game on Wednesday (Feb. 19). Tip-off against UW-Stout is set for 7:00 p.m.