STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Freshman Anthony Espensen (Belvidere, Ill./North) made his first four shots of the second half, all from three-point range, and the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (1-2, 1-2) nearly pulled off the come-from-behind upset of No. 11 UW-Platteville (2-1, 2-1) in a 74-72 final at Quandt Fieldhouse.
 
Espensen poured in a season-best 18 points, 12 in the second half.  Philip Flory (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Oshkosh North) led all scorers with 27 points, also a season-high, going 6-for-6 from the free throw line.  Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) had a game-high seven rebounds.
 
Flory scored the first points of the game on a jumper, but the Pioneers posted a 18-5 run to put UWSP in a double-digit hole.  Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) and Flory answered with consecutive threes, but the Pointers dent in the deficit was short-lived.
 
The Pioneers put together another big run, 19-7, as UWSP saw itself behind by 16 with 2:26 left in the first half.  Espensen and Ryan Genrich (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) hit jumpers late as the Pointers trailed 41-30 at the half.
 
Espensen bookended a quartet of threes out of the gate to open the second half and UWSP gained a brief one-point lead, 44-43, three and a half minutes in.  Espensen buried two more from behind the arc and the game was tied at 55 halfway through the second half.
 
Flory ended a 13-5 run with a three-pointer as the lead grew to eight for the Pointers.  Flory scored UWSP's next four points, but a three by the Pioneers with 32 seconds left gave UWP the lead.  A heavily contested shot in the lane wouldn't fall for Nelson in the closing seconds as the Pointers were unable to complete the comeback.
 
The Pointers and Pioneers play again Friday (Feb. 12) in Platteville. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.