STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The shorthanded UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (3-7, 0-3) fell to visiting UW-La Crosse (11-2, 2-2) by a final of 73-59.  It was UWSP's first game since Dec. 20.
 
Limited to the league minimum of eight players, the Pointers got double figures from three players led by Garrett Nelson's (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) 18.  Jake Buchanan (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) had 12 points in his UWSP debut and Peter Timmerman (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) added 11.
 
Ryan Peterson (Eagle River, Wis./Northland Pines) buried a three in the opening minute as UWSP took its only lead.  The Eagles scored nine-straight before Timmerman and Nelson combined for six points to tie the game at 9-9.  UWL went on a 12-4 run before Buchanan drilled a three midway through the first.
 
Buchanan hit from behind the arc again to spark a 9-0 run as UWSP closed to within two with 2:44 left in the half.  The Eagles hit the only bucket the remainder of the stanza as UWSP trailed 33-29 at the break.
 
Free throws by Nelson and Timmerman pulled UWSP even at 33-33, 2:37 into the second half.  The Pointers went cold from the floor, making just a single bucket in the first 10 minutes of the second half as the Eagles stretched their lead to 15.
 
With 6:13 left in regulation, Nelson and Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) hit consecutive threes.  Timmerman hit from behind the arc with 3:40 left to cut the deficit to single digits, but the Eagles were too strong down the stretch in the loss.
 
The Pointers head to Oshkosh to face the No. 4-ranked Titans on Wednesday (Jan. 12).  Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.