MENOMONIE, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (4-3, 0-1) suffered a 93-69 defeat at UW-Stout (4-3, 1-0) in the league opener for both teams on Wednesday.
 
Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) led a trio of Pointers in double figures with 18. Jake Buchanan (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) added 14 and AJ Makinen (Waterford, Wis./Muskego) scored a career-best 11.
 
The Blue Devils posted a 19-5 run to end the first half and shot .781 from the floor in the second half to out-score UWSP by 20 in the second stanza.
 
Buchanan got UWSP on the board first and the team alternated baskets until a three by Buchanan broke a 10-10 tie. Makinen drilled a three and the lead hit six. Ryan Genrich (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) nailed a three and a Myles Coleman (Milwaukee, Wis./Brookfield Central) layup pushed the UWSP lead to 10, 23-13.
 
Genrich made a jump shot with 9:28 left in the first half for a 25-15 lead. Makinen and Coleman had UWSP's only field goals the rest of the half as Stout took a 34-30 lead to halftime.
 
Mootz opened the second half with a layup and nearly five minutes later drained a three as UWSP's deficit reached 10. Buchanan and Mootz combined for three three-pointers as UWSP kept it close midway through the second half.
 
Makinen made a layup with 7:08 remaining to get UWSP within five at 63-58. The Blue Devils went on a 30-11 run the rest of the way for the win.
 
The Pointers travel to UW-Platteville on Saturday (Dec. 3) for a 7:00 p.m. matchup against the Pioneers.