MENOMONIE, Wis. – Senior Garrett Nelson (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) scored five of his game-high 23 points in the final second of regulation as the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (4-16) got past UW-Stout (16-9) in the opening round of the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's).
 
Nelson led all scorers with a season-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Fellow seniors Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) and Brady Wagner (Lake Mills, Wis./Lake Mills) added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
 
Jake Buchanan (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) rounded out the quartet of double-digit scorers with 14. Darrius Bolden (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) led UWSP with eight rebounds and he had nine points.
 
Mootz buried a three a couple minutes into the game sparking a 13-2 run for a 13-6 lead six minutes in.
 
Nelson completed an and-one and Wagner poured in five straight as UWSP built a 26-15 lead. Bolden scored five points, including a three at the buzzer as UWSP was in front, 35-32, at the half.
 
Wagner and Mootz each hit from long range early in the second half, but UWSP couldn't shake the Blue Devils. Buchanan and Bolden nailed threes midway through the half as UWSP battled to stay within a possession.
 
Wagner and Mootz again buried threes to tie the game at 63-63. The duo made field goals to keep the game tight at 68-68. Buchanan scored five-straight, but UWSP trailed 83-80 with 11 second left. Then with 0.5 seconds left, Nelson was fouled tried to get off a game-tying three. He hit all three free throws to tie the game at 83-83. After a turnover, Nelson got a layup at the buzzer for the game-winner.
 
The Pointers advance to face the 3-seed UW-La Crosse in the quarterfinals. Tip-off in La Crosse is slated for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 22).