STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Senior Zach Mootz (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) led all scorers and posted his third 20-point outing of the season as the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (8-6, 1-2) fell to visiting UW-Whitewater (11-3, 2-1) by a 79-76 final.
 
Mootz went 7-for 11 from the field, including 4-of-6 6 from three-point range, to lead all scorers with 20 points. Brennan Timm (West Bend, Wis./West) added 16 and Myles Coleman (Milwaukee, Wis./Brookfield Central) rounded out the trio of double-figure scorers with 10.
 
Timm got UWSP off to a fast start, scoring all five points in a 5-0 run by UWSP in the opening minute. Coleman halted a 7-0 run by UWW with a jumper. Mootz hit his first three and AJ Makinen (Waterford, Wis./Muskego) hit from deep, but the Pointers trailed 22-17 midway through the first half.
 
Mootz buried another three to get UWSP within two a couple minutes later. Coleman scored on back-to-back possessions and UWSP pulled ahead by one on a pair of free throws by Timm with 1:47 before the break. Mootz added a free throw and UWSP was down just two, 37-35, at the half.
 
Luke Warden (Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) started and finished a 7-3 run by UWSP with layups to level the game at 52-52. Then with 5:44 to go, Ryan Genrich (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) capped a 6-0 run for UWSP to tie the game at 68. Mootz drained a triple with 42 seconds remaining, but a pair of desperation threes missed the mark in the closing seconds.
 
The Pointers remain at home to take on UW-La Crosse on Saturday (Jan. 7). Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. at Bennet Court at Quandt Fieldhouse.