EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The No. 17 UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (13-5, 3-4) fell by a 71-66 final at UW-Eau Claire (12-6, 4-3) to end the first half of league play.
 
Josiah Butler (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) had a game-high 24 points, his highest offensive output of the season. He was 10-of-16 from the field and made 4-of-9 three-pointers. Malik Abdul-Wahid (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield Central) added 12 points. Cal Krohn (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) and Carter Combs (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) were also in double figures with 10 points apiece.
 
Butler buried a three in the opening seconds and had nine early points as the team tied at 12-12. Tyshawn Teague-Johnson (Beloit, Wis./Turner) buried a three and Abdul-Wahid added eight points as the scored was tied again at 27-27. Butler added two late points and a late bucket gave UWEC a 33-31 edge at halftime.
 
Butler started the second half with a three for the Pointers. Abdul-Wahid added four points and a 13-0 run by UWEC put UWSP behind 57-40 with 12:24 remaining. Cal Krohn (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) and Darrius Bolden (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) combined for the next 10 points for UWSP.
 
Another Butler triple got UWSP within single digits with 5:33 to go. Combs posted five points in short order, including an and-one, to get the Pointers within 66-60. Butler and Combs each made a three-pointer in the final seconds.
 
The Pointers will host UW-Whitewater on Wednesday (Jan. 29) to begin the second half of conference play. Tip-off in Quandt Fieldhouse is set for 7:00 p.m.