Pointer men stay perfect in WIAC by holding off La Crosse

Updated: January 13, 2013

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch by the UW-Stevens Point men’s basketball team fended off a comeback bid by UW-La Crosse as the Pointers held on for a 62-57 win Saturday afternoon.

Box Score

The No. 10 Pointers (14-2, 7-0 WIAC) jumped out to a 10-0 lead to open the game, but the Eagles chipped away and came to within 25-22 at halftime despite shooting just 24 percent from the floor.

UWSP reached a double-digit lead in the second half when Sean McGann (Baraboo, WI/Baraboo) tipped in an offensive rebound to put the Pointers on top 52-41 with 8:20 remaining in the second half.

The Eagles (12-4, 5-2 WIAC) came to within 58-57 with one minute remaining when Trent Schmidt hit a jump shot.

However, a pair of free-throws by both Trevor Hass (New London, WI/New London/Augustana (SD)) and Austin Ryf (Winneconne, WI/Winneconne) in the closing seconds put UW-La Crosse out of reach.

Joe Ritchay (Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln) led all scorers with 14 points while Hass added 12 points and a season-high eight rebounds.

Ryf finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win.

UWSP outrebounded UW-Lacrosse 36-26.

The Pointer defense held the Eagles to just 34.6 percent shooting from the field as UWSP held the lead for the entire game.

UWSP caps off a three-game home stretch when it hosts UW-Platteville Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.

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