Sun 14-Jan-2001

Pointer men K.O.'d by Oshkosh
By SCOTT TAPPA
Gannett sports writer

For a men's basketball game, there were plenty of boxing metaphors being tossed around in the aftermath of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's 85-76 win over No. 7 Stevens Point on Saturday.

After a first half to forget, the Titans dominated the second half of play, and in knocking off the defending WIAC champions, pushed their conference record over .500 for the first time this season. At 12-3 overall, 4-3 in the WIAC, Oshkosh is just one game off the conference lead, currently held by River Falls.

It wouldn't have been possible without a physical effort that belied the two teams' depth disparity.

"They just got tired," said Oshkosh guard Justin Kamps. "We body punched all game."

There were no Mills Lane sightings in the crowd of 1,016 at Kolf Sports Center, so the body punching took on a more figurative form: hard drives down the lane, aggressive post-ups.

Those body punches loosened the Pointers defense, allowing Osh-kosh to seize the lead with a barrage of 3-pointers, then to seal the game at the free throw line.

"It's a good game, it was a character check," said Oshkosh coach Ted Van Dellen. "It's a good game because they're the defending champions, and it's a good game because we needed to beat somebody that's so-called good."

Oshkosh allowed UW-SP to shoot 54.5 percent from the floor in the first half, including five 3-pointers. Conversely, the Titans hit 28.0 percent from the floor in the first half, and a Nick DeVos 3-pointer gave Point (12-3, 4-3) a 34-25 lead at halftime.

"We did what we do best in the first half and our team looked real good," Pointers head coach Jack Bennett said.

But this is the WIAC, and this year that means that no lead is safe, no matter who's playing or where they're playing.

"With all that remains, strange things could - and have - happened in this confernce," Bennett said. "it just goes to show that you can not have an off-night in this league."

Oshkosh answered the second-half bell resoundingly. After Kalonji Kadima's jumper gave Point a 36-25 lead, the Titans went on a 14-0 run to grab the lead.

Five straight 3-pointers - from Scherer, Miller, Kari Hannula and Kamps - helped stretch the Titans' lead to as much as 12 points.

Despite four 3-pointers from UW-SP's Jay Bennett in the last 2:02, Oshkosh, the nation's second-leading free throw shooting team, put the game away at the line.

With two key post players ailing, Oshkosh played just seven players in the first half, while the Pointers shuffled fresh legs in and out.

Throw in the foul trouble that limited Dworak to 18 minutes, and the members of the Titans' tight rotation were logging some major minutes.

Kadima led Point with 21 points, and Bennett and Joe Zuiker scored 12 apiece.

The Pointers are back in action Wednesday when they host Superior.

Game time is 7 p.m. at the Quandt Fieldhouse.