Thu 7-Dec-2000

Whitewater hands Pointer men first loss of the season
Staff Reporter

WHITEWATER - The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team suffered its first defeat of the 2000-2001 season at the hands of the UW-Whitewater Warhawks Wednesday 73-71.

Andre Hicks hit a jumper with 3.6 seconds remaining to give the Warhawks the win.

The Pointers, which entered the night third in the latest NCAA Division III poll, trailed Whitewater (4-2, 1-1 WIAC) 71-66 with 35 seconds to play when Jay Bennett converted a layup to close the gap to three points.

After two missed free throws by the Warhawks' Aubrey Lewis-Byers, UW-SP (7-1, 0-1 WIAC) moved into position to possibly win its eighth consecutive game. Ron Nolting hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds to play to tie the game at 71. Brent Larson assisted on the basket.

But Hicks jump shot dashed the Pointers' quest for perfection.

The Pointers' ability to hit long-range shots kept the game close. They finished hitting 10 out of 21 3-point shots, while Whitewater made three out of their 12 attempts from behind the arc.

Lewis-Byers finished as the game's leading scorer with 18 points, as well as grabbing seven rebounds. Hicks finished in double figures as well with 14 points.

Four players finished in double-digit points for the Pointers. Iserloth led the way with 14 points. Larson, Nolting, and Jay Bennett added 10 points each for UW-SP.

The Pointers will look to even their WIAC record Saturday when they face Stout. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the Quandt Fieldhouse.