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Pointers Win with
Second Half Spurt
Central Wisconsin Sunday
Original Article
Box Score
EAU CLAIRE - The
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men are proving the basketball court
is one venue where the defense never rests.
Top-ranked UWSP held UW-Eau Claire to 19 points in the second half and went
on to rout the Blugolds 71-50 at Zorn Arena on Saturday.
Through two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games, the
Pointers have given up an average of just 47 points. Eau Claire shot a cool
37.5 percent.
Not coincidentally, UWSP is 2-0 in the conference.
What made Saturday's defensive performance even more impressive was that
UWSP shut down the Blugolds without the service of 6-foot-9 center Eric Maus,
who went down with a sprained ankle in the first half.
"Not having Eric was a concern from a defensive standpoint," Pointer coach
Jack Bennett said. "I'm as proud of our second half as anything we've done."
The Pointers (6-0) also found their offensive rhythm in Eau Claire.
After struggling from the field in recent games, UWSP shot 56.3 percent from
the field, including a sizzling 61.5 percent in the second half.
Stuck in a 31-31 tie at halftime, the Pointers, behind All-American
candidate Jason Kalsow, outscored Eau Claire 40-19 over the final 20
minutes.
A 10-0 run early in the second half put the Pointers on their way.
Kalsow finished with 23 points and moved closer to breaking the school's
all-time career scoring record. Joining him in double figures were Jon Krull
with 13 points, while Nick Bennett added 11.
"I thought we were a little out-toughed in the first half," Bennett said.
"We needed to stem that or it was going to turn into one of those games that
goes down to the wire.
"We went inside, and not just to one guy. We feel we have the ability to
flash the post with a number of different people. Jason, Jon Krull and even
Nick did some nice things down there."
The Pointers had 38 points in the paint compared to 14 for the Blugolds
(3-3, 1-1 WIAC).
Dan Archambault and Casey Drake, scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, to
pace the Blugolds.
Much of the credit for slowing down Drake in the second half should be
heaped in the lap of senior UWSP guard Tamaris Relerford, who is quickly
establishing himself as a stopper in the backcourt.
"Tamaris has turned in two real gutsy performances now the last two (WIAC)
games," Bennett said. "He's playing as mature and as good as he has in our
program."
The Pointers travel to River Falls on Tuesday.
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