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Pointers Remain
Unbeaten with Win over Viterbo
by Scott Williams
Stevens Point Journal
Original Article
Box Score
Nick Bennett must have
asked Santa Claus for good shooting this Christmas. In fact, Jolly Old St.
Nick must've had the entire University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's
basketball team on his list of those who were nice.
UWSP came out on fire and Viterbo College never stood a chance in a
blistering 86-54 victory for the top-ranked Pointers at the Quandt
Fieldhouse in the 33rd annual Sentry Holiday Classic on Wednesday night.
Bennett found his shooting touch against the V-Hawks, drilling five of his
six attempts from 3-point range on the way to 17 first-half points. By that
time, the game was for the most part over as the Pointers built an
insurmountable 46-23 lead.
Nick Bennett finished with a team-high 22 points.
"You won't see a better shooting performance at any level," UWSP coach Jack
Bennett said, adding to his school record victory total which now stands at
180. "We were hitting on all cylinders tonight, and when we do that we're a
pretty decent team.
"I thought Nick really ignited us. Is it contagious? Yes. When Nick starts
it then it helps guys like Brad Kalsow off the bench. We've got some good
shooters."
No one has a better
reputation for being able to shoot the lights out than Nick Bennett.
But the senior forward/guard has seen his long distance shot go wary through
the first eight games of the season. Bennett came into the Sentry Classic
shooting 35 percent from behind the arc.
"We're winning, so I don't think about how I'm doing. We're still 9-0. If
we're losing, then it might be different," said Nick Bennett. "It's
definitely nice to get back in the swing of things and shoot the ball well."
Nick Bennett wasn't the
only Pointer who got a hot hand for Christmas.
The shooting numbers in the opening 20 minutes were mind-boggling. UWSP shot
a blistering 70 percent from the field, including an unconscionable 77
percent (10-for-13) from 3-point land.
Brad Kalsow came off the bench to drain all three of his treys and connect
on four 3-pointers in all to wind up with 12 points. Shawn Lee made his only
shot from behind the arc. Not to be left out, Jason Kalsow added a 3-pointer
and then went inside to finish the half with 12 of his game total of 17
points.
Not exactly the kind of memories Viterbo coach Wayne Wagner wanted on his
latest trip to Quandt.
"They shot great in the first half. What makes them such a good team is that
they work themselves into position to get good looks," said Wagner, who
served as an assistant coach under Jack Bennett from 1997-99. "It wasn't
just Bennett. Everybody got their chance and made it. (Brad) Kalsow came in
off the bench and shot lights out. There is not much you can do at that
point."
Jeremy Fradette paced the
V-Hawks (8-8) with 12 points, while Greg Kumlien contributed 11 points off
the bench
Part of the reason the Pointers came out in top form, according to coach
Bennett, is they didn't take Viterbo lightly.
"This was a different script than the last couple times we've played them.
Usually we've traded punches in the first half and then we get control in
the second," coach Bennett said. "I think part of our alertness and the way
we came out was because we respected them."
The Pointers will put
their unbeaten record and top ranking on the line again tonight against
Wisconsin Lutheran College at 9 p.m.
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