The Pointers were 16-for-35 from behind the arc and have now won their past three games by a combined 124 points. The nation’s top-ranked team shot 53.6 percent from the field and improved to 13-1 overall, avenging a five-point loss last year at Lakeland, which fell to 5-6 overall. The 16 three-pointers was one short of the single-game school record.
UW-Stevens Point attempted 20 of its 34 first half shots from three-point range and the strategy worked as the Pointers connected on eight of the long-range bombs and led 45-28 at halftime.
UW-Stevens Point jumped out to a quick 23-8 advantage before the Muskies battled back to close to within 28-23 with 5:51 left in the half. However, the three-pointer bailed out the Pointers once again as Pete Rortvedt and Bryan Beamish followed with consecutive three-pointers and Beamish added a driving layup as part of a 17-5 run to close the half. Beamish scored 13 of his season-high 15 points in the first half and Rortvedt, who had six three-pointers, had 12 of his game-high 21 points before halftime.
Lakeland’s closest second half penetration with a 48-39 deficit with 18:09 left. After a scooping left hand shot by Jon Krull pushed the Pointers’ lead to 11 points, Krull and Rortvedt hit back-to-back threes for a 56-39 lead. The eight-point flurry sparked an eventual 17-2 run that was capped by a three-pointer from Steve Hicklin for a 65-41 lead.
Aside from the perimeter shooting, one of the Pointers’ brightest spots was the play of freshman forward Scott Hoelzel, who had 11 points and four rebounds, including five first half points. Hoelzel had scored a total of seven points in his first 13 career games.
Krull finished with 19 points and Hicklin had 17 points on four three-pointers. Khalifa El-Amin was one of only three UW-Stevens Point players who didn’t score, but the sophomore point guard achieved a career-high eight assists with no turnovers, setting up three-point shots for seven of his assists. The Pointers, who lead all of college basketball with just 9.3 turnovers per game, lowered that average with only six miscues in the victory.
Lakeland’s Matt Rogers finished with 18 points to lead the Muskies.