The Pointers, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division III, opened up a 37-8 lead just 10 minutes into the game and led 61-29 at halftime. They hit 16 three-pointers in the victory and have now won seven straight games, including five by at least 30 points. Their 106 points marked the most in a WIAC game since a 116-83 win over UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 14, 1995.
UW-Stevens Point is 16-1 overall and 9-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The nine straight league wins matches the Pointers’ best start ever with the 1932-33 season when they finished 10-0.
UW-River Falls entered the game as one of the league’s hottest teams, having beaten second place UW-La Crosse on Wednesday and gone overtime in recent losses to third-ranked St. Thomas and UW-Whitewater. However, the Falcons were overwhelmed by the Pointers’ rapid start as they scored 37 points and hit eight three-pointers in the first 9:51 of the game.
Senior Jon Krull led the fast start by scoring 17 of the team’s first 32 points over the first eight minutes of the contest. Krull, who had back-to-back three-pointers as UW-Stevens Point led 8-0, finished with 28 points and was five-for-eight from three-point range in 24 minutes of playing time.
The Pointers were ahead 12-6 with 16:49 left in the first half, but then made seven of their next eight shots and went on a 25-2 run. UW-River Falls scored the first basket of the second half, but the Pointers scored nine straight points for a 70-31 lead. UW-Stevens Point’s biggest lead was a 49-point advantage at 104-55 with 2:11 remaining.
Pete Rortvedt also had a big day for the Pointers, scoring 21 points and matching a career high with 10 rebounds. He was eight-for-11 from the floor, including four-for-seven from three-point range. Bryan Beamish had 12 points as UW-Stevens Point had nine different players hit a three-pointer.
UW-Stevens Point finished the day at 51.3 percent shooting after its 60.5 percent outburst in the first half. The Pointers were 16-for-36 from three-point range, including 10-for-18 in the first half. They had just six turnovers and held a 43-31 rebounding advantage.
UW-River Falls had 19 turnovers and shot 35.3 percent with Jontae Koonkaew leading the team with 16 points.