News Release

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Even a 36-minute fire alarm delay didn't slow the UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team on Wednesday as the Pointers built an early lead and rolled past UW-Oshkosh 74-61 in the teams' Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener at the Quandt Fieldhouse.

The Titans had four turnovers and made just one of five shots in the first seven minutes as UW-Stevens Point jumped out to an 11-4 lead. Minutes later, the Pointers used a 7-0 spurt capped by a three-pointer by Pete Rortvedt to lead 21-9 when fire alarms began sounding in the fieldhouse with 8:06 left in the first half. The athletes and fans were sent outside for about 20 minutes while firefighters resolved a small electrical fire in a classroom in another part of the building.

When play resumed, the Pointers continued right where they left off, holding UW-Oshkosh without a field goal until Andy Jahnke scored with 3:39 left in the half to cut the lead to 27-14. In total, the Titans went a span of 8:11 without a field goal before making four of their last five shots of the first half.

UW-Stevens Point led 37-21 at halftime and the Titans made their best spurt of the game when they scored the first six points of the second half to cut the lead to 10 points. However, Jon Krull and Steve Hicklin followed with consecutive three-point plays as the Pointers pushed the lead back to 16. UW-Stevens Point maintained at least a 10-point lead the remainder of the game.

The Pointers had just six turnovers in the game, including only two in the first half, while shooting 23-for-26 at the free throw line. The outcome was somewhat of a surprise considering UW-Oshkosh entered the game as the WIAC preseason favorite and ranked seventh in the NCAA Division III, while UW-Stevens Point lost four starters from its two-time defending national championship teams and played at times with four freshmen on the floor. The victory was UW-Stevens Point's 24th straight home win.

Hicklin led the Pointers with 21 points and made all seven free throws, while Krull had 12 points and was perfect on eight free throws. Brian Bauer added 17 points and Pete Rortvedt had 13 points.

Jahnke led the Titans with 16 points and Kerry Gibson had 13 as UW-Oshkosh shot 64.0 percent in the second half, but was hampered by 17 turnovers for the game.