Issued: January 4, 2003

STEVENS POINT HANDS BLUGOLDS FIRST CONFERENCE LOSS

The UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team couldn't overcome a poor shooting night in losing their first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game of the year 73-57 to undefeated and three-time defending WIAC champions UW-Stevens Point here tonight at W. L. Zorn Arena.

The Blugolds got off to a quick start jumping out to a 6-4 off of two Jason Larson (Sugar Land, TX/Stephen F. Austin) three-pointers. The Pointers then went on a 10-0 run which Eau Claire would not recover from.

Stevens Point took a 34-23 halftime lead on the strength of 52 percent shooting while holding the Blugolds to 29.2 percent. Larson and Stevens Point's Josh Iserloth both had 14 points at the half.

In the opening minutes of the second half Eau Claire pulled within six at 40-34 on another three-pointer from Larson. The Blugolds wouldn't get any closer as the Pointers went on an 8-2 run to extend their lead to twelve with 13:17 remaining.

The Blugolds struggled in the paint allowing 38 points inside. Stevens Point pounded the ball inside to Iserloth repeatedly and he didn't disappoint shooting 10 of 17 from the field and 10 of 12 from the line for a team-high 30 points.

Larson led Eau Claire with 31 points on 11 of 20 shooting including 4 of 6 from long range. Casey Drake (Jr.-Rhinelander) added 10 points while Andy Witte (Sr.-Madison/Monona Grove) pulled down a game-high 12 boards.

For the game the Blugolds shot only 30.9 percent from the field while the Pointers shot 58.1 percent. Eau Claire crashed the offensive boards with 16 which led to 13 second chance points.

The loss drops the Blugolds to 3-1 in the WIAC and 10-2 overall.

Eau Claire will travel to River Falls Wednesday to take on the Falcons at the Karges Center. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Eau Claire-Stevens Point Box