APPLETON, Wis. – Five Pointers scored in double figures on Thursday evening as the No. 15 UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team opened the season with a 72-64 victory over the Vikings of Lawrence University at Alexander Gym.

Lawrence jumped out to an early lead with a three-point basket by Davis DeWolfe and stayed in front for much of the first stanza, leading by as many as 10, 21-11, at the midway point of the half.

The Pointers answered with an 18-2 run over the final 10 minutes of the half, capped by a Trevor Hass (New London, WI/New London/Augustana (SD)) layup, to take a six-point advantage into the locker room, up 29-23.

UWSP continued to build a lead to start the second half, pushing the lead to 18, 53-35, with 10:44 remaining in the game.

Lawrence slowly chipped away at the Pointers lead, cutting the deficit to five,62-57, with 1:25 remaining, but clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch sealed the 10-point victory for UWSP.

Tyler Tillema (Randolph, WI/Randolph), Clayton Heuer (Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln/UW-Green Bay), and Hass each tallied 14 points on the evening while Alex Richard (Spring Green, WI/River Valley) chipped in with 12 and Joe Ritchay (Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln) added 11. Ritchay also had a team-high six rebounds on the evening.

LU's DeWolfe led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor.

UW-Stevens Point (1-0) returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 17 with another road contest at St. Olaf College in St. Peter, Minn.

COURTESY UW-STEVENS POINT