It marked the second straight game that the Pointers have held an opponent under 50 points as UW-River Falls shot just 24.6 percent from the game. UW-Stevens Point has now won seven of its last eight games to improve to 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference entering Wednesday’s home game with league leader UW-Oshkosh.
The Pointers raced out to a fast start on Saturday, posting an early 12-2 lead before the Falcons rallied with 11 straight points to take the lead. UW-Stevens Point then reeled off the next 15 points to build a 27-13 lead with 3:11 left in the first half as UW-River Falls missed 10 straight shots.
UW-Stevens Point led 29-20 at halftime and extended its lead to as many as 12 points at 36-24 with 14:17 left in the game. The Pointers were ahead 41-31 with 8:53 left when UW-River Falls forced turnovers on five straight UW-Stevens Point possessions while scoring 10 straight points to tie the game at 41-41 with 5:37 left.
Laura Neuenfeldt answered for the Pointers with the team’s only three-pointer of the game with 5:11 left and UW-Stevens Point led the rest of the way.
After the Falcons cut the lead to 45-43 with 3:28 left, Becky Pepper hit a huge basket with 3:03 remaining to push the lead back to four points. Neuenfeldt sank a pair of free throws and made a basket in the final minute to give the Pointers an eight-point lead.
UW-Stevens Point held the Falcons to three-for-19 shooting from three-point range. The Pointers shot 40.5 percent from the field and one-for-12 from behind the arc. Neuenfeldt and Jesirae Heuer each had 10 points with Neuenfeldt scoring nine in the second half and Heuer getting all of her points in the first half. Nathalie Lechault added six blocks. Megan Lindmann led the Falcons with 16 points.