UW-Stevens Point extends streak

STEVENS POINT, Wis. –  No. 18 Wisconsin-Stevens Point used a 21-6 run in the second half to extend its home win streak to 27 games as it defeated No. 13 St. Thomas (Minn.) 72-66 on Thursday.

The game featured the last two teams to hoist a national championship trophy as the Tommies did in 2011 and the Pointers in 2010.

Both teams traded baskets early on as there were three ties in the first five minutes.

Up three, Tyler Tillema sparked a 7-2 run to increase the Pointers lead to 10 at 27-17.

St. Thomas held Wisconsin-Stevens Point scoreless in the final 4:57 of the first half and narrowed the margin to 27-25 entering halftime.

In the second, Will DeBerg knotted the game up once again with a 3-pointer before the Pointers put together a 21-6 run, capped off by a Jordan Brezinski layup, for a 15-point lead with 8:33 remaining.

The Tommies then went on a 15-5 run of their own and with 1:23 remaining cut the Pointers lead to 63-61.

As St. Thomas was looking to extend the game, Wisconsin-Stevens Point knocked down 9-of-12 free throws down the stretch and Brezinski came up with a block to end the Tommies rally, resulting in a 72-66 victory for the Pointers.

Dan Tillema recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Jordan Giordana scored a season-high 15, going 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Tyler Tillema and Brezinski also scored in double digits with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Tyler Tillema dished out a game-high seven assists.

Tommy Hannon led all scorers with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds in the loss.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point shot 51.1 percent on the day while St. Thomas shot 45.6 percent. The Tommies dominated the Pointers in the paint with a 42-24 advantage.