MENOMONIE – Louis Hurd scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half to help the top-ranked Pointer men's basketball team turn a two point halftime deficit into a five point second half lead and never looked back, defeating the Blue Devils of UW-Stout 79-68. 

The game was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener for both teams. 

Stout led by as many as 10 points in the game's opening half, aided in part by a 6-for-14 shooting performance from three point land. The Pointers slowly chipped away at the Blue Devil lead and were down only two, 39-37, at the halftime break.

UW-Stevens Point opened the second half on a 10-3 run, erasing the deficit and jumping in front by five. Stout would get no closer than three points the rest of the way as the Pointers pushed their lead to double digits with just over five minutes remaining and cruised to the 11 point victory. 

Hurd led four players scoring in double figures including Jordan Giordana, who finished with 14 and Scott Hoelzel and Dan Tillema each added 11. Tillema also finished as the team's leading rebounder, collecting seven rebounds. 

Eric Hostetter finished as Stout's leading scorer, adding 17. 

UW-Stevens Point (4-0, 1-0 WIAC) returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 4 when they travel to UW-River Falls for a 3 p.m. match-up with the Falcons.