Having lost two frustrating games in the last week, the UW-Superior men's basketball team entered Wednesday night's WIAC contest with the UW-Stout Blue Devils determined not to extend their losing streak to three games.

The Yellowjackets not only snapped their two game skid, they put together one of their most impressive performances of the season, getting a game-high 24 points from junior Ben Aalfs (Hutchinson, Minn.) on the way to cruising past the Blue Devils 88-56 at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.

UW-Superior (11-6 overall, 3-5) got off to a fast start, getting three-pointers from Aalfs and Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis.) along with baskets from Greg Roeder (Mercer, Wis.), Aaron Corry (Lake Nebagamon, Wis.) and Marcus Helland (Baldwin, Wis.) in the first 4:13 for an early 12-7 lead.

UW-Stout (7-9, 2-6) would climb back to within 14-12 with 12:00 showing on the clock after a jumper by Chris Jardine. 

But the Yellowjackets would go on a 16-3 burst behind a three from Helland, two jumpers by Jake Smith (Rhinelander, Wis.) and a three from Trent Davis (Apple Valley, Minn.) for a 30-15 advantage with 7:45 left in the first half.

UW-Superior continued to pull away for the remainder of the half, taking their largest lead of the opening 20 minutes at 37-18 following a basket from Roeder before heading to the intermission holding a 44-26 lead.

The second half provided more of the same as the Yellowjackets turned a 50-33 lead with 17:23 left into a 69-35 bulge with 11:01 remaining behind two consecutive threes from Aalfs, two baskets from Corry and five points from Helland.

From there, the Yellowjackets would take their largest lead of the night at 85-45 after baskets from Smith, Roeder and Taylor Skoglund (Chisholm, Minn.) with 3:33 left on the clock.

Along with Aalfs' 24 points, the Yellowjackets got 20 points from Smith and 13 points from Helland.  Corry meanwhile added eight points and 11 rebounds for UW-Superior, who limited the Blue Devils to 31 percent shooting overall and 13.6 percent shooting from three-point range.

The Blue Devils were led by Jordan Nelson with 13 points.

The Yellowjackets return to action Saturday when they host UW-Platteville at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium starting at 1 p.m.