Heading to UW-Stout on Wednesday, the Yellowjacket men's basketball team needed a win in a big way.  Having dropped four straight, they found themselves sinking in the WIAC standings and needed a win to turn things around.  What better way to get that victory and get the confidence going than to take on a team that you had your way with a few weeks ago.

It wasn't as easy as it was the first go round, but the Yellowjackets got the job done.  Behind Jake Smith (Rhinelander, Wis.) and his game-high 20 points, the Yellowjackets snapped their losing skid with a 75-69 win in Menomonie.

The win improves the Yellowjackets to 12-10 overall and 4-9 in the WIAC.  The Yellowjackets close the season with one game against the team right behind them (UW-Eau Claire) and the two teams immediately ahead of them (UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater), so there is room for them to make a move in the standings as the year winds down.

On Wednesday, the Yellowjackets fell behind early, trailing 6-0 from the opening tip-off.  Smith hit a jumper 2:30 into the game to get the Yellowjackets on the board and seconds later, Dan Culy (Rice Lake, Wis.) did the same to make it a two-point game.  Eventually, the Yellowjackets would tie the game on a three-pointer by Marcus Helland (Baldwin, Wis.), but the Blue Devils would again pull away and build up a six-point lead.  The Yellowjackets would take their first lead of the game with 5:33 to play in the first half when Brendan Bauer (Gilmanton, Wis.) hit a three-pointer, making it 27-25.  The ensuing transition would see Stout hit a three of their own, again giving them the lead.  Trent Davis (Apple Valley, Minn.) would hit a three with just over four minutes left in the half to again give the Yellowjackets the lead.  They would close the half with an 11-3 run and head to the locker room with a 38-31 lead.

In the second half, the Yellowjackets would open up a lead as large as 11 points, fueled by a Helland jumper with 13:16 to play, and would again see their advantage stretch to 11 with just 1:34 to play.  Stout at one time closed to within three points, but the Yellowjackets owned the second half and came away with the big victory.

Culy finished with 17 points and Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis.) chipped in 11, as they joined Smith in hitting double figures.  Ritchie hit three three-pointers, shooting 75% behind the arc.  As a team, the Yellowjackets shot 54.5% from three-point range and had the same field goal percentage for the game.    Greg Roeder (Mercer, Wis.) led the Yellowjackets with seven rebounds and also had a team-high two blocked shots.  Smith and Culy had three assists apiece.  Culy also had a pair of steals.

Eric Hostetter and Erik Olson had 17 and 15 points respectively to lead the Blue Devils.