STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Tyler Tillema (Randolph, WI/Randolph) and Clayton Heuer (Wisconsin Rapids, WI/Lincoln/UW-Green Bay) combined to score 32 points in the first half and 42 in the game, as the top-ranked UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team topped UW-Eau Claire 74-50 on Wednesday night at Bennett Court at Quandt Fieldhouse.

Box Score

Tillema and Heuer shot a combined 11-for-13 and scored 16 points each in the opening half for the Pointers (19-0, 10-0 WIAC), who built up a 43-28 halftime lead. Tillema was 6-for-8 from the field, including a pair of threes, while Heuer was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line in the first half.

After seven minutes of play the Pointers and Blugolds (8-11, 1-9 WIAC) were tied at 15 before UWSP went on a 10-0 run to take a double-digit lead. UW-Eau Claire missed eight straight shots during the run but recovered to get within five with 3:51 remaining in the first half.

UW-Stevens Point then scored 11 of the final 12 points of the half to take a 15-point lead into the break. The Pointers shot 70.0 percent (14-for-20) from the field and 80.0 percent (12-for-15) in the opening 20 minutes.

Early in the second half, UWSP established a 20-point lead with 17:30 remaining after a 7-2 run. The Pointers led by at least 16 and as many as 25 the rest of the way.
UW-Stevens Point cooled off to 40.7 percent in the second half to finish the game at 53.2 percent, the team's 14th game shooting at least 50.0 percent this season. UWSP also shot 85.7 percent (18-for-21) from the charity stripe in the game.

Tillema finished with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists on a 9-for-14 shooting night. Heuer scored 18 points, his second-highest scoring output of the season. Alex Richard (Spring Green, WI/River Valley) came off the bench to record nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

UW-Eau Claire shot 35.4 percent in the game, including 29.4 percent (5-for-17) from three-point range. The Blugolds were led by Lewis Mau's nine points. The Pointers limited Adam Hjelter, the WIAC's sixth-leading scorer, to eight points on 3-for-12 shooting.

UW-Stevens Point had its 11th single-digit turnover game of the year, finishing with just seven. UWSP outscored UWEC 32-14 in the paint and 19-10 off turnovers.

The Pointers have now won 26 of the last 27 overall meetings against the Blugolds and the last 14 at home, dating back to 2001.

The Pointers host UW-Superior on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. following the women's game.