Facing off against the nation's top team is never an easy task.

Doing so on their home court is often even more challenging.   Yet for 25 minutes of their game with top-ranked UW-Stevens Point, the UW-Superior men's basketball team found themselves going toe-to-toe with the undefeated Pointers.

The Pointers began took control from there however, outscoring UW-Superior 23-6 over a 10:39 stretch of the second half on the way to posting a 63-46 win at Quandt Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.

UW-Superior committed 22 turnovers and shot just 39 percent (16-of-41) in dropping their fourth straight and fell to 5-14 overall and 2-8 in league play.

The Pointers, ranked No. 1 in the latest D3hoops.com top-25 poll, upped their overall season mark to 20-0 2 while also improving to 11-0 in WIAC play.

UW-Superior got off to a strong start, getting two free throws from Zach Schradle (Clayton, Wis./Clayton), an inside score from Bronson Byrne (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) and a jumper from Jarrod Peterson (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) to take a 6-5 lead with 14:14 left in the opening half.

Two more layups from Peterson upped the Yellowjackets' edge to 12-8 with 10:37 showing on the clock.

Six straight points from Clayton Heuer, Stephen Pelkofer and Joe Ritchay helped the Pointers rally for a 16-12 edge at the 4:21 mark of the first half.

The Yellowjackets came right back, getting two layups from Byrne and a long three-pointer from Johnathon Scott to retake the lead at 22-20 with 56 seconds left before UW-Stevens Point scored the final five points of the half, including a three by Pelkofer at the buzzer, gave the Pointers a 25-22 lead at the  break.

UW-Superior came out aggressively in the second half, getting five early points from Brian Lindblom (Spooner, Wis./Spooner), a layup from Byrne for a 29-27 Yellowjackets' lead at the 18:06 mark of regulation.

But the Pointers scored 10 of the next 11 points for a 37-30 UW-Stevens Point edge with 13:59 left in the second half.

UW-Stevens Point continued to pull away, taking their first double-digit lead of the contest on a jumper by Heuer with 10:55 left before eventually upping their margin to 52-35 on a layup by Ritchay at the 5:25 mark.

The Yellowjackets never got closer than 13 the rest of the way as Pointers racked up 15 offensive rebounds in claiming their 20th straight win.

Peterson led the way for the Yellowjackets, scoring 16 points while Lindblom and Byrne each finished with eight points.

Trevor Hass and Ritchay each scored 17 points for UW-Stevens Point.

The Yellowjackets return home to face UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday.  Opening tipoff from Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.