Having absorbed a frustrating loss their last time out, the UW-Superior men's basketball team needed a bounce-back effort Wednesday night.
Standing in the way were the UW-Stout Blue Devils, who had defeated the Yellowjackets in previous meeting at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.
None of that seemed to faze UW-Superior as the Yellowjackets outscored UW-Stout 35-25 in the second half to cruise home for a 70-59 win over the Blue Devils at Johnson Fieldhouse.
The victory was not only UW-Superior's second in three games, it also gives the Yellowjackets some valuable momentum heading into Saturday afternoon's home game with UW-LaCrosse.
UW-Superior (7-15 overall, 4-9 WIAC) started well in the opening half, getting five quick points from Brian Lindblom (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) and an inside score from Bronson Byrne (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) to take a 9-6 lead with 16:18 left on the clock.
A layup from Aaron Corry (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) along with five more points from Lindblom upped the bulge to 16-8 at the 14:29 mark of the opening stanza.
The Yellowjackets continued to hold the advantage over the next 5:08, taking a 23-16 lead on a driving layup by Jarrod Peterson (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) with 9:21 showing on the clock.
UW-Stout (12-10, 7-6) mounted a quick rally, getting a layup from Adam Wadzinski, four straight free throws from Aaron Jenny and two more foul shots from Brett Ahsenmacher to take a 30-25 lead at the 4:12 mark of the half.
But the Yellowjackets closed out the half with a flurry of their own, going on a 10-4 run over the final 3:41 to take a 35-34 lead into halftime following a driving layup by Harrison Woods (Mobile, Ala./C.F. Vigor) in the final 11 seconds of action.
UW-Superior carried over their momentum in the second half, scoring nine of the first 11 points of the frame for a 44-36 cushion on Byrne's jumper with 15:49 left in regulation.
A jumper by Debonair Townsend brought the Blue Devils back to within 46-42 at the 13:48 mark of the second half.
The Yellowjackets took command from there however, going on an 18-4 burst over the next 11:17 to take their largest lead of the game at 64-46 on two free throws by Zach Schradle (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) with just 2:16 remaining in the contest. Corry scored five points during the run while Byrne and Schradle each had four. Lindblom had three points as well while Peterson chipped in two to help UW-Superior pull away.
UW-Stout never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way as the Yellowjackets hit six free throws in the last 1:46 to seal the victory.
Offensively, Lindblom and Corry paced four players in double-figures for UW-Superior with 15 points each. Byrne added 14 while Peterson finished with 10.
Jimmy Whitehead had 10 points for the Blue Devils.
Opening tipoff on Saturday from Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium between the Yellowjackets and UW-LaCrosse is scheduled for 5 p.m.