MENOMONIE (December 11, 2018) - For only the second time this season, UW-Stout trailed at halftime, but the Blue Devils exploded out of the locker room and went on to a 66-55 win over Ripon College Tuesday on Dewey Mintz Court in Johnson Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils (9-0) last trailed at halftime against St. Catherine on Nov. 16, and that was only by a point. The Red Hawks (3-7) outplayed the Blue Devils in the first half and ran out to a 10-point, 33-23, halftime lead. Ripon shot 57.7 percent (15-26) in the first half, while Stout shot 33.3 percent (9-27).

A solid defense in the third period limited Ripon to 21.4 percent shooting and a better job of getting the ball in basket gave Stout a 23-9 advantage in the third period alone. Bailey Diersen (Sr, Greenville) scored 10 third period points and Amber Fabeck (Jr, Cottage Grove, Minn), who was held to two points at halftime, dropped in nine points. The Blue Devils took their first lead of the game, 41-40, at 2:06 of the third quarter on a Fabeck bucket and held a 46-42 lead at the end of the quarter.

Fabeck kept up the offensive pressure, scoring 11 points in the final stanza as Stout opened the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run, then held as much as a 20 point lead, 66-46, with 2:28 remaining in the game. 

Fabeck led all scorers, finishing with 22 points and matching a career-best effort. Diersen tossed in 18 points and Kyncaide Diedrich (Sr, Athens) added 10 points. Stout finished the game shooting 43.6 percent (24-55) after shooting 53.5 percent (15-28) in the second half.

Ripon had no players in double figures. Alyassa Burgess, Jesi Nay and Maggie Oimoen each finished with eight points, with 20 of those 24 points coming in the first half. Ripon 40.4 percent (21-520 for the game.

The teams were even off the glass, both recording 34 rebounds. Emily Jacques (Jr, Oshkosh) led all players with seven rebounds, with four in the decisive third period. Carolyn Feddema (Sr, Hanover, Minn), who scored nine points, and Fabeck each had six rebounds. Oimoen led Ripon with six boards.

The nine consecutive wins to start the season matches the start by the 1995-96 team. The most wins by a Blue Devil team to start the season was 13 wins to kick off the 1992-93 season. 

The Blue Devils are off until after Christmas when they travel to the UW-Superior Classic. Stout will face St. Scholastica, Saturday, Dec. 29 and UW-Superior, Sunday, Dec. 30. The conference season gets underway Wednesday, Jan. 2 when the Blue Devils host currently undefeated UW-La Crosse at 7 p.m.