Sports
The Pointers earned the WIAC Championship title after beating UW-Platteville.
Pointers win WIAC Championship, on to NCAA
The Pointer
ataub878@uwsp.edu
The ball started rolling at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 3 p.m. last Saturday on Bennett Court and didn’t stop until the battle was over.
The Quandt Fieldhouse was filled with fans fashioned in purple and gold. They wanted a win, and they got it. The Pointers won 45-42 over UW-Platteville and received their fifth Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III tournament.
The championship game, described by sophomore Nick Krull, was “intensive, tough and incredible.”
Ahead by five points at half, the Pioneers maintained the lead until the 15-minute mark. Later, the Pointers were able to pull ahead by five points with four minutes left on the clock and kept a one point lead with less than three minutes left in the game.
As time ran out, senior Khailfa El-Amin put two points on the board, but the team was quickly countered by Platteville, leaving the score 43-42 as the end drew nearer.
Fouled with less than 20 seconds left in the game, senior forward Brian Beamish made a pair of free throws, giving UW-SP a three-point lead while two missed opportunities by Platteville ensured a Pointer win.
When the seconds ran out and the buzzer sounded, fans took to the floor as the thrilled team jumped from their seats and the audience applauded.
Leading the way for the Pointers with a team-high of 14 points was sophomore Lewis Hurd, who also claimed seven rebounds. Also succesful at the basket was El-Amin with nine points and senior Pete Rortvedt followed with seven.
As WIAC champions, the Pointers move on to the NCAA tournament to play the Rams of Cornell College during the first round this Friday. The game will be hosted by St. Thomas, who is also scheduled to play in the opening round. They will face Aurora University.
Hoping to make a good run, Krull attributes their successful season to the senior leadership and contributions from the underclassmen. He also said that even though the road to a NCAA title is tough, he believes that if the team plays some of their best ball in the next few weeks, “anything is possible.”
Tickets can be purchased at the UW-SP Information and Ticket Center or by calling 715-346-4100. Prices are $3 for students and senior citizens and $6 for adults.
