#19 Loggers Battle It Out With #10 Pointers, Fall 70-55

TACOMA, Wash. - Puget Sound senior Austin Boyce (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) put up 20 points and eight rebounds on his way to tournament MVP honors but in the end, it was the 10th-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point Pointers who collected the 70-55 victory over the 18th-ranked Puget Sound Loggers in the final game of the Puget Sound Tip-Off Classic on Saturday evening at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.

In the first half, the Pointers (3-0) built a lead midway through the period but the Loggers stayed with them the entire period.  A three-pointer by Bryce Levin (Everett, Wash.) with 8:30 left in the first period gave the Loggers a lead and they would hold onto the advantage until 2:13 left to play in the half.  Stevens Point ended the half on a 9-2 run as they took a 36-31 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Pointers gradually built their lead, using the services of guard Matt Moses, who found himself in foul trouble in the first half.  UWSP's lead hit double-digits with 6:58 left to go in the second half and the Loggers slowly ran out of gas as Stevens Point went on to collect the 70-55 victory to stay perfect on the 2009 season.

The Loggers were led by the 20 points and eight rebounds from Boyce.  Kaleb Shelton (Tacoma, Wash./Lincoln) added 10 points and eight rebounds to earn his spot on the all-tournament team.  The Loggers struggled from the field, making just 16 of 61 attempts, but they were able to force 25 Stevens Point turnovers to stay in the game.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point was led by 16 points from freshman guard Jerrel Harris.  Louis Hurd added 12 points while Scott Hoelzel and Jared Jenkins added 10 points.  Both Hurd and Moses were named to the all-tournament team, joining Nate Montgomery of Whitworth and Darren Lew of UC Santa Cruz.

Puget Sound hits the road next week, traveling to St. Martin's on Tuesday night for a match-up with the DII Saints.  Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.