Coming off a blowout win that knocked 14th-ranked team in Division III down to No. 23, things doing get any easier for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men’s basketball team.
In fact, one could argue they get more difficult.
The Eagles improved to 11-4 overall and 4-0 in the WIAC after a 75-60 win Saturday at home against UW-Whitewater.
At 7 p.m. tonight, UW-L heads to perennial WIAC and DIII power, ninth-ranked UW-Stevens Point (11-3, 3-1).
The Pointers three losses this season have come against No. 2 Augustana (15-1), No. 11 St. Thomas (12-1) and No. 5 UW-Oshkosh (14-1).
Senior guard Nate Dodge, an Army transfer, is second in the WIAC in scoring at 18.7 points. Last season, he was fifth in the country from deep at 45.6 percent. This year, he’s even better, at 45.9 percent from beyond the arc (50 of 109).
He also led the team in steals last year with 28. He has 27 already this season.
The Pointers have four players averaging double-figures and are the best defense in the WIAC, giving up just 61.6 points, while UW-L is fourth (67.6).
UW-L is in a unique position, scoring wise, where seven players average over seven points a game.
Ben Meinholz (pictured above) and Brendon Manning are the only two in double-figures, at 13.9 and 13.8, respectively. Both are ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, in scoring in the WIAC, as well.
Manning leads the WIAC in field goal percentage at 66.7.
Meinholz and Dodge are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the WIAC in steals. Meinholz averages 2.29, while Dodge averages 2.0 a game.
