Pointers to host Oregon opponent in NCAAs By MIKE KEMMETER of The Gazette NCAA Division 3's version of the "Big Dance" kicks off in Stevens Point Saturday night when the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's basketball team takes on an Oregon school at the Quandt Fieldhouse. The Pointers, who gained an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a dramatic 59-56 overtime win over UW-Eau Claire last Saturday, will face either Lewis and Clark College of Portland, Ore. or Pacific University of Forest Grove, Ore. at 7 p.m. The two schools meet Thursday night in Portland in the opening round of the tournament. UW-SP received a first round bye. The game will be broadcast live on WIZD 99.9 FM with Scott Krueger and John Zellmer calling the action. Reserved ticket holders had until Wednesday to claim their tickets for $6. Tickets for general admission tickets are $5 and $3 for UW-SP students and youth under 18. Fieldhouse capacity is 2,800. UW-SP (23-4) is making its second NCAA Tournament appearance, having advanced to the Elite Eight in 1997. Lewis and Clark (20-5) and Pacific (16-8) are both making their first appearance in the "Big Dance." The two teams met twice during the regular season, with Lewis and Clark sweeping the series 79-72 and 75-68. UW-SP coach Jack Bennett said he's not very familiar with either team, but the NCAA requires teams to exchange game tapes. He said he also talked to coaches who have faced the two teams. "In Lewis and Clark's case, they're probably a slight favorite. Lewis and Clark appears to be a (UW-)La Crosse-type team. They play a real fast, up-tempo type game. In Pacific's case, I think they're more control-oriented," Bennett said. "The most important thing is we need to work on what we need to do. We'll focus on our own preparation, our own execution. I often find that that's when we approach the game the best. And I hope that's what we do." * * * The Pointer hockey team is within two games of joining the men's basketball team in a national tournament. The Pointers host UW-Superior in the NCHA playoff championship Friday and Saturday night with 7:30 p.m. games at the K.B. Willett Arena. The winner of the series receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 3 National Championships. The loser would be in the running for the lone at-large berth into the tournament. Both games can be heard live on WWSP 90FM. If the teams split the two games, a 15-minute mini-game will follow Saturday's game. Reserved tickets are $6, general admission $5, and UW-SP students and youth under 18 $3. The Pointers won the NCHA regular season title this year and last won the NCHA playoff championship in 1993. UW-SP, who is ranked No. 4 in the latest U.S. College Hockey Online poll, won both meetings this season by 3-2 scores. The Yellowjackets knocked off St. Norbert last weekend in the NCHA semifinals, winning Saturday night's mini-game 2-1. Men's Basketball Pointers 59, UW-Eau Claire 56 (OT) UW-SP rallied in regulation and shut down the Bluegolds in overtime to win the WIAC tournament championship game. The Pointers trailed 56-50 with one minute to go when Jay Bennett and Travis Kornowski both nailed 3-pointers to tie the game. Kornowski's bomb from the right wing came with 25 seconds left. In overtime, Brant Bailey scored all three points for UW-SP, on a layup and a free throw. The free throw with 3:13 remaining was the final point of the game. Bailey led UW-SP with 24 points on 10-of-17 from the field. Jay Bennett added 11. Joe Zuiker had 12 rebounds (nine defensive). Sherm Carstensen paced Eau Claire with 18 points. Jon Wallenfelsz scored 13 points and had 12 rebounds but connected on just 1-of-11 free throws. * * * The WIAC regular season and tournament champions dominated the conference awards handed out this week. Bailey was named the conference's Player of the Year and Bennett received Coach of the Year honors. Three Pointers also made the first-team All-WIAC squad - Bailey, point guard Brent Larson and forward Gabe Frank. Bailey, a senior forward, averaged 24.9 points per game in the WIAC and was the first UW-SP player to receive the honor since Jon Julius in 1992. Bennett is the fourth Pointer coach to capture the Coach of the Year award. His brother, Dick, won in 1982 and 1985. Jay Eck won the honor in 1986 and Bob Parker received it in 1992. Larson, a junior, transferred to UW-SP this season from Central Michigan and finished second in the league in assists with 4.6 per game. He also averaged 9.1 points per game and shot 50 percent (30-for-60) from 3-point range. Frank, a senior, led the conference in 3-point shooting at 50.8 percent (30-for-59). He was also among the league's top field goal and free throw shooters. He averaged 14.4 points per game in league games. Hockey Pointers 5, River Falls 1 UW-SP opened a 3-0 lead to secure its trip to the NCHA title series. First period goals by Derek Toninato (:52) and Kenny Bowers (17:19) and a second-period tally by Mikhail Salienko (14:04) gave the Pointers a three-goal lead entering the third period. After River Falls scored to make it 3-1, Josh Strassman (12:28) and Dave Boehm (14:44) both lit the lamp to put the game away. UW-SP goalie Bob Gould made 31 saves in net. Pointers 3, River Falls 1 The Pointers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the two-game series by scoring the first three goals of the game. Bryan Fricke scored two straight goals, at 8:31 of the first period and at 4:55 of the second period, and Salienko had a tally in the second period (13:47) to give UW-SP a 3-0 advantage. UW-RF added a goal with 9:32 left in the third period but could get no closer. Gould made 24 saves for Point. Women's basketball Senior Jessica Ott was named to the first-team All-WIAC squad for the third time after finishing as UW-SP's second all-time leading scorer. Sophomore forward Carry Boehning received an all-conference honorable mention. Ott led the conference in free throw percentage at 86.3 percent (82-for-95) and also finished as UW-SP's all-time leader in career free throw percentage. Boehning ranked fourth in the WIAC in both scoring (14.6) and rebounding (7.6). Track and Field The Pointer men finished first and the women were third at the Indoor Pointer Invitational Saturday. The men scored 110 points, eight more than second-place UW-La Crosse while UW-Eau Claire had 86. UW-L's women dominated the field with 160 points, followed by UW-O (111) and UW-SP (62). First place finishers on the men's side were: Craig Gunderson in the 400-meter dash (49.43 seconds), Mike Mead in the high jump (6-feet-10.25-inches), Joel Schult in the shotput (51-9.75) and the distance medley relay (9:59.67). Megan Lundahl won the weight throw (49-4.5), April Halkoski took the 5,000-meter run (19:06.30) and the 4x400 relay (4:05.01).