EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Down by one late in the second half, UW-Eau Claire knocked down 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to stave off a strong effort from the UW-Superior men's basketball team for a 75-69 win at Zorn Arena on Monday.
 
The Yellowjackets held five different leads in the second half alone, stretching their advantage to as many as five points two times. But, with 2:17 remaining, the Blugolds' Spencer Page and Cam Kuepers drained treys to take the lead for good. UWEC hit 3-of-5 free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
 
The 'Jackets put three players in double figures, led by senior Mac Reykdal (Washburn, Wis./Washburn) with 22 points. Classmate Allen Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo) had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists, while another senior, Vid Milenkovic (Zurich, Switzerland/DSB Belgrade (Serbia)), collected his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 boards.
 
UWS (2-2) scored the game's first eight points, capping the run with an Anderson 3-pointer. UWEC tied the game midway through the half and took its first lead, 17-15, on a Kuepers layup. Superior battled back to take a 23-21 edge on a Milenkovic offensive rebound and put back with less than five minutes before halftime.
 
UWS trailed by one, 31-30, at the break.
 
Mason Ackley (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) knocked down a 3-pointer from Anderson two minutes into the second half, giving his team a 37-33 lead. Reykdal pushed it to a 40-35 game on another triple just over a minute later.
 
Eau Claire responded with a traditional three-point play from Kuepers at the 14-minute mark to knot the score at 44. Neither team held a lead of more than four until the final minutes.
 
Anderson knocked down another trifecta with 5:47 left to give the 'Jackets that four-point bulge at 62-58. Kuepers, though, followed with another three-point play cutting the deficit 62-61. The teams then traded free throws until the Blugolds' back-to-back 3-pointers.
 
UWS held a 27-22 edge on the glass, turning 10 offensive boards into 10 second-chance points. The 'Jackets shot 44 percent for the game, while Eau Claire (3-0) shot 56 percent in the second half to finish 51 percent for the contest.
 
Kuepers paced the Blugolds with 18 points, adding seven rebounds for UWEC, which had four starters score double digits.
 
The 'Jackets continue a stretch of three straight games against the WIAC, traveling to UW-River Falls Thursday at 7 p.m.