PLYMOUTH, Wis. (Interstat) — Wisconsin-Stevens Point used an early burst to take control and defeated Lakeland 78-48 in a women’s NCAA Division III basketball game on Wednesday at Woltzen Gymnasium. The Pointers improved to 3-0 this season, while the Muskies fell to 0-1. Attendance was 253. Wisconsin-Stevens Point scored 78 points from 68 possessions with an offensive rating of 114.3. Lakeland scored 48 points from 69 possessions with an offensive rating of 69.2.

The decisive stretch came in the first quarter. After Sadie Grabow hit a 3-pointer to pull Lakeland within 4-3, Wisconsin-Stevens Point scored the final 16 points of the quarter and led 20-3 after one. Jessilyn Ernst made two layups in that run, Nayeli Kilen added a pullup jumper, and Karissa Smith, Lily Truchon, Maddie Murphy and Egan Bierowski also scored. Murphy hit a 3-pointer at 3:44, and Bierowski made a 3-pointer at 2:37. The Pointers opened the second quarter with a Smith 3-pointer and eventually took a 43-20 lead into halftime. Smith’s 3-pointer at 9:36 of the second quarter pushed the margin to 23-3. Lakeland’s Alexis Breeden made a 3-pointer and Ariana Vaitkeviciute made a layup in the second quarter before Wisconsin-Stevens Point pulled away.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point stretched the lead in the third quarter. Smith made a driving layup, two free throws and a 3-point jump shot, Ernst scored twice inside, and Truchon added a layup as the Pointers moved ahead 56-23. Lakeland got two 3-pointers from Sonia Pagan in the third, and Sydney Nimsakont made a layup and a free throw, but Wisconsin-Stevens Point led 67-34 after three quarters. Autumn Davis made a jump shot and a free throw in the third quarter for Lakeland, and Madeline Sasis added a layup. Annika Salettel made a 3-pointer and a layup in the fourth quarter, and Brenna Gehri added a layup. Vaitkeviciute scored repeatedly in the fourth for Lakeland.

Jessilyn Ernst of Wisconsin-Stevens Point finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes. Lily Truchon added 14 points, six rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes. Sydney Nimsakont of Lakeland had 13 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. Karissa Smith of Wisconsin-Stevens Point scored 20 points and had one assist in 25 minutes. Egan Bierowski contributed five points, eight rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes.

Ariana Vaitkeviciute of Lakeland had 11 points and one rebound in 17 minutes. Nayeli Kilen of Wisconsin-Stevens Point added 11 points, two rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes. Sonia Pagan of Lakeland finished with six points, one rebound and two assists in 20 minutes. Annika Salettel of Wisconsin-Stevens Point had five points, one rebound and two assists in 18 minutes. Brenna Gehri of Wisconsin-Stevens Point added two points, two rebounds and seven assists in 20 minutes.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point shot 31 of 61 from the floor, 8 of 24 from 3-point range and 8 of 11 from the free throw line. Lakeland shot 14 of 43 overall, 5 of 13 from beyond the arc and 15 of 24 from the line. The Pointers had a 12-7 edge in offensive rebounds and a 9-8 edge in assists. Wisconsin-Stevens Point had four blocks and committed 14 turnovers, while Lakeland committed 22 turnovers. The Pointers had opened the season with wins at Saint Norbert and Saint Scholastica.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Lakeland 60, Wisconsin-Stevens Point 59, while its ELO system had projected Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a 96.4 percent probability to win. Wisconsin-Stevens Point next plays at Concordia Wisconsin, and Lakeland hosts Martin Luther.