OSHKOSH, Wis.—Junior Brody Fox (Mahtomedi, Minn.) scored eight of his game-high 25 points during a 27-6 run to begin the second half to help the University of Wisconsin-Stout defeat Babson College, 81-67, on the opening night of the BSN Winter Classic inside Oshkosh Arena. 

Babson has dropped its last two games to slip to 5-5 on the year, while Wisconsin-Stout has won three of its last four games to improve to 5-5 overall. 

Junior Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) finished with 19 points and three assists and graduate student Steph Baxter (Worcester, Mass.) finished with 16 points and four rebounds to lead the Beavers. Sophomore Jojo Chalumeau (Boston, Mass.) scored a career-high nine points off the bench, while senior John Gorgol (Scottdale, Ariz.) contributed eight points and a team-high seven boards in the loss. 

Fox, who leads Division III in scoring, went 11-of-15 at the free throw line and added 15 rebounds to post his first double-double of the season for the Blue Devils. Senior George Scharlau (Colfax, Wis.) added 13 points and 12 rebounds, while junior Jacob Walczak (Chippewa Falls, Wis.) chipped in with 11 points and five boards in the win. 

The Green and White led by as many as four on three occasions over the first seven minutes before back-to-back hoops by Fox gave Wisconsin-Stout a 15-12 advantage at the 10:48 mark. Baxter cut the deficit to 22-21 with a triple with 7:00 remaining in the half before Scharlau keyed a 15-6 spurt with a pair of three-pointers to help the Blue Devils stretch their lead to 36-27 with 1:49 to go before halftime. 

The Beavers got back within five thanks to a trifecta by Baxter and a layup by Amado over the final minute of the opening period before Wisconsin-Stout broke things open over the first seven-plus minutes of the second half. In addition to Fox's eight points, Walczak added seven during the decisive 27-6 run that helped the Blue Devils push the margin to 64-38 with 12:26 to play. 

Babson responded with a 12-3 spurt that included points from five different players to cut its deficit to 67-50 with 8:28 left. Fifth-year Caden Hoffman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) stopped the run with a three-pointer and first-year Collin Vick (Owatonna, Minn.) converted a layup pushing Wisconsin-Stout lead back to 75-54 with under five minutes to go. 

The Beavers, who committed a season-low seven turnovers, shot just 38 percent from the floor and finished just 6-of-15 (40 percent) at the free throw line. The Blue Devils shot 47.1 percent in the second half and 42.9 percent for the game while outrebounding the Green and White 57-33. 

Both teams return to action on Saturday as Babson faces Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 6 p.m. EST, while Wisconsin-Stout takes on Nebraska Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m. EST. 

GAME NOTES
•    Friday's meeting was the first all-time between Babson and Wisconsin-Stout. 
•    The Beavers have allowed 73 points or more in four of its five losses this season
•    Gorgol has made at least one three-pointer in eight straight games, while sophomore Jeremiah Paul (Los Angeles, Calif.) has knocked down a triple in seven consecutive outings. 
•    Babson has dropped each of its four games this winter when shooting below 40 percent from the floor.