GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 12th-ranked Calvin University men's basketball team overcame a six-point halftime deficit to defeat UW-Stout 81-66 in non-conference action at Van Noord Arena on Saturday.
 
It was a tale of two halves, as UW-Stout (2-2) led for most of the first half and went into the locker room at the break with a 43-37 lead after the opening 20 minutes of play.
 
The Blue Devils got it done from the outside in the first half, making eight of 16 from beyond the three-point arc and shooting 11-11 from the free throw line. Calvin (3-1) dominated the paint thanks to 13 points from Jalen Overway (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) and 11 more from Luka Ressler (Caledonia, Mich./Catholic Central), but shot 2-7 from beyond the arc and 9-16 from the charity stripe.
 
The second half started with the Knights turning defense into offense on fast break layups from Jordan Scott (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Christian Academy) and Trevin Winkle (McBain, Mich./Northern Michigan Christian), but the Knights still trailed the Blue Devils 54-51 heading into the under-12 media timeout.
 
It would be all Calvin from that point, as the Knights went on a 21-1 run over the next five minutes to take a 17-point lead at 72-55. Winkle led the run with four quick points to give the Knights the lead, and Ressler added a three-pointer from the wing off an Overway assist to keep the momentum going. Overway, Scott and Ressler added shots in the paint to push the lead into double figures before Parker Swartz (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview/Ohio Dominican) and Zion Ruckard (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest/St. Thomas Aquinas) capped the run with back-to-back three pointers to put the game away.
 
Winkle led the second-half charge with 12 points while Scott added nine points and Overway had eight points and 10 rebounds in the half.
 
After an 8-16 start for the Blue Devils from beyond the arc, the Knights held them to 4-13 in the second half.
 
Calvin dominated in the paint throughout, outscoring UW-Stout 42-4 in the lane and outrebounding the Blue Devils 44-28.
 
Overway led all scorers with 21 points to go with 16 rebounds and five assists for his third straight double-double. Ressler added a season-high 18 points and Winkle finished with 12.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "First half we let them get down hill way too much and there are some things we're just trying to figure out," Calvin head coach Bill Sall said. "Too many fouls and way too many possessions where defensively we just didn't do what we are capable of doing. We're still trying to find flow. We've got a lot of talented players who can score in a lot of ways. But we're just not hitting the mark there yet. I thought Jordan Scott did a great job in the second half. Great to see Trevin get a few things done. And Zion Ruckard had a really solid game."
 
NEXT UP: Calvin men's basketball will return to action on Friday, November 28, when it hosts Heidelberg University for a 7:30 PM tip at Van Noord Arena.