We perform simulations of an effective theory of SU(2) Wilson lines in three dimensions. Our action includes a kinetic term, the one-loop perturbative potential for the Wilson line, a non-perturbative fuzzy-bag contribution and spatial gauge fields. We determine the phase diagram of the theory and confirm that, at moderately weak coupling, the non-perturbative term leads to eigenvalue repulsion in a finite region above the deconfining phase transition.