Box Score La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team opened its 2014-15 season with an 85-45 home victory over Alverno College (Wis.) Saturday night in Mitchell Hall in the Holiday Inn Express Tip-Off Classic.  Alverno was also playing its season-opener.

UW-L scored the first nine points of the game Saturday night, leading 9-0 with 16:17 left in the first half after Maggi Bishop's three-point play. Alverno came back to cut the lead to 16-13 with 10:01 remaining, but UW-L went on a 11-0 run to lead 27-13 with 6:14 left.  The Inferno's Tessa Mersberger hit a three-point field goal with 5:55 remaining to make it 27-16, but the Eagles scored 10 of the next 11 points to lead 37-17 with 1:19 left. UW-L led 39-21 at halftime. 

Alverno cut the deficit to 41-25 with 18:40 remaining, but could get no closer the rest of the game. UW-L led by as many as 41 points in the second half. 

Sierra Watrud led three UW-L players in double figures with 13 points, going five-of-nine from the field, including three-of-six from three-point range. Jenna Anderson and Mikayla Simmons each added 10 points for the Eagles while Elise DeNoyer finished with nine. Thirteen of UW-L's 14 players scored in Saturday's game. 

The Eagles shot 46.7% from the field, including 35.0% (seven-of-20) from three-point range, and 88.9% (eight-of-nine) at the free throw line. UW-L recorded 15 steals and scored 36 points off Alverno turnovers.  The Eagles' bench outscored the Inferno's, 57-9. 

Mollie Mikyska led Alverno with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Julie Gallegos finished with 12 points.  

The Inferno shot 23.8% from the field, including 29.4% (five-of-17) from three-point range, and 62.5% (20-of-32) at the free throw line. Alverno finished with 30 turnovers. 

UW-L returns to action Sunday, November 16 hosting Simpson College (Iowa) at 3 p.m. in the Holiday Inn Express Tip-Off Classic. Simpson earned a 107-26 victory over Mount Mary University (Wis.) Saturday.