Box Score Decorah, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team fell 73-63 at 23rd-ranked Luther College (Iowa) Tuesday night in the Regents Center in its 2015-16 season-opener. The Norse, also playing in their season-opener, are ranked 23rd on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Preason Poll.
The game was the first played for both teams in the new four 10-minute quarters format. UWL took an early 8-4 lead with 6:19 left in the opening quarter after back-to-back three-pointers from
Sierra Watrud. After Katie Waller's jumper for Luther (Iowa) cut the Eagles' lead to 8-6, Watrud hit her third straight three-point field goal to make it 11-6 with 5:35 remaining. The Norse scored the next five points to force an 11-11 tie.
The game was tied 15-15 with 2:52 remaining when Luther (Iowa) went on an 8-0 run. UWL scored the final four points of the first quarter on jumpers from
MaKenzie Miller and
Jenna Anderson to cut the lead to 23-19.
Luther (Iowa) opened the second quarter with three straight points to lead 26-19, but UWL scored the next six points to trail 26-25 with 8:05 remaining. The Eagles took a 32-31 advantage with 2:54 left in the second quarter as Watrud connected on her fourth three-pointer of the opening half. The Norse led 38-36 at halftime.
With 8:00 remaining in the third quarter, Luther (Iowa) led 42-39 on a Tayler Jenks jumper, but UWL used a 10-0 run to take a 49-42 advantage with 4:46 left. The Eagles went four-of-five from the field in their run with Miller scoring six of the 10 points. Luther (Iowa) came right back with a 13-0 run to end the third quarter and start the fourth. UWL committed 10 turnovers and missed three shots from the field in the Luther (Iowa) run.
UWL cut the deficit to 55-51 on a Miller jumper with 8:27 left in the game, but Luther (Iowa) used a 9-1 run to lead 64-52 with 6:11 remaining. The Eagles could get no closer than seven points the rest of the game.
UWL shot 45.3% from the field, including 66.7% (four-of-six) from three-point range, and 61.1% (11-of-18) at the free throw line. The Eagles had 32 turnovers in the game. Miller recorded a double-double with 21 points and tied her career-high with 13 rebounds. She went 10-of-20 from the field and one-of-four at the line. Watrud tied her career-high with 13 points, finishing four-of-four from three-point range and one-of-two at the line.
Elise DeNoyer added nine points for UWL.
Luther (Iowa) shot 39.2% from the field, including 24.1% (seven-of-29) from three-point range, and 80.0% (eight-of-10) at the free throw line. The Norse totaled 18 turnovers. Jenks led four players in double figures with 16 points while Anna Madrigal and Kylie Romeo each finished with 13. Moran Lonning added 11 points. Madrigal recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds.
UWL returns to action Friday, November 20 versus UW-Superior at 6 p.m. in the UW-Eau Claire Tip-Off Tournament.
