Waverly, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team captured third-place at the Wartburg College (Iowa) AmericInn Holiday Tournament with a 68-58 win over Hamline University (Minn.) Friday afternoon in Levick Arena.  The Eagles improve to 6-5 on the season while the Pipers drop to 4-7.

UWL scored the first five points of the game before Hamline (Minn.) scored the next six.  The Pipers led 16-15 at the end of the first quarter.  The Eagles opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 22-18 lead with 6:52 remaining after a pair of Elise DeNoyer free throws.  Hamline (Minn.) used a 8-0 run to lead 26-22 with 5:09 left.  Hamline (Minn.) led 29-28 at halftime.

The Eagles started the second half scoring the first 10 points to lead 38-29 with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter after a Kara Selk layup.  Hamline (Minn.) cut the deficit to 42-40 with 1:47 remaining in the quarter before UWL took a 48-43 lead after three quarters.

Hamline (Minn.) trailed 56-52 with 4:42 left when UWL used a 8-0 run to lead 64-52 with 1:54 remaining.  The Pipers could get no closer than eight points the rest of the game.

UWL shot 35.1% from the field, including 23.8% (five-of-21) from three-point range, and 63.9% (23-of-36) at the free throw line.  DeNoyer and MaKenzie Miller led the Eagles with 13 points each.  DeNoyer recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds while also leading UWL with five assists and four steals. Miller finished with eight rebounds and team-high two blocks.  Alyssa Clemment finished with 11 points and three assists.

DeNoyer was one of six players named to the all-tournament team.  She averaged 11.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.5 assists in two tournament games.

Hamline (Minn.) shot 38.0% from the field, including 36.0% (nine-of-25) from three-point range, and 42.3% (11-of-26) at the line.  Chloe Graves led the Pipers with 20 points and five assists while Tia Diggins finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. 

UWL returns to action Wednesday, January 4 hosting 16th-ranked UW-Whitewater in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener for both teams.