La Crosse, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 62-52 victory over Viterbo University (Wis.) Sunday in the final game of the Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 3-2 on the season while the V-Hawks drop to 3-7.
The meeting was the first between UWL and Viterbo (Wis.) since the 2011-12 season. The Eagles lead the all-time series 16-8, and have won the last 11 matchups.
UWL won the opening game of the Classic Saturday, defeating Luther College (Iowa) 62-61, followed by 11th-ranked UW-Oshkosh defeating Viterbo (Wis.) 83-41. In the first game Sunday, UW-Oshkosh defeated Luther (Iowa) 72-65.
UWL's Elise DeNoyer and Ava Kramer, UW-Oshkosh's Emma Melotik and Eliza Campbell, Katie Waller of Luther (Iowa), and Alyssa Nilssen of Viterbo (Wis.) were named to the All-Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic Team.
Elise DeNoyer finished with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Viterbo (Wis.) led by as many as five points in the first quarter Sunday, but UWL used a 7-0 run to go ahead 11-9 with 2:11 left after Kramer went one-of-two from the free throw line. UWL led 15-13 after the first period.
In the second quarter, the Eagles grew the lead to nine at 24-15 on an DeNoyer layup with 6:10 left. The V-Hawks got as close as 26-21 with 1:50 remaining, but UWL ended the quarter on a 7-0 run capped by a Dani Craig layup at the buzzer to lead 33-21 at the half.
UWL maintained the lead in the early part of the third quarter, but a Viterbo (Wis.) 9-0 run cut the lead to 41-39 with 2:01 remaining. The Eagles led 44-41 going to the fourth.
Delaney Schoenenberger led off the fourth with a three-pointer, giving UWL a six-point lead at 47-41, and Viterbo (Wis.) got no closer the remainder of the game.
UWL shot 44.2% from the field, including 13.3% (two-of-15) from three-point range, and 77.8% (14-of-18) from the free throw line. DeNoyer led the Eagles with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Kramer added 12 points. DeNoyer and Taylor Nelson had a pair of assists each, while DeNoyer and Craig each had two steals. Shayla Karge blocked two shots for UWL.
Viterbo (Wis.) shot 37.3% from the field, including 16.7% (two-of-12) from three-point range, and 75.0% (12-of-16) at the line. Ambree Schlosser, Brynn Bozich, and Nilssen all chipped in 13 points for the V-Hawks. Nilssen also had six rebounds and three assists.
UWL returns to action Thursday, November 30 at Macalester College (Minn.) at 7 p.m.
