La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 62-43 victory over UW-River Falls Wednesday night in Mitchell Hall.  The Eagles improve to 11-9 overall and 5-4 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Falcons drop to 6-14 overall and 1-8 in the conference.  With the win, UWL earns a sweep of the regular season games with UW-River Falls after earning a 57-44 victory January 18 in River Falls. 

UW-River Falls took an 12-11 lead with 3:35 remaining in the first quarter Wednesday on a Kate Theisen layup, but UWL scored the final six points of the quarter to lead 17-12.  The Eagles opened the second quarter scoring the first five points to complete an 11-0 overall run to lead 22-12 with 8:59 left in the first half.

The Falcons cut the margin to 24-16 with 4:13 remaining in the first half, but the Eagles went on an 9-2 run to lead 33-18 with :18 left on Rachel Atchison's three-point field goal. UWL led 33-21 at halftime.

UW-River Falls trailed 33-25 with 7:54 left in the third quarter, but UWL responded with a 7-0 run to lead 40-25 with 6:35 remaining on a pair of MaKenzie Miller free throws.  The Eagles led 47-33 at the end of the third quarter and the Falcons could get no closer than 12 points in the fourth quarter.  

UWL shot 38.9% from the field, including 33.3% (six-of-18) from three-point range, and 77.8% (14-of-18) at the free throw line.  Miller recorded her seventh straight double-double and eighth of the season, finishing with a career-high 27 points while grabbing 12 rebounds.  She finished 10-of-21 from the field and seven-of-eight at the line.  Miller had 25 points versus Carroll University (Wis.) November 30, 2014.

"MaKenzie continues to play with great confidence and had a very special night," said UWL head coach Karen Middleton.

Atchison scored 12 points off the bench for UWL while adding a team-high four steals.  Elise DeNoyer and Alyssa Clemment each had seven points and six rebounds. DeNoyer also had a game-high five assists while Clemment finished with four.  Annie Schumacher also had six rebounds.  UWL totaled 16 assists on 21 field goals. 

The Eagles improved to 6-2 at home with Wednesday's win. "It was great to be back home in Mitchell Hall," said Middleton.  "I am so proud of our team, our energy and effort. We had great focus on executing our scout and we were locked in defensively. We want to keep working to get better and continue to improve. I believe our best basketball is ahead."

UW-River Falls shot 32.1% from the field, including 20.0% (four-of-20) from three-point range, and 55.6% (five-of-nine) at the line.  Theisen led the Falcons with 13 points while Taylor Karge added 11. Theisen and Karge each finished with a team-high five rebounds.

UWL returns to action Saturday, February 4 at UW-Platteville at 3 p.m.