La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 69-42 win over Finlandia University (Mich.) Saturday night in the Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 5-0 on the season while the Lions fall to 0-6.
With the victory, UWL head coach
Karen Middleton earned her 100th career win as a collegiate coach. She has 37 wins in three seasons at UWL while earning 63 victories at NCAA Division I Western Carolina University. Â
Karen Middleton earned her 100th career win Saturday.
UWL never trailed in Saturday's win, scoring on the opening possession and taking a 9-3 lead with 7:07 remaining in the first period.
Emma Gamoke scored five of the first nine points for the Eagles. Finlandia (Mich.) would cut the deficit to 9-8, but UWL quickly extended their lead to 15-8 with 2:45 remaining in the period. Finlandia (Mich.) scored the last five points of the first to trail, 15-13.
The second period saw the Eagles outscore the Lions, 22-6, in the second quarter. Leading 24-19 with 5:22 remaining in the second quarter, UWL would score the last 13 points to lead 37-19 at halftime. Gamoke led the Eagles with 12 points of her game-high 14 points in the first half. UWL outscored Finlandia (Mich.), 16-3, on points off of turnovers in the first half.
Finlandia (Mich.) could get no closer than 20 points in the second half. UWL would take its largest lead of the contest at 62-29 with 6:13 left in the fourth quarter.
UWL shot 41.9% form the field, including 36.8% (seven-of-19) from three-point range, and 71.4% (10-of-14) at the free throw line. Gamoke finished with 14 points and three steals while
Dani Craig finished with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Delaney Schoenenberger and
Whittni Rezin each finished with nine points for the Eagles.
Finlandia (Mich.) shot 34.1% from the field, including 42.1% (eight-of-19) from three-point range, and 60.0% (six-of-10) at the line. Taylor Pertile led the Lions with 14 points. Finlandia (Mich.) finished with 26 turnovers.
Augsburg University (Minn.) earned a 70-64 win over UW-Platteville in the Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic Saturday night. The classic continues Sunday, November 25 with Finlandia (Mich.) facing UW-Platteville at 3 p.m. while UWL plays Augsburg (Minn.) at 5 p.m.
