River Falls, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 61-42 victory at UW-River Falls Wednesday night in Page Arena. The Eagles, ranked 22nd on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improve to 16-2 overall and 5-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Falcons drop to 7-11 overall and 1-6 in the WIAC.

UW-River Falls took a 9-5 lead with 4:18 left in the first quarter on a Brianna Leahy free throw before UWL scored the final four points of the quarter to force a 9-9 tie. Delaney Schoenenberger hit a jumper with 2:52 remaining to make it a two-point game while Ava Kramer's jumper with 1:24 left tied the contest. The teams combined to shoot seven-of-29 (24.1%) from the field in the opening period.

The Eagles opened the second quarter on a 10-1 run to lead, 19-10, with 8:06 left after Kramer's jumper. The Falcons responded scoring the game's next nine points force a 19-19 with 1:45 remaining on Leahy's free throw. UWL led 24-20 with :56 left in the first half on Kendra Leis' three-point play, but a pair of Brianna Koop layups for UW-River Falls tied the game, 24-24, at halftime.

Jenna Zeman's three-pointer for UW-River Falls with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter cut UWL's lead to 33-32. The Eagles' Dani Craig then scored six consecutive points to take a 39-32 advantage with 4:47 left. UWL led, 43-35, after three quarters. 

UWL scored nine of the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to lead, 52-37, with 5:52 left. UW-River Falls could get no closer than 14 points the rest of the game.

The Eagles outscored the Falcons, 37-18, in the second half, including 18-7 in the fourth quarter.

UWL shot 34.9% from the field, including 30.8% (four-of-13) from three-point range, and 68.4% (13-of-19) at the line. Craig led the Eagles with 19 points, nine rebounds and two steals while tying for the team lead with Schoenenberger in assists with three. Craig scored 15 points in the second half.

UW-River Falls shot 31.8% from the field, including 15.4% (two-of-13) from three-point range, and 48.0% (12-of-25) at the line. Taylor Paulsrud led the Falcons with 10 points while Zeman and Koop each finished with nine. Madelyn O'Brien had a team-high nine rebounds.

UWL returns to action Saturday, January 26 hosting UW-Whitewater at 3 p.m.