La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team scored the first 19 points of the game as it earned a 72-62 victory over UW-Eau Claire Wednesday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Blugolds drop to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in the WIAC.
UWL never trailed in the game, scoring the first 19 points.
Emma Gamoke scored eight straight points in the run. UW-Eau Claire missed its first 12 shots from the field before Hallee Hoeppner's three-point field goal with 1:18 left in the first quarter. The Eagles led, 21-5, after the first quarter as the Blugolds went one-of-15 (6.7%) in the quarter.
UWL took its largest lead of the game at 30-8 with 5:49 remaining in the second quarter on
Delaney Schoenenberger's layup. UW-Eau Claire cut the lead to 40-28 at halftime.
The Eagles led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter before taking a 55-40 advantage after 30 minutes. The Blugolds scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to 55-51 with 6:22 remaining on a Kelsey Bakken three-point field goal. UWL responded with an 11-2 run to lead 66-53 with 2:42 left after
Dani Craig's layup. UW-Eau Claire could get no closer the rest of the game than the final margin of 10 points.
Delaney Schoenenberger had 15 points.
UWL shot 39.1% from the field, including 42.3% (11-of-26) from three-point range, and 64.7% (11-of-17) at the free throw line.
Emma Gamoke led four players in double figures with 16 points while Craig and Schoenenberger each finished with 15. Kramer scored 14 points off the bench. Gamoke also had six rebounds, four assists and game-high three steals. Craig added seven rebounds and three assists while
Lexie Higgins finished with a team-high nine rebounds.
UWL's 11 three-point field goals made is tied for fifth in single-game school history. The Eagles had a team-high 13 three-point field goals versus UW-Platteville on January 13, 2018. UWL tied its season-high with 17 assists Wednesday night.
UW-Eau Claire shot 32.3% from the field, including 35.3% (six-of-17) from three-point range, and 82.4% (14-of-17) at the line. Bakken led the Blugolds with 19 points while Hoeppner finished with 16 points and Maddie Dunathan 10. Brooke Harris had a game-high 10 rebounds.
UWL returns to action Saturday, January 12 at UW-Whitewater at 3 p.m.
