La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 71-56 victory over UW-River Falls Wednesday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles, receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improve ot 18-6 overall and 9-4 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Falcons drop to 5-19 overall and 0-13 in the conference.
UWL's
Dani Craig set a school record for career three-point field goals made in Wednesday's game, finishing four-of-six from three-point range. She has 153 career three-pointers at UWL, breaking the record of 149 set by
Rachel Atchison (2013-17).
Kyah Steiner had 12 points and six rebounds.
The first half featured seven lead changes Wednesday night. UW-River Falls led, 14-10, after the first quarter. UWL trailed, 21-18 with 4:03 left in the second quarter, when it used a 9-1 run to lead 27-22. The Falcons cut the halftime deficit to 27-24 on Crystal Pearson's jumper with :04 left.
UWL led 35-34 with 5:01 remaining in the third quarter when a 9-0 run made it 44-34 with 2:26 left after a Craig three-pointer. The Falcons cut it to 44-39 with 1:22 remaining on a pair of Brianna Koop free throws, but the Eagles'
Ava Kramer scored five straight points for a 49-39 advantage. Koop made a three-pointer with :02 left to cut the lead to 49-42 after three quarters.
UWL opened the fourth quarter on a 10-3 run to lead 59-45 with 7:31 remaining. UW-River Falls cut it to 10 points two times in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer as UWL led by as many as 16 points.
UWL shot 51.9% from the field, including 35.7% (five-of-14) from three-point range, and 71.4% (10-of-14) at the line. Craig led the Eagles with 22 points while tying for the team lead with six rebounds. She finished eight-of-12 from the field, including four-of-six from three-point range, and two-of-two at the line.
Lexie Higgins finished with 14 points and four rebounds.
Lexie Higgins finished with 14 points and four rebounds Wednesday while
Kyah Steiner had 12 points and tied Craig for the team lead with six rebounds. Kramer had eight points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds off the bench.
UW-River Falls shot 38.2% from the field, including 38.1% (eight-of-21) from three-point range, and 66.7% (six-of-nine) at the line. Pearson recorded a double-double with a team-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Koop finished with 14 points.
UWL returns to action Saturday, February 22 in the regular-season finale at UW-Eau Claire at 5 p.m.
