Eau Claire, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 80-61 victory over UW-Eau Claire Saturday night in Zorn Arena. The Eagles, receiving votes on D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improve to 19-6 overall and 10-4 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Blugolds drop to 16-9 overall and 10-4 in the conference. 

With the win, UWL clinches the second-seed for the WIAC Championships (presented by Culver's) and will host a semifinal game Thursday, February 27 at 7 p.m. UW-Eau Claire is the tournament's third-seed and host sixth-seeded UW-Stevens Point in the first round Tuesday, February 25. 

The Eagles earned the second-seed after securing a regular-season sweep of the Blugolds.

With Saturday's victory, UWL has recorded back-to-back 10-win seasons in WIAC play under head coach Karen Middleton. The Eagles also went 10-4 a year ago. It is the first back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins in conference play since UWL finished 10-6 in 2009-10 and 12-4 in 2010-11. 

UWL scored the first 10 points of the game Saturday. The Eagles led, 17-6, with 4:05 left in the first quarter on a Delaney Schoenenberger layup, but the Blugolds used a 7-0 run to cut it to 17-13. UWL led, 20-16, after the first quarter.  

UW-Eau Claire trailed 23-18 with 7:26 left in the second quarter on a Ellie Clayton layup, but back-to-back jumpers from Kyah Steiner and Ava Kramer gave UWL a 27-18 advantage. After Kelsey Bakken's two free throws cut the lead to 27-20, UWL's Schoenenberger and Craig hit three-point field goals to make it 33-20. Emma Gamoke later hit a three-pointer for a 38-23 lead. The Eagles led, 38-25, at halftime.

The Blugolds cut the lead to five points three times in the third quarter, including 47-42 with 4:11 left on a pair of Katie Essen free throws. The Eagles scored the next six points for a 53-42 lead and took a 57-46 lead after the period. 

UWL got layups from Alana Gilles, Lexie Higgins and Kramer to start the fourth quarter and a 63-46 lead with 7:56 remaining. UW-Eau Claire later cut it to 65-54 with 5:37 left, but the Blugolds could get no closer the rest of the game. UWL led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

UWL shot 51.6% from the field, including 45.0% (nine-of-20) from three-point range, and 87.5% (seven-of-eight) at the line. UWL shot 56.7% (17-of-30) from the field in the second half.

Craig led four players in double figures with 16 points while adding a team-high seven rebounds. Kramer totaled 15 points while Steiner finished with 13 and Schoenenberger 12. 

UW-Eau Claire shot 35.8% from the field, including 39.1% (nine-of-23) from three-point range, and 82.4% (14-of-17) at the line. Jessie Ruden led the Blugolds with 14 points while Essen finished with 13 and Anna Graaskamp 10. Essen had a team-high six rebounds.