Box Score Greencastle, Ind. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team fell, 68-52, to 13th-ranked Loras College (Iowa) Friday night in the first round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships at DePauw University.  The Eagles, receiving votes on D3hoops.com, ends its season at 19-8 while the Duhawks improve to 24-4 and advance to the second round Saturday, March 7. Loras (Iowa) will face the winner of host DePauw (Ind.) versus Webster University (Mo.). 

Loras, playing in its fourth national tournament, raced out to a 10-2 lead with 6:25 left in the first quarter on Riley Eckhart's three-point field goal. UWL quickly responded with six quick points to cut the lead to 10-9 after Ava Kramer's layup. The Duhawks led, 14-9, with 3:16 remaining on a Kari Fitzpatrick layup, but the Eagles used a 7-0 run to take a 16-14 lead. Kramer had a layup, Emma Gamoke a three-pointer and Kyah Steiner a jumper to give UWL its two-point lead. Loras (Iowa) scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 19-16 lead. 

Marissa Schroeder's layup gave Loras (Iowa) a 27-25 advantage with 2:30 left in the second quarter before UWL took its largest lead of the game at 33-28 after a 8-1 run. Gamoke hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Eagles the lead. The Duhawks ended the half scoring the final six points for a 34-33 lead.   

UWL took a 38-36 lead with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter on Dani Craig's jumper, but the Eagles would be held scoreless until Kat Fitzgerald's layup with 1:59 remaining as the Duhawks took a 45-40 lead.  Loras (Iowa) scored the final seven points of the quarter to lead, 52-40.  The Duhawks outscored the Eagles, 18-7, in the third quarter. 

The Eagles could get no closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter, including 58-45 with 4:43 remaining after Lexie Higgins' layup. 

UWL shot 37.3% from the field Friday, including 41.2% (seven-of-17) from three-point range, and 87.5% (seven-of-eight) at the line. Craig led the Eagles with 15 points and five rebounds while Gamoke finished with 13 points and Higgins 11.  Gamoke and Higgins both had four rebounds.  Kramer totaled seven points, four rebounds and four assists. 

Loras (Iowa) shot 40.8% from the field, including 33.3% (seven-of-21) from three-point range, and 77.8% (21-of-27) at the line. Schroeder led the Duhawks with 20 points and nine rebounds. Courtney Schnoor finished with 14 points and Fitzpatrick 11. 
 

UWL was making its fifth appearance in the NCAA III Tournament and first since 2010-11.  The Eagles fell, 73-59, to Wisconsin Lutheran College in the first round of the national tournament in 2011 in Bloomington, Illinois.  UWL earned a 68-65 victory over Calvin College (Mich.) in the first round and 83-81 over St. Norbert College (Wis.) in the regional championship in 1987-88.  UWL fell in the 1988 national quarterfinal, 85-68 to Concordia College (Minn.). 

UWL also appeared in the 1982-83 and 1983-84 national championships. In 1983, the Eagles defeated St. Norbert (Wis.) (79-65) in the first round and UW-Whitewater (78-66) in the regional championship before losing to Knoxville (Tenn.) (70-65 in overtime) in the quarterfinals. In 1984, UWL defeated Carroll University (Wis.) in the first round (77-67) before losing to Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) in the regional championship (88-64).