Platteville, Wis.- The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team dropped a non-conference matchup, 68-58 at UW-Platteville Wednesday night on Bo Ryan Court. The Eagles fall to 3-4 overall while the Pioneers improve to 2-5. UWL is 3-3 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) division play while the Pioneers are 1-5.
Alana Gilles finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
UW-Platteville raced out to a 7-2 lead before UWL used a 8-2 run to take a 10-9 lead with 3:44 remaining in the first quarter on a Emma Gamoke three-point field goal. The Pioneers came back to take a 18-15 lead after the first quarter. UW-Platteville scored the first 10 points of the second quarter to make it 28-15 on an Allison Heckert three-pointer. UWL cut the lead to seven at 28-21 with 4:53 left on a Kendra Leis layup. The Pioneers led, 36-30, at halftime.
The Pioneers' Jai Clemons made a pair of free throws to start the second half and Maiah Domask hit a three-point field goal to make it 40-30 with 9:02 left. Domask hit another three-pointer with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter to give UW-Platteville a 43-30 lead. UWL cut the lead to 43-33 on Ava Kramer's three-pointer, but UW-Platteville scored the next seven points to make it 50-33 with 3:41 left. The Pioneers led, 55-40, after three quarters.
UWL could get no closer than the final margin of 10 points in the fourth quarter.
UWL shot 36.2% from the field, including 42.9% (six-of-14) from three-point range, and 58.8% (10-of-17) at the free throw line. Alana Gilles led the Eagles with 11 points while Casandra Warmsley finished with 10 and Gamoke eight. Gilles and Gabby Ritchie each had a team-high seven rebounds.
UW-Platteville shot 45.5% from the field, including 40.0% (eight-of-20) from three-point range, and 83.3% (10-of-12) at the line. Clemons and Domask led the Pioneers with 15 points each while Heckert finished with 11. Domask had a game-high 15 rebounds.
The teams will face each other Friday, February 26 at UWL at 7 p.m.
