La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team wrapped up its regular season with a non-conference 69-48 victory over UW-Platteville Friday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 4-4 overall while the Pioneers drop to 2-6. UWL is 3-3 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) division play while the Pioneers are 1-5.
UWL would start the first quarter with a 8-4 lead after Emma Gamoke scored on a fast break at 5:24 off a Lexie Higgins' steal. Allison Heckert would give the Pioneers an 11-10 lead with 3:06 remaining in the first quarter and would extend their lead to 16-12 with 1:05 left on a Caitlyn Tipton three-pointer. UW-Platteville led, 18-15, after the first quarter.
Kat Fitzgerald had 11 points off the bench.
The Pioneers took their largest lead at 25-17 with 7:04 left in the second quarter on a Maiah Domask layup. The Eagles used an 11-0 run to take a 28-25 lead on a Jessa Peterson three-point play with 3:36 remaining. UWL took a 32-27 halftime lead on a Peterson three-point basket with 1:26 left.
UWL shot 48.0% (12-of-25) from the field in the first half while UW-Platteville was held to 34.8% (eight-of-23) from the field.
The Eagles went on a 10-2 run to start the second half for a 42-29 advantage with 6:20 left in the third quarter on a Gabby Ritchie layup. UWL led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter.
UW-Platteville could get no closer than 12 points in the fourth quarter as UWL led by as many as 23.
UWL shot 45.5% from the field, including 36.4% (four-of-11) from three-point range, and 78.9% (15-of-19) at the free throw line. Gamoke led the Eagles with 16 points while Kat Fitzgerald finished with 11 and Peterson nine. Higgins and Gabby Ritchie each had a team-high eight rebounds.
UW-Platteville shot 31.4% from the field, including 18.8% (three-of-16) from three-point range, and 86.7% (13-of-15) at the line. Caitlyn Tipton led the Pioneers with 13 points while Domask finished with 10. Domask and Tipton both had six rebounds.
UWL returns to action Monday, March 1 hosting UW-Stevens Point in a WIAC Tournament Quarterfinal at 7 p.m.
