La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 59-53 victory over UW-Stevens Point Monday night in Mitchell Hall in the first round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships (presented by Culver's).  The Eagles improve to 5-4 on the season while the Pointers finish 3-6. 

With the victory, UWL travels to UW-Oshkosh for the WIAC Semifinals Wednesday, March 3.  UW-Oshkosh earned a 79-59 home win over UW-River Falls in Monday's first round.  UWL has now advanced to the tournament semifinals all five seasons under head coach Karen Middleton.  

UWL is making its 17th appearance in the WIAC Tournament, which began in 1999.  Along with the semifinal appearances in each of the last five seasons, the Eagles advanced to the championship semifinals in 2006 and 2011. UWL is aiming for its first appearance in the league championship game in school history.  UWL is 6-17 all-time in the WIAC Championships.  UWL and UW-Stevens Point are now tied, 2-2, in the league tournament.

The game was tied four times in the first quarter on Monday night.  UWL took a 20-15 lead with :45 left in the opening quarter on a Gabby Ritchie three-point field goal. The Eagles led, 20-17, after the first quarter. UWL led, 30-22, at halftime after limiting UW-Stevens Point to five points. 

UWL scored the first five points of the second half to take a 35-22 lead with 7:25 remaining after a Alana Gilles free throw.  UW-Stevens Point used a 11-3 run to cut the deficit to 38-33 with 3:53 left in the third quarter on Kellan Schmidt's jumper. Kat Fitzgerald hit a three-pointer for UWL to make it 41-33 and after the Pointers made one-of-two free throws, Gilles gave the Eagles a 43-34 lead after the third quarter with a layup with :04 remaining.  UW-Stevens Point opened the fourth quarter scoring 10 of the first 12 points to cut UWL's lead to 45-44 with 6:08 remaining after Bailee Collins' jumper.  The Pointers trailed, 49-48, when the Eagles' Ava Kramer connected on a three-point basket to make it 52-48 with 3:26 left. UW-Stevens Point could get no closer the rest of the game.  Kramer hit four straight free throws in the final :12.
 

UWL shot 33.9% from the field, including 42.9% (six-of-14) from three point range, and 68.8% (11-of-16) from the line.  Emma Gamoke and Gilles led the Eagles with 12 points  each while Kramer finished with 11 points and six rebounds.  Casandra Warmsley had a team-high seven rebounds.  

UW-Stevens Point shot 35.7% from the field, including 17.6% (three-of-17) from three-point range, and 76.9% (10-of-13) at the free throw line. Collins finished with a game-high 23 points and 12 rebounds.  Schmidt and Taylor Greenheck each finished with 10 points.  Schmidt had a game-high five assists.