Dubuque, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team officially opened the 2023-24 season with an 82-71 win over St. Catherine University (Minn.) at the Loras College (Iowa) Tip Off Classic Friday night. 
 

 
THE BASICS 
Final Score: UW-La Crosse 82, St. Catherine 71
Location: Lillis Court, Dubuque, Iowa
 
HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• Kailee Meeker and Paige Schumann hit back-to-back three-pointers to help UWL open the game on a 12-4 run. UWL would extend their lead to 21-11 on a jumper by Meeker with :05 remaining in the opening period. UWL shot nine-of-20 (45.0%) from the floor including three-of-seven (42.86%) from the three-point line in the first quarter. St. Catherine shot three-of-12 (25%) from floor and one-of-six behind the three-point line (16.67%). 
• UWL opened the second quarter with a 13-2 run to lead 34-13 with 7:14 on the clock. Meeker capped the run off by hitting a jumper followed by a three-pointer to give the Eagles its largest lead of the first half. The Wildcats would score 12 of the next 16 points to cut their deficit to 38-25 but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the half as UWL led 47-26 at halftime. UWL would once again get a bucket in the final seconds of the quarter as Shumann hit a jumper with :03 left. 
• The Eagles shot nine-of-18 (50%) from the floor and four-of-four (100%) from the free throw line in the third quarter as they led by as many as 22 points (52-30) with 8:56 left. The Wildcats would slowly chip away at their deficit as they cut it to 67-54 with 00:51 left. St. Catherine outscored UWL 28-24 in the third quarter. 
• After scoring 21 or more points in each of the first three quarters, UWL was held to just 11 points in the fourth quarter as St. Catherine's scored 17 points. The final score of 82-71 was the closest St. Catherine would get in the second half.

FROM THE BOXSCORE

• Meeker led the Eagles with a game high 21 points while also grabbing a game high eight rebounds. 
• Lindsey Knuth finished with 14 pints, seven rebounds and four steals.  
• Schumann gave the Eagles three scorers in double figures as she finished with 11 points to go along with four assists. 
• As a team, UWL shot 33-of-75 (44%) from the floor including 10-of-26 (38.5%) from the three point line while finishing six-of-11 (54.5%) from the free throw line. 
• Hattie Fox led the Wildcats with 21 points and six rebounds. 
• Emme Golembieswski added nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks. 
• St. Catherine (Minn.) finished 20-of-57 (35.1%) from the floor and five-of-18 (27.8%) from behind the three line and 26-of-38 (68.4%) from the free throw line.  

 UP NEXT

• The Eagles will be back in action on Saturday when they play Loras College (Iowa) in the Championship game of the Loras College Tip Off Classic at 2:30 p.m. Loras defeated Edgewood College (Wis.) 79-64 in the other game on Friday night.