La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 70-43 victory over UW-Platteville Wednesday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles improve to 16-5 overall and 5-5 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Pioneers drop to 9-12 overall and 2-8 in the conference.
UWL sweeps the regular-season series with UW-Platteville, winning 70-55 on January 4 in Platteville.
Lauryn Milne had 14 points and six rebounds.
After scoring 36 points in a loss at UW-Whitewater on January 25, UWL scored 20 points in Wednesday's first quarter. The Pioneers took a 7-4 lead on a Ella Mackiewicz three-pointer, the Eagles took a 11-7 lead on a
Lauryn Milne jumper,
Paige Schumann three-pointer and
Alana Gilles' layup. UWL led by as many as eight in the first quarter at 20-12 on a Milne jumper, but UW-Platteville cut the deficit to 20-14 on a jumper with :43 remaining.
Both teams scored nine points in the second quarter as UWL took a 29-23 halftime lead.
The Eagles led 31-26 with 8:19 left in the second quarter when they used a 7-0 run to increase the lead to 38-26 on a
Gabby Ritchie jumper. UW-Platteville cut the lead to 38-28, but would get no closer the rest of the game. UWL led, 48-34, after three quarters.
UWL outscored UW-Platteville, 22-9, in the fourth quarter.
UWL shot 47.5% from the field, including 38.1% (eight-of-21) from three-point range, and 50.0% (six-of-12) at the free throw line. Gilles led three players in double figures with 16 points, going eight-of-13 from the field.
Carly Coulthart and Milne each finished with 14 points. Coulthart was four-of-six from three-point range while Milne finished seven-of-10 from the field. Coulthart and Milne each had six rebounds.
Kyah Steiner had a team-high seven rebounds.
Alana Gilles had 16 points, going eight-of-13 from the field.
UW-Platteville shot 27.8% from the field, including 20.0% (four-of-20) from three-point range, and 52.9% (nine-of-17) at the line. Mackiewicz led the Pioneers with 14 points and seven rebounds while Madalyn Reichmann finished with 11 points.
UWL returns to action Saturday, February 4 at UW-Stevens Point at 3 p.m.
