La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team picked up their first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win Saturday afternoon as they defeated UW-Stevens Point 64-59. 

THE BASICS 
Final Score: UW-La Crosse 64, UW-Stevens Point 59
Location: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.  
Records: UWL 9-5, WIAC 1-2, UW-Stevens Point 12-2,WIAC 2-1
Next Up: UWL will be back in action on Wednesday, January 15 when they host UW-Stout for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

FROM COURT SIDE

• Hear from Head Coach Moran Lonning after the game: here

 

                           
HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• For the second game in a row, the Eagles would get off to a fast start as they out scored the Pointers 19-7 in the first quarter. Leading 9-7, UWL scored the final 10 points over the remaining 3:21 of the first quarter. UWL would get a three-pointer from Ali Sprangers and Lauryn Milne during the run.
• The Pointers would score the first 11 points of the second quarter as they cut their deficit to 19-18 with 5:47 left. Leading 22-20, UWL went on a 11-2 run over the final 3:59 to lead 33-22 at halftime. Emma Jossie sparked the run with five consecutive points. 
• Lauryn Milne would score the first points of the second half to give UWL a 35-22 lead but the Pointers would quickly cut it to four (35-31) with 5:41 left in the third quarter. A Lindsey Knuth three-pointer would stop the Pointers run and the Eagles would get it back to a double digit lead (43-33) on a three-pointer by Jossie with 4:12 left. A Kailee Meeker jumper with :50 left in the quarter would give UWL its largest lead of the game at 52-38 which they held going into the fourth quarter. 
• UW-Stevens Point would slowly chip away at their deficit as they used a 16-5 run to pull with in 57-54 with 2:00 remaining. After Eagles missed a jumper, the Pointers turned the ball over which the Eagles turned into points as Sprangers hit her third three-pointer of the game to put UWL up 60-54 with 1:06 left. UW-Stevens Point would not get any closer than five the rest of the way. 

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• As a team, the Eagles finished 23-of-51 (45.1%) from the floor including eight-of-17 (47.1%) from the three-point line. UWL was also 10-of-14 (71.4%) from the free throw line.
• The Eagles had a balanced offensive attack as they had seven players score at least six points led by Milne with 12. 
• Also in double figures was Jossie and Knuth with 11 points for the Eagles while Sprangers added nine. 
• Meeker had a great all-around game for the Eagles as she finished with eight points and eight assists while Grace Knupp had a team high eight rebounds to go along with six points. 
• The Pointers finished 23-of-61 (37.&%) from the floor including four-of-15 (26.7%) from the the three-point line. UW-Stevens Point was also nine-of-14 (64.3%) from the free throw line.
• Maija Rice led the Pointers with 15 points while Gabby Gawlitta chipped in 12 points and a game high 10 rebounds.