La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) season with a 69-55 victory over UW-Eau Claire Saturday night in Mitchell Hall.
 
The Eagles, ranked 20th on D3hoops.com, improve to 10-2 overall. The Blugolds drop to 8-4 on the season.
 

UW-Eau Claire led throughout the first half, racing out to a 13-6 advantage with 11:40 left after Carter Huschka's jumper. UWL used an 11-5 run to cut the deficit to 18-17 with 8:19 remaining on Sam Grieger's three-point field goal.
 
The Blugolds took a 34-27 lead with 2:03 left on a Huschka three-pointer. After Dustin Derousseau's three-pointer made it 34-30, Huschka's dunk extended the lead to 36-30. Khris Green hit a three-point field goal for UWL with :18 remaining to make it 36-33 at halftime. Huschka had 23 points in the first half.
 
Trailing 43-37 with 18:14 left in the second half, UWL went on an 11-0 run to take a 48-43 advantage with 15:08 remaining after a Julian Hodges' layup. A Karter Thomas three-pointer tied the game at 43-43 and a pair of free throws by JJ Paider with 16:17 remaining provided the Eagles their first lead of the game at 45-43. 

 
UW-Eau Claire cut the lead to 48-45 with 13:43 left, but UWL used an 8-0 run to extend its lead to 56-45 with 9:10 remaining on a Paider layup. The Blugolds could get no closer than nine points the rest of the game with the Eagles leading by as many as 16.
 
UWL shot 40.3% from the field, including 28.6% (eight-of-28) from three-point range, and 70.0% (seven-of-10) at the free throw line.
 
Grieger led three players in doubles figures, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Thomas totaled 12 points on Saturday while Paider recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Derousseau and Green each finished with eight points. Derousseau tied for the team lead with Grieger with four assists.
 

UW-Eau Claire shot 38.6% from the field Saturday, including 22.2% (four-of-18) from three-point range, and 50.0% (seven-of-14) at the line. The Blugolds shot 26.9% (seven-of-26) from the field in the second half, including 11.1% (one-of-nine) from three-point range.
 
Huschka led UW-Eau Claire with 25 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. He scored 23 points in the first half. Andre Renta finished with 11 points and Carter Lichtsinn had nine points and seven rebounds.

UWL returns to action Wednesday, January 8 hosting fifth-ranked UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.