Eau Claire, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team opened Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with 73-63 loss to UW-Eau Claire Saturday night.
THE BASICS
Final Score: UW-Eau Claire 73, UW-La Crosse 63
Location: Sonnentag Events Center, Eau Claire, Wis.
Records: UWL 8-4, WIAC 0-1, UW-Eau Claire 6-6, WIAC 1-0
Next Up: UWL will stay on the road as they travel to Platteville, Wis., to take on the Pioneers of UW-Platteville on Wednesday, January 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Malia Nelson
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
- UWL would open the game with back-to-back three-pointers from Ali Sprangers and Malia Nelson to take an early 6-5 lead. UW-Eau Claire would then go on a 13-2 run to take a 19-8 lead with 2:41 left in the first quarter. UW-Eau Claire's Kyla Overskei would hit a three-pointer for the final points of the opening period as the Blugolds led 24-12.
- The Blugolds would score eight of the first 10 points in the second quarter as they extended their lead to 32-14 (7:52). UW-Eau Claire would take its largest lead of the first half, 43-22, on a Overskei three-pointer with :21 left in the first half.
- Lauryn Milne would get the Eagles started in the third quarter as she hit a three-pointer on UWL's opening possession (43-27). Reanna Hutchinson responded with a three-pointer for the Blugolds as UW-Eau Claire quickly extended its lead to 55-32 with 3:47 left. The Blugolds scored the final six points of the quarter to lead 63-40.
- After UW-Eau Claire took its largest lead of the game (65-40), UWL scored nine of the next 11 points to cut its deficit to 67-49 with 6:29 remaining. UWL would not be able to get any closer than 10 (73-63) the rest of the way.
FROM THE BOX SCORE
- As a team, the Eagles finished 23-of-59 (39.0%) from the floor including six-of-24 (25.0%) from the three-point line. UWL was also 11-of-13 (84.6%) from the free throw line.
- UWL finished with three players in double figures including Milne with a team high 19 points while Nelson added 16 and Kailee Meeker chipped in 10.
- Milne led the Eagles with seven rebounds while Nelson had six and Sprangers grabbed five.
- The Blugolds shot 30-of-58 (51.7%) from the floor including 11-of-21 (52.4%) from behind the three-point line. UW-Eau Claire was also two-of-four from the free throw line.
- UW-Eau Claire was led by Reanna Hutchinson with 29 points while Overskei added 17 points and Lauren Meudt finished with 14.
