Bloomington, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Women's Basketball dropped a non-conference game with DePauw University (Ind.) on day two of the Midwest Challenge at Illinois Wesleyan University.
THE BASICS
Final Score: DePauw University (Ind.) 64, #16
UW-La Crosse 60
Location: Shirk Center, Bloomington, Ill.
Records: UWL 5-3, DePauw University (Ind.) 3-3
National Rankings: UWL is ranked 16th on this weeks D3hoops.com Top-25 poll.
Next Up: UWL will travel to Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday, December to take on the Spartans of the University of Dubuque (Iowa). Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Grace Knupp
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
- DePauw opened the game with an 8-2 run before Ali Sprangers hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut UWL's deficit to 10-8 with 3:10 left in the first quarter. Malia Nelson would give the Eagles an 11-10 lead by hitting two-of-three free throws but Hannah Lach's layup would put the Tigers up 12-11 with 0:34 left. Ellie Schiszik would then hit a three-pointer with 0:09 left as UWL led 14-12 after the first quarter.
- Back-to-back layups by Madisyn Kilboten and Nelson would give UWL an 18-14 lead early in the second quarter (8:41). The Tigers would tie it at 18-18; however, Sprangers would hit a three-pointer followed by a jumper put UWL up 23-18 with 4:31 left in the first half. DePauw then scored nine of the next 11 points to regain the lead at 27-25 on Campbell Schrank's three-pointer. A Molly Janke free throw put UWL up 28-27 with 0:54 but it was DePauw that led 29-28 at halftime as Alina Prusko hit a jumper to give the Tigers the lead.
- Early in the third quarter, Riley Mont scored four straight points to give DePauw a 33-30 lead with 8:08 on the clock. The Eagles then scored nine unanswered including back-to-back three-pointers by Kilboten and Emma Jossie as the Eagles led 39-33 with 6:27 left in the third quarter. DePauw slowly chipped away at their deficit and took a 44-43 lead (2:49) on a jumper by Mont. UWL's Lindsey Knuth's put back with 0:28 remaining tied the game at 45 but Tori Allen would give the Tigers a 47-45 lead at the end of the third quarter with her layup.
- DePauw would score the first eight points of the fourth quarter including a three-pointer by Allen to lead 53-45 with 6:53 left in the contest. Grace Knupp's three-pointer followed by a Jenna Welsch lay would pull the Eagles with in 53-52 (5:09). The Eagles would take a 57-56 lead with 1:04 left on Nelson's free throw; however, DePauw would go six-of-six from the free throw line over the next 0:31 to put the Tigers back on top 62-57. UWL would make it interesting though as Knupp hit another three-pointer to pull the Eagles to within 62-60 with 0:08 remaining. The Eagles would foul Schrank on the ensuing in bounds pass and she would hit both of her free throws to seal the win for the Tigers.
FROM THE BOX SCORE
- As a team, the Eagles finished 21-of 61 (34.4%) from the floor including nine-of-34 (26.5%) from the three-point line. UWL was also nine-of-15 (60%) from the free throw line.
- Sprangers made her first seven shots including three three-pointers and finished with a team high 17 points and four assists. For her contributions at the Midwest Challenge, Sprangers was named to the All-Tournament Team.
- Knupp joined Sprangers in double figures with 11 points while Kilboten added nine.
- Janke grabbed a team high eight rebounds for the Eagles.
- The Tigers shot 22-of-49 (44.9%) from the floor including three-of-nine (23.8%) from the free throw line. DePauw was also 17-of-22 (77.3%) from the free throw line.
- Olivia Hart led the Tigers with 18 points while Mont finished with 15 points.
