La Crosse, Wis. - A fourth quarter run would bring the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Women's Basketball team back from a nine point deficit but it was not enough as they fell 66-63 to the Pioneers of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
Final Score: UW-Platteville 66, UW-La Crosse 63
Location: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
Records: UWL 8-6 (1-2 WIAC), UW-Platteville 13-1 (3-0 WIAC)
Next Up: The Eagles will be back in action on Wednesday, January 14 when they travel to Whitewater to take on the Warhawks of UW-Whitewater. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Lindsey Knuth
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
- The Eagles would get off to a fast start as they opened the game on a 11-2 run including four points from Malia Nelson. However, the Pioneers would score 15 of the next 17 points to lead 17-13 at the end of the first quarter.
- UW-Platteville would extend their lead to its largest of the first half (23-17) on a jumper by Taliah DeGroot with 5:57 left in the second quarter. UWL would respond with three-pointers by Molly Janke and Katie Waukau along with a layup and a free throw by Jenna Welsch to regain the lead at 26-23 with 3:41 left in the second quarter. Madalyn Reichmann gave UW-Platteville a 30-28 on a three-point but a Welsch lay-up along with a Lindsey Knuth free would give the Eagles a 31-30 lead (1:34). Grace Groezinger put UW-Platteville up 32-31 at halftime with a jumper.
- Janke would tie the game up with a three-pointer early in the third quarter but back-to-back baskets for the Pioneers would make it 38-34 with 7:49 on the clock. Trailing 45-40, Waukau would hit a three-pointer for the Eagles to pull with in two (3:15). The Pioneers then scored the final five points of the quarter to lead 50-43 heading into the fourth quarter.
- The Pioneers would take its largest lead of the game, 52-43, on a layup by Ella Mackiewicz on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Malia Nelson, Emma Jossie and Knuth would then hit back-to-back-back three-pointers to cut the Eagles deficit to 54-52 and force a Pioneer timeout with 6:33 left in the game. The Eagles then got a layup from Jossie to tie it at 54 with 5:27 on the clock. UW-Platteville would take a 58-54 lead (4:31) on a three-pointer by Mackiewicz and 1-of-2 free throws from Reichmann. Knuth would hit another three-pointer for the Eagles to make it 58-57. Nelson would tie the game up for the Eagles on two free-throws with 1:39 left in the game. The Pioneers would get back-to-back layups from Mackiewicz and Ashley Weir to go 64-60. Grace Knupp would pull the Eagles to with in one (64-63) on a three-pointer with :35 remaining. UWL would force a defensive stop and get the ball back with :09 remaining but the Pioneer would force an Eagle turnover and foul with :02 left. Mackiewicz would hit both free throws to seal the win for the Pioneers.
Jenna Welsch
FROM THE BOX SCORE
- As a team, the Eagles finished 21-of-59 (35.6%) from the floor including 10-of-27 (37.0%) from the three-point line. UWL was also 11-of-16 (68.8%) from the free throw line.
- Janke led the Eagles with 13 points and seven rebounds while Nelson added 13 points, six rebounds and four steals.
- Welsch added nine points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals.
- Knuth came off the bench to score nine points for the Eagles.
- UW-Platteville would shoot 23-of-47(48.9%) from the floor including three-of-10 (30.0%) from the three-point line. The Pioneers were also 17-of-20 (85.0%) from the free throw line.
- Mackiewicz finished with a game high 24 points while Reichmann added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
