La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Women's Basketball team got a career night from senior
Malia Nelson to help them come from behind to defeat UW-Stout 80-73 on Wednesday night.
THE BASICS
Final Score: UW-La Crosse 80, UW-Stout 73
Location: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
Records: UWL 11-6 (4-2 WIAC), UW-Stout 10-7 (1-5 WIAC)
Next Up: The Eagles will be back in action on Saturday, January 24 when they travel to Stevens Point, Wis. to take on the Pointers of UW-Stevens Point. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.
FROM THE SIDELINES
Grace Knupp
HOW DID IT HAPPEN
- UWL would open with an 8-2 run including four points from Molly Janke for the early six point lead (7:44). UW-Stout would cut their deficit to 15-13 and eventually took a 16-15 lead on a three-pointer by Addy Verhagen with 4:24 left in the opening period. The Eagles would regain the lead on a three-pointer by Rachel Agg to make it 18-16; however, UW-Stout would score nine unanswered to put them back on top 25-18 with :29 on the clock. Jenna Welsch would get an offensive rebound and put back as time expired for the Eagles as UWL trailed 25-20 after the first quarter.
- The Blue Devils would score eight of the first 11 points of the second quarter to extend its lead to 33-23 with 7:45 left in the half. A Janke jumper would cut the Eagles deficit to 35-29 before Rosella Wille made a layup to make it 37-29 with 3:06 remaining in the second quarter. UWL would then score the final eight points of the half to tie the game at halftime 37-37. Katie Waukau jumped start the run with a three-pointer while Lindsey Knuth hit a three of her own with :09 left to tie it.
- A three-point play by Grace Knupp would put UWL up 40-39 but the Blue Devils would score nine of the next 11 points to take a 48-42 lead with 6:14 left in the third quarter. Knupp would pull the Eagles to within four (50-46) but a layup by Maraya Wiltrout with 3:45 on the clock put the Blue Devils up 54-47. Trailing 59-52, UWL scored the final five points of the quarter to make it a two point contest heading into the fourth quarter. Malia Nelson would convert a three-point play while Knupp would hit a jumper with :10 left in the quarter.
- Two free throws by Madisyn Kilboten followed by a jumper from Nelson on the Eagles first two possessions of the fourth quarter would give the Eagles a 61-59 lead. Wille would tie the game at 61 with a layup of her own but the Eagles Nelson hit back-to-back baskets to put UWL up 65-61 with 7:42 remaining in the contest. Trailing 69-64 (5:13), UW-Stout got two jumpers from Brooklynn Birt and one free throw from Verhagen to tie the game at 69 with 3:34 left. Nelson would put UWL back on top with two free throws while Knupps jumper with 1:41 remaining made it 73-69. Wiltrout's layup cut it two (73-71) but Knupp would put it back to four with two free throws (1:08). Verhagen would cut it back to two (75-73) with two free throws but that would be all of the scoring for the Blue Devils as the Eagles hit five of their final seven free throws to seal the win.
Molly Janke
FROM THE BOX SCORE
- As a team, the Eagles finished 29-of-58 (50.0%) from the floor including five-of-14 (35.7%) from the three-point line. UWL was also 17-of-24(70.8%) from the free throw line.
- Nelson scored a career high 24 points to go along with a team high eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
- Knupp and Janke joined Nelson in double figures as they finished with 17 and 10 points, respectively.
- Knuth added eight points off the bench for the eagles while Welsch and Kilboten each had six.
- UW-Stout would shoot 29-of-65 (44.6%) from the floor including two-of-11 (18.2%) from the three-point line. The Blue Devils were also 13-of-19 (68.4%) from the free throw line.
- Verhagen led the Blue Devils with a game high 26 points and five assists while Birt added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.
- UW-Stout finished with a slight 36-32 advantage in rebounding.
