New York, NY. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team magical run continues as they defeat Southern Maine University 66-45 on Friday night to advance to the program's first ever National Collegiate Athletic Confernce (NCAA) Division III Elite Eight. 
 

THE BASICS 
Final Score: UW-La Crosse 66, Southern Maine University 45
Location: John A. Paulson Center, New York, NY
Records: UWL 21-9, Southern Maine University 27-3
NCAA Tournament History: For the first time in school history, UWL will be making their first ever NCAA III Elite 8. With the win UWL improve their NCAA III tournament record to 9-6 all-time.
Next Up: UWL will now play the New York University in the NCAA III Fourth Round on Saturday, March 14 on the campus of New York University.. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. eastern (6:30 p.m. central). New York has won 90 consecutive games including the last three NCAA III National Championships. On Friday night, New York defated Hardin Simmons University (Texas) 103-41. 

FROM THE PRESS ROOM

• Eagle Postgame Press Conference with Coach Moran Lonning, Grace Knupp and Molly Janke.

           
HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• The Huskies of Southern Maine would score the first six points and take an 8-3 lead before UWL battled back to tie it at 8-8 as Grace Knupp hit two three-pointers (5:43). Southern Maine would score six straight points to take a 14-8 lead with 1:28 left in the first quater. A Madisyn Kilboten three-pointer would pull the Eagles to within 14-12 but one-of-two free throws by the Huskies would make the score 15-12 at the end of the first quarter. 
• UWL would open the second quarter with a 13-2 run to take its first lead of the game (25-17) and force a Southern Maine timeout with 6:19 left. A Malia Nelson free throw and a steal and layup for Knupp put the Eagles up double digits (28-17). Molly Janke then added a three-pointer followed by a layup for Katie Waukau put the Eagles up 33-20 with 2:41 left in the first half. A defensive stop by the Eagles with :15 left followed by a layup by Knupp as time expired sent UWL up 37-21 at the half. The Eagles outscored the Huskies 25-6 in the second quarter. Knupp finished the first half with 10 points while Janke added nine and Malia Nelson seven. 
• Both teams would trade baskets in the third quarter until UWL scored the final six points of the quarter as Janke and Nelson hit back to back three-pointers to put UWL up 49-29. The score would remain that way heading into the fourth quarter. 
• The Huskies would score seven of the first 10 points to cut their deficit to 54-36 with 5:11 left in the game. That would be as close as the Huskies would get as UWL would get two free throws from Nelson to put the Eagles up 64-39 with 2:55 remaining in the game. UWL would then clear the bench as every Eagle would see action on the court. 

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• As a team, the Eagles finished 26-of-63 (41.3%) from the floor including eight-of-24 (33.3%) from the three-point line. UWL was also six-of-10 (60.0%) from the free throw line. 
• Once again the Eagles were led by a balanced offense attack as Knupp finished with 16 points and Nelson/Knupp each added 15 points. 
• UWL dominated the glass, 49-29, led by Janke with 15 rebounds and Nelson with nine. 
• The double-double for Janke was her fourth straight and her eighth of the season. Janke also added five assists.
• Southern Maine University shot 16-of-59 (27.1%) from the floor including five-of-22 (22.7%) from the three-point line. The Huskies also shot eight-of-15 (53.3%) from the free throw line. 
• Liz Cote and Lucy Wiles led the Huskies with 15 points while Jaycie Chistopher added 10 points and 10 rebounds.