EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team topped Wisconsin Lutheran 73-52 in the first round of the 2004 Eau Claire Thanksgiving Showcase Tournament here tonight at W.L. Zorn Arena.

The Blugolds will advance to the championship round tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eau Claire will be facing St. Catherine's, who defeated Concordia (IL) 75-64 in the other first-round match up. Eau Claire improved to a perfect 4-0 on the season while the Warriors fall to 1-3 overall.

The Blugolds came out on fire in the first half, draining their first seven shots of the contest to get off to a 17-0 start just 4:30 into the game. Eau Claire maintained the lead the entire first half and held a 40-22 advantage at the half.

Wisconsin Lutheran slowly chipped into the Blugold lead, cutting it to 12 points on a lay-up by Erin Hilleshiem with 13:30 remaining in the game. The Warriors would get no closer, however, and the Blugolds would finish the game with the 73-52 victory.

Jessica Dickey (Sr.-White Bear Lake, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall) led the Blugolds with a career-high 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Her previous career-high was 13 points, set in Eau Claire's season opener this season against Iowa Wesleyan. Dickey also grabbed four rebounds in the game.

Rachel Becker (Jr.-Gilmanton) added 12 points in Eau Claire's win while also grabbing five rebounds. Michelle Burns (Fr.-Eau Claire/North) contributed 11 points and five rebounds in the victory while Katie Murphy (Sr.-La Crosse/Aquinas) played excellent defense, tallying four steals without a turnover while dishing out eight assists.

Emily Laete paced the Warriors with 14 points and nine rebounds. Hilleshiem and Breanne Duebner each scored 10 points in the loss.

Eau Claire committed just nine turnovers in the game while forcing Wisconsin Lutheran into 24 turnovers. The Warriors tallied just one steal to the Blugolds' 10.

The Blugolds will look for the Thanksgiving Showcase championship tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. at Zorn Arena.

Eau Claire-Wisconsin Lutheran Box Score

St. Catherine-Concordia (IL) Box Score

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