EAU CLAIRE - The 20th-ranked UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team will look to improve to 2-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference when they host 9th-ranked UW-Stevens Point Saturday at Zorn Arena.

The two teams have split the rivalry down the middle with each team winning 30 games since the 1973-74 season. The teams split the series last year with each team winning at home. Joanna Leafblad (Sr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) had a strong showing against the Pointers at home last year with 14 points including four three pointers.

Eau Claire is 6-0 on the season following an 84-42 defeat of UW-Superior in the conference opener. The Blugolds have won by an average of over 20 points a game.

The Blugold offense and defense have both played well early in the season with the offense averaging 77 points a game while only allowing 55.2 a game. Eau Claire has assisted on 115 baskets this year while committing only 93 turnovers while the defense has forced 143 turnovers and only allowed assists on 58 baskets.

Jessica Dickey (Sr.-White Bear Lake, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall) leads a balanced Blugold attack at 12.8 points a game. Rachel Becker (Jr.-Gilmanton) is averaging 11.8 points per game while distributing 5.7 assists a game. Michelle Burns (Fr.-Eau Claire/North) is averaging 11 points a game and a team-best 7.3 boards a game.

Stevens Point is 5-1 on the season and riding a four-game winning streak. The Pointers opened the WIAC schedule with a 68-43 win over UW-Platteville despite shooting only 27.6 percent in the first half.

The Pointers have been led by the play of Preseason All-Americans Amanda Nechuta and Amy Scott. Nechuta is averaging 16.8 points a game and 6.3 rebounds a game this season despite playing less than 21 minutes a game. Scott is averaging 10.7 points a game in 23 minutes while shooting nearly 51 percent from the field.

The game will be part of a doubleheader with the men playing at 3:30 p.m. The women's game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

- JL -