DULUTH, Minn. - The UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team won their sixth straight game defeating the College of St. Scholastica 79-65 behind a season-best 55.8 percent shooting here tonight at the Reif Center.

The Blugolds improve to 9-3 on the year with the win. The win streak is the longest since the Blugolds won six straight in the 2002-03 season.

Eau Claire controlled the game from the outset holding the lead the entire game. The Blugolds jumped out to a 5-0 lead behind a Will Jefferson (Sr.-Wausau/East) lay-up and a Casey Drake (Sr.-Rhinelander) three pointer.

The Saints closed to within one at 9-8 before Eau Claire went on a 9-0 run to push the lead to double digits. St. Scholastica again closed the lead coming within two points at 20-18 with 6:37 remaining in the opening half. The Blugolds would push the lead back up to 10 points and go into half leading 34-26.

After the Saints scored the first four points of the second half Eau Claire went on a 13-0 run to open up a 47-30 lead. Buck Smith (Jr.-Superior) scored five points during the run while Drake scored four. The resilient Saints again cut into the Blugold lead coming with 49-40 but get no closer.

Drake led four Blugolds in double figures with 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Smith added a season-high 17 points on 7 of 9 shooting while Jefferson contributed 13 and Dan Archambault (Sr.-Oshkosh/West) 12.

Kale Proksch (Jr.-Chaseburg/Westby) led a strong Blugold rebounding effort with eight rebounds as Eau Claire held a 31-21 rebounding advantage. Drake led Eau Claire with four assists and Archambault led with three steals.

The Blugolds scorched the nets in the second half shooting 64.3 percent from the field. The 55.8 percent shooting overall was the best percentage since Eau Claire shot 57.4 percent against Northland College Nov. 16, 2001.

Eau Claire will be in action next when they host UW-Platteville Saturday as part of doubleheader. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

Eau Claire-St. Scholastica Box Score

- JL -