RIVER FALLS - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team avenged two earlier season losses to UW-River Falls and remained undefeated in first round Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament games in defeating the Falcons 62-43 here tonight at the Karges Center.

The Blugolds were running on all cylinders on both ends of the floor. Eau Claire scored only 47 points in the previous two meetings with River Falls but eclipsed that point total with over six minutes left in regulation. The Blugold defense forced 23 Falcon turnovers and held River Falls to a season-low 28.8 percent shooting.

After exchanging baskets in the opening minutes Eau Claire took the lead for good on a Katie Murphy (Sr.-La Crosse/Aquinas) lay-up with 15:10 left in the first half. The Blugolds closed the half on a 17-6 run to take a 32-19 lead into halftime. Jessica Dickey (Sr.-White Bear Lake, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall) and Emilee Planert (Sr.-Eau Claire/North) each scored six points during the run.

Eau Claire didn't let the run stop at 17-6 scoring the first seven points of the second half highlighted by a Planert three-pointer. River Falls slowly crawled back into the game going on a 17-5 run spanning over 10 minutes to cut the lead to 44-36. But the Blugolds were not to be denied scoring 18 of the final 25 points to move on to the second round.

Planert led four Blugolds in double-digits with 13 points. Rachel Becker (Jr.-Gilmanton) added 12 while Dickey and Michelle Burns (Fr.-Eau Claire/North) each had 10. Burns pulled down a team-high eight boards while Dickey handed out a team-high four assists.

Eau Claire improves to 16-10 on the year with the win.

The Blugolds move on to the semifinals to play WIAC rival UW-Stout. The top-seeded Blue Devils advanced with a 73-66 win over UW-Stevens Point. The game is scheduled to tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Menomonie.

Eau Claire-River Falls Box Score

- JL -