STEVENS POINT - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team fell to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival UW-Stevens Point 62-55 here today at Berg Gym.

Katie Murphy (Sr.-La Crosse/Aquinas) put the Blugolds up 53-50 with her third three-pointer of the game with 2:36 left in regulation. The Pointers countered with a 10-0 run to go up 60-53 with 23 seconds left. A Jessica Dickey (Sr.-White Bear Lake, MN/Cretin-Derham Hall) lay-up cut the lead to five but Eau Claire would get no closer.

The second half went back and forth with both teams holding at least a six-point lead. The Blugolds used a 12-2 run early in the half to go up 41-35 but Stevens Point countered with a 13-1 run later in the half to go up 50-44.

The opening half was much of the same with Eau Claire jumping out to the early 4-0 lead. The Pointers came back with a 19-6 run by the Blugolds followed with a 15-3 run to put Eau Claire up 25-22. Stevens Point ended the half with an 11-4 run to send the game into halftime with the Blugolds trailing 33-29.

Dickey led Eau Claire in scoring with 16 points on 8 of 17 shooting. Rachel Becker (Jr.-Gilmanton) added 11 points and game-high seven assists. Liz Van Drasek (Jr.-Albertville, MN/St. Michael-Albertville) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Cassandra Schultz led the Pointers with 31 points including 5 of 5 from three-point range.

Neither team shot well from the floor with Eau Claire shooting 37.3 percent and Stevens Point 37.7 percent. The Pointers held a big advantage from the free throw line hitting 17 of 21 while the Blugolds hit only 7 of 9 from the line.

The Blugolds fall to 7-6 in WIAC play and 14-8 overall with the loss. Stevens Point improves to 9-3 in conference action and 17-4 overall.

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

Eau Claire - Stevens Point Box Score

- JL -