EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Opening home play with its annual Thanksgiving Showcase, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team put on an impressive show, winning 98-38 here tonight.

The 60-point margin of victory is the largest in program history. The previous high of 54 points occurred during the 2003-04 season when the Blugolds defeated Clarke College in its season and home opener on November 21, 2003. They won by a score of 83-29. The 98 points also marks the highest total since the 2002-03 season when the Blugolds defeated Hamline University 99-41 on November 29, 2002.

The Blugolds were the first to score tonight, opening with a Heather Witt (Jr.-Kendall, Wis./Royal) layup 24 seconds into the game. The Blugolds would never look back and went on to score the next 10 points to go up 12-0 with 16 and a half minutes remaining in the first period. The Vikings and Blugolds would then exchange field goals before Eau Claire began to steadily increase its lead. With nine minutes remaining in the first period, the Blugolds started a 17-point run that would end six and a half minutes later, when the Blugolds found themselves up 52-15. In the final minutes of the period, North Park scored six points while the Blugolds only scored four, to make the halftime score 56-21.

Witt again opened up scoring in the second period, which propelled the Blugolds to another run that would last eight minutes. Eau Claire allowed only two points in the first eight minutes of the period, while scoring 23 to make the score 81-23. Two minutes later the Blugolds would find themselves up by 62 points, the largest margin of the game. In the last nine and a half minutes of the game, the Blugolds were outscored 14-12, ending the game with the 60-point margin of victory.

For the game, the Blugolds shot 65.5% (38-for-58), with 60 of the 98 points coming in the paint. While the Blugolds only had 13 turnovers, North Park committed 31, which the Blugolds were able to capitalize on and turn in to 48 points. Eau Claire pulled down 35 rebounds, compared to North Park's 19, and also accumulated 17 steals to North Park's eight.

Witt led all scoring tonight, with 19 points. She only played 13 minutes, however, and scored her first 13 points in 10 minutes in the first period. She also led the game with five steals. Amanda Zenner (Sr.-Medford, Wis.) also ended in double figures with 15 points, all of which came in the first period, and led the game in assists with four. Jodi Lindner (So.-Neillsville, Wis.) led the game with six rebounds, with Ashley Anderson (Jr.-Oakdale, Minn./North St. Paul) finishing second with five.

The Blugolds are now 3-0 on the season, while North Park falls to 0-3.

Eau Claire will now take on the University of Chicago in the showcase's championship game, Saturday at 8 p.m. The University of Chicago defeated Edgewood College in the day's earlier game with a 66-45 victory.

Eau Claire-North Park Box Score

Thanksgiving Showcase Webpage

- KM -