EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team had an answer for UW-River Falls' season-high 12 three-point field goals. It was Michelle Burns. The 5-11 senior from Eau Claire North recorded season bests with 25 points and 13 rebounds as the Blugolds maintained their half-game lead in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 63-52 triumph over the Falcons at the W. L. Zorn Arena Saturday afternoon.

The victory boosted the No. 20-ranked Blugolds (D3hoops.com poll) to an 18-4 season mark and a 12-1 conference record, just ahead of UW-Whitewater which moved to 11-1 with an 11-point win over UW-Stout.

Eau Claire had pounded River Falls, 79-60, in the first meeting this year but had a little more difficulty with the Falcons this time around as a result of their 55 percent (12 of 22) long-range sniping. However, after River Falls rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to tie the game at 43 with 10:12 remaining, Burns almost single-handed took over for the Blugolds, scoring 11 of their final 20 points. Her effort was the second best of her career, exceeded only by a 29-point, 13-rebound game last year against UW-Whitewater.

River Falls made five treys in the first 10 minutes of the second half to tie the game but only managed one the rest of the way. Eau Claire outscored River Falls 12-2 after the Falcons had tied the score and led 55-45 with 4:09 to go.

While River Falls was hot from beyond the arc, the Blugolds outscored the Falcons 16-2 from the foul line, outboarded the Falcons, 33-27, and made six fewer turnovers than the Falcons.

Unlike a win over UW-Oshkosh last Wednesday when the Blugolds got 39 points from the bench, Saturday the Blugolds got all but seven of their points from their starters. In addition to Burns' 25, Heidi Arciszewski (Jr.-Thorp) added 12, Heather Witt (Jr.-Kendall/Royal) added eight and Amanda Zenner (Sr.-Medford) chipped in with seven.

The loss left River Falls with a 7-14 overall mark and a 1-11 WIAC record.

The Blugolds will make their final regular season road trip Wednesday when they travel to UW-Stevens Point while River Falls will travel to UW-La Crosse.

Eau Claire-River Falls Box Score

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