EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team fell to Central College (Iowa) 69-53 in the finale of the 2023 Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday at Zorn Arena. The Dutch used a big second quarter to build a lead and never looked back, holding off any rally attempts from the Blugolds.
With each team looking for its first victory of the season, the action was level in the first period. Neither side led by more than four in the opening quarter, with the largest advantage coming when
Kylie Strop (Jr. - River Falls, Wis.) hit a jumper to put UW-Eau Claire up 9-5. The score was locked at 13 heading to the second period.
The Dutch began to put some distance between themselves and the Blugolds in the second quarter, outscoring UW-Eau Claire 18-11 to build a lead that they'd hold the rest of the way. Central opened the quarter on a 10-4 run, and limited the opportunities for the Blugolds to counter in the latter stages of the first half. Central led 31-24 at halftime.
The deficit continued to creep upward for the Blugolds in the third quarter. The Dutch hit four 3-pointers at a 57% clip and closed the quarter on a 6-1 run to take a 51-38 advantage into the fourth quarter. UW-Eau Claire had whittled the lead down to five at one point in the third, helped by a 3-pointer by
Anna Koth (So. - Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata), but couldn't get any closer.
A 9-2 spurt for the Dutch early in the fourth made it an 18-point lead and helped them get the game across the finish line.
Koth had a career night for the Blugolds, scoring a career-best 20 points to lead all scorers. Strop finished with 17 points, six steals and five assists.
Jessilyn Ernst (Fr. - Pardeeville, Wis.) tallied eight points and five rebounds — both highs for her this season.
Defensively, the Blugolds had 11 steals and forced 17 turnovers.
UW-Eau Claire (0-2) will look to get in the win column when it visits Bethel (Minn.) on Saturday, Nov. 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
