DE PERE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team picked up a second straight victory by defeating St. Norbert College 74-63 on Tuesday at Mulva Sports Center. The Blugolds rode a career night from
Brianna Nelson (Sr. - Augusta, Wis./Eleva-Strum), who scored a personal-best 21 points to help boost her team to victory.
Nelson's 21 points beat her previous career high by 14. She shot 66% from the field, including hitting on 5 of 7 attempts from 3-point range. She helped propel a strong first three quarters for the Blugolds (2-2), who built a 19-point lead for a second consecutive straightforward victory.
UW-Eau Claire also got 14 points apiece from
Anna Koth (Jr. - Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata) and
Kyla Overskei (So. - Maple Grove, Minn.), and
Kylie Mogen (Sr. - Menomonie, Wis.) finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. The Blugolds shot 46% collectively and held a significant advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Green Knights 38-26.
St. Norbert (2-3) raced out to a 10-4 lead to open the game, but it was all Blugolds from there. UW-Eau Claire went on a 15-0 run midway through the first quarter to get out to a nine-point lead, spurred by two 3-pointers from Koth. The Blugolds led 19-15 entering the second quarter.
The Green Knights cut the Blugolds' advantage to one at a couple of different points early in the second quarter, but UW-Eau Claire never lost the lead. Overskei and Nelson hit back-to-back 3-pointers within a span of 31 seconds to re-establish a comfortable cushion. Overskei and Nelson continued to dial in from long range the rest of the quarter, with Nelson connecting on three 3-pointers and Overskei adding two. It helped UW-Eau Claire take a 42-32 lead into halftime.
The Blugolds kept up the pace in the third quarter, with a layup from Nelson in the final second of the period putting them ahead by 19. It was more than enough to hold on for the victory.
UW-Eau Claire got contributions from all over. In addition to the scoring from Nelson, Koth, Overskei and Mogen,
Kylie Strop (Jr. - River Falls, Wis.) added seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Blugolds' next game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 25, at Wartburg College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Waverly, Iowa.
