EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — A scorching start sent the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team well on its way to an 84-60 victory over Crown College (Minn.) on Tuesday at Zorn Arena. The Blugolds opened the game on a 22-2 run and never looked back in a comfortable win over the Polars.
UW-Eau Claire (3-3) trailed 2-1 after the first two minutes of play, but it was the only deficit the Blugolds faced all game. A free throw by
Cade Hall (Sr. - Mauston, Wis.) started a 21-0 run that Crown never recovered from. Fresh off a 37-point showing against Milwaukee School of Engineering last Saturday,
Gunnar Tebon (Sr. - Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) stayed hot by scoring nine points during the 21-0 spurt that spanned seven-plus minutes. The Polars (5-1) eventually started scoring again, but the deficit was far too large to overcome.
The Blugolds led by as much as 28 in the first half, with a 14-4 run later in the period putting UW-Eau Claire up 51-23 with 3:32 until the break. The lead continued to grow in the second half, eventually climbing as high as 32.
Eleven different Blugolds scored in a well-rounded performance.
Carter Huschka (Sr. - Farmington, Minn.) led the team with 19 points and also added six rebounds. Tebon finished with 15 points and four boards. Hall had 12 points and five rebounds.
Caiden Lecce (So. - Kenosha, Wis./St. Joseph Catholic) had nine points and three steals.
Drew Maloney (Jr. - St. Charles, Minn.) tallied seven points and eight rebounds.
UW-Eau Claire shot 42% from the field and 41% from 3-point range. The Blugolds out-rebounded the Polars 46-38.
The Blugolds will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Northland College. Tip-off in Ashland, Wis., is set for 5 p.m.
