ST. PAUL, Minn. (blugolds.com) —
Kylie Strop (Jr. - River Falls, Wis.) poured in a career-high 27 points and
Kylie Mogen (Sr. - Menomonie, Wis.) recorded a third consecutive double-double to help the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team defeat University of Northwestern (Minn.) 73-58 on Saturday. The Blugolds held an edge in nearly every major statistical category in an impressive victory on the road.
Strop bettered her previous career best in scoring by eight points. The guard made 10 of 17 field goal attempts and also contributed five rebounds, five assist and two blocks. Meanwhile, Mogen scored a season-best 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The senior is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per contest over her last three games.
The Blugolds (5-4) ran out to a slim 18-15 lead after the first period on Saturday and broke the game open in the second quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers from
Kyla Overskei (So. - Maple Grove, Minn.) and
Anna Koth (Jr. - Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata) started a 17-5 run that put the Blugolds ahead 37-24 with 1:40 left in the first half. They entered the locker room with a 37-26 advantage.
The Eagles (7-4) opened the third quarter with a 6-2 run to chisel the Blugolds' lead down to 39-32, but they couldn't get any closer than that the rest of the game. UW-Eau Claire answered with a 9-0 run to regain control. Northwestern pulled within seven points of the lead once more later in the third quarter, but the Blugolds scored five of the final six points in the period to bring a 55-44 advantage in the final quarter.
The Blugolds' advantage grew to as much as 17 in the fourth quarter, where they outscored the Eagles 18-14.
Overskei finished with nine points on three 3-pointers. Koth and
Lucia Hauge (Jr. - Hugo, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran Academy) scored six points apiece. Hauge also had seven rebounds.
UW-Eau Claire shot 45% from the field and out-rebounded Northwestern 33-27. The Blugolds had seven blocks and grabbed six steals.
UW-Eau Claire won't return to action until the end of the month. The Blugolds are scheduled to travel to Lexington, Ky., for the Transylvania Holiday Tournament on December 29-30. The Blugolds face Berea College in their tournament opener on December 29 at 6 p.m. Eastern. Depending on the outcome of the first-round games, they'll take on either defending national champion Transylvania or Edgewood on December 30.
