LA CROSSE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team saw its seven-game win streak snapped with a 69-55 defeat at the hands of No. 20 UW-La Crosse on Saturday at Mitchell Hall. The Blugolds led their nationally ranked foe at halftime, but couldn't hold them off down the stretch of their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Blugolds (8-4, 0-1) started well but went cold in the second half in the defeat to the Eagles (10-2, 1-0).
- UW-Eau Claire shot 48% in the opening half, led by a 23-point showing from Carter Huschka (Sr. - Farmington, Minn.) before halftime. The Blugolds led by seven points on two separate occasions in the first half.
- A 3-pointer from Huschka with 2:24 left before halftime put the Blugolds ahead 34-27. UW-Eau Claire eventually entered the break with a 36-33 advantage.
- After a strong shooting performance in the first half, the Blugolds knocked down 27% of their shots in the second half. That allowed the 20th-ranked Eagles to surge ahead. UW-La Crosse used a 19-2 run that spanned nine-plus minutes of the half to pull away for good. It gave them a double-digit lead, and UW-Eau Claire couldn't recover.
- Huschka finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. Andre Renta (Jr. - Hudson, Wis.) chipped in with 11 points and four rebounds. They were the only two UW-Eau Claire players to score in double figures.
- UW-La Crosse held a 45-37 advantage on the glass.
UP NEXT
The Blugolds resume WIAC play with a visit to UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday, January 8. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports, and on social media on
Twitter,
Instagram, and
Facebook.
