MENOMONIE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team fell to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, 72-70, in a tense overtime contest at Johnson Fieldhouse. The Blugolds led by five points at halftime but were unable to contain UW-Stout's third-quarter surge. Despite forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 25 points off those opportunities, UW-Eau Claire couldn't overcome Stout's late advantage.
The quarter began with UW-Stout taking an early lead, highlighted by a jumper at 8:45, giving them a 2-0 edge. UW-Eau Claire responded with a strong defensive presence, including a block by
Delaney Nyenhuis at 9:09.
Reanna Hutchinson sparked a comeback for the visitors, scoring consecutive layups to put them ahead 7-6 at 5:18.
Paige Keller extended the Blugolds' advantage with a 3-pointer at 3:08. Despite UW-Stout's efforts, including a layup by Eleice Dahl at 1:32, UWEC closed the quarter with
Britta DeMar's free throws, leading 19-14.
UW-Eau Claire extended their lead in the second quarter through efficient scoring and strong defensive play, outscoring UW-Stout 18-11.
Kyla Overskei contributed significantly, hitting a 3-pointer at 9:25 and adding a layup shortly after to push the visitors ahead.
Macie Miller bolstered the lead with a layup at 5:31, drawing a foul in the process. UW-Eau Claire capitalized on UW-Stout's turnovers, with
Delaney Nyenhuis securing multiple steals to maintain the momentum. Despite the home team's efforts, including a 3-pointer by Stout, the Blugolds maintained control to close the quarter firmly ahead.
The Blugolds maintained a narrow lead at the beginning of the third quarter with a 39-27 advantage following a fast-break layup by
Reanna Hutchinson at 8:58, assisted by
Olivia Witkowski. However, UW-Stout responded with a scoring burst, highlighted by a 3-pointer at 5:30, narrowing the gap to 44-39. Despite efforts from both sides, including a pair of free throws by
Reanna Hutchinson at 3:09, UW-Eau Claire held a slim 50-48 edge by the end of the third. The quarter concluded with a defensive rebound by
Kailey Tulachka following a missed 3-pointer the Blue Devils as the clock ran down.
UWEC and UW-Stout battled through a tightly contested fourth quarter, which ended in a 63-63 tie. Early in the quarter,
Kyla Overskei extended UW-Eau Claire's lead to 52-48 with two free throws at 9:05. A three-point play brought Stout within two points, trailing 58-56 at 4:08. With just 53 seconds remaining, a 3-pointer for Stout tied the game at 63-63. Despite several attempts by both teams in the final seconds, neither side could break the deadlock, sending the game to overtime.
The overtime period saw UW-Eau Claire commit an early turnover, which was immediately capitalized on by UW-Stout's Verhagen with a fastbreak layup at 4:40, pushing the home team's lead to 65-63. The Blugolds managed to keep pace as
Olivia Witkowski hit a free throw at 3:19, trimming the deficit to one point.
Kyla Overskei's layup at 1:14 brought the visitors within two points, making it 70-68. However, a layup extended UW-Stout's lead to 72-68 with under a minute remaining. Despite
Britta DeMar's late jumper, UW-Eau Claire fell short, with UW-Stout securing a narrow 72-70 victory.
Kyla Overskei scored 25 points and recorded five rebounds, while also adding four 3-pointers.
Delaney Nyenhuis posted 15 rebounds and five steals, contributing significantly on defense.
Britta DeMar added seven points and two steals, showcasing her defensive efforts.
Reanna Hutchinson contributed with eight points and five rebounds.
UWEC holds an 11-3 overall record and stands at 1-2 in WIAC play. UW-Stout is 10-4 overall with a 1-2 mark in WIAC competition.
In their next game, UW-Eau Claire will host UW-River Falls at the Sonnentag Event Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. CT.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports, and on social media on
Twitter,
Instagram, and
Facebook.
