RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team fell to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls 69-47 on Wednesday night at Don Page Arena. Despite forcing 14 turnovers and securing 8 steals, UW-Eau Claire was unable to overcome a halftime deficit of 16 points. UW-River Falls capitalized inside, outscoring UWEC 38-20 in the paint and maintaining control throughout the game.
The first half began with UW-River Falls taking control early, with a jumper at 19:29. A layup from
Xavier Lewis at 19:10 tied the game for the Blugolds, but UW-River Falls quickly responded with a layup to regain the lead. The half saw the home team extend their advantage with a consistent offensive performance, highlighted back-to-back 3-pointers at the 4:40 and 3:53 marks. The Falcons capped the scoring with a layup just seconds before the buzzer, giving the home team a 37-21 lead at the end of the first half.
UWRF extended their lead early in the second half for UW-River Falls, scoring consecutive baskets in the paint, including a layup at the 18:56 mark. The Blugolds'
Andre Renta responded with a three-pointer, assisted by
Kenji Scales, to narrow the gap to 41-24. Despite a strong effort from UW-Eau Claire, who saw contributions from players like
Tyler Haney with a jumper at the 10:31 mark, UW-River Falls maintained their lead. The Falcons added crucial points in the final minutes to help seal UW-River Falls' 69-47 win.
Luke Reder led UWEC with a season high 9 points, converting 4 of 8 field goal attempts, including one from beyond the arc.
Andre Renta added 8 points and contributed defensively with one steal.
Roan Demovsky also scored 8 points while dishing out two assists.
Kenji Scales provided defensive support with two steals and added four assists.
UW-Eau Claire stands at 12-3 overall and 1-3 in WIAC competition. UW-River Falls is now 6-9 on the season and also 1-3 in WIAC play.
Up next for the Blugolds is a home matchup against UW-La Crosse on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at The Sonnentag Event Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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