EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team fell to UW-River Falls, 71-52, at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Blugolds were outscored 17-4 in the second quarter as UW-River Falls established a lead they would not relinquish. UWEC forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 19 points, but it was not enough to overcome UW-River Falls' 13 3-pointers.
The game between the Blugolds and Falcons opened with a competitive first quarter, concluding in a 17-17 tie. UW-River Falls initiated the scoring with a three-pointer at 8:35. The Falcons added to their lead with consecutive 3-pointers, expanding the advantage to 12-7 by 6:13. UWEC responded with
Reanna Hutchinson's layup at 3:01, and
Karsyn Bauman secured the tie with a tip-in at 0:53. Both teams demonstrated effective offensive strategies, with UWEC capitalizing on paint points and UW-River Falls excelling in three-point shooting.
In the second quarter, UW-River Falls surged ahead with a 17-4 run, capitalizing on turnovers and effective shooting. UWRF began with a layup at 8:50, marking the start of a strong offensive performance. UW-River Falls added two free throws at 6:41, extending their lead. River Falls contributed from long range, with a three-pointer at 0:46 to widen the gap. Despite defensive efforts, UWEC struggled offensively, managing just four points in the quarter.
In the third quarter,
Reanna Hutchinson sparked the action for the Blugolds with a jumper assisted by
Britta DeMar at 9:44, narrowing the gap to 34-24. Hutchinson continued her scoring streak with a fast-break layup following a steal, bringing the score to 36-26.
Olivia Witkowski added a layup, but UW-River Falls responded with a three-pointer, extending their lead to 41-30. Late in the quarter, UW-River Falls solidified their lead with a three-pointer and a layup, closing the quarter at 55-37.
In the final quarter, UW-River Falls maintained their lead and edged out the Blugolds with a 71-52 victory. UWRF hit a pair of free throws at 9:35 and another at 3:01, helping to extend their advantage. The Falcons added to their tally with a layup and a jumper in quick succession at 6:03 and 5:31. UWEC's
Britta DeMar and
Olivia Witkowski made efforts to close the gap with baskets at 7:19 and 4:13, respectively, but UW-River Falls' defensive play, including multiple steals, kept them ahead.
Reanna Hutchinson scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added three steals.
Karsyn Bauman recorded two steals and collected five rebounds.
Emma Donovan contributed four points and secured six rebounds alongside two steals.
Olivia Witkowski finished with eight points and grabbed nine rebounds.
The Blugolds shot 20 of 65 from the field, including 2 of 15 from beyond the arc, while UW-River Falls made 23 of 52 field goals and 13 of 27 from three-point range.
Looking ahead, UWEC will face off against UW-La Crosse on Saturday, Jan. 17. The matchup will take place at 3 p.m. at Mitchell Hall Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
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