EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team secured a 65-54 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Blugolds used a 22-point fourth quarter to pull away, converting 15 of 19 free throws overall. The home team also dominated the rebounding battle with a 39-34 edge and scored 32 points in the paint to maintain control.
The game commenced with the Titans establishing an early lead as a layup went in at 9:26. UWEC quickly responded as
Kyla Overskei tied the game with two free throws at 9:13. Overskei's strong performance at the free throw line, where she made 8 free throws in total, exceeded her season average of 3.1. Throughout the quarter, the teams traded leads, with Oshkosh finding key points, including two free throws and a jumper. UW-Eau Claire managed to edge ahead at the end of the quarter as
Olivia Witkowski's jumper with 24 seconds remaining gave the home team a 16-15 advantage heading into the second.
In a tightly contested second quarter, the Blugolds maintained a slim lead over UWO, finishing the quarter with a 26-24 advantage.
Emma Donovan contributed crucial points with a layup at 7:49, assisted by
Reanna Hutchinson, to push the home team's lead. Hutchinson, who surpassed her season average by scoring 15 points in the game, played a pivotal role.
Olivia Witkowski added to the momentum with back-to-back layups at 6:24 and 5:30, expanding the margin. Her performance on the boards was also notable, as she surpassed her season average of 4.81 rebounds. The Titans responded with a late 3-pointer at 0:52 to narrow the gap. Despite their efforts, UWEC's defense held firm, with Hutchinson securing a defensive rebound in the final moments to end the quarter.
The Blugolds maintained their lead throughout the third quarter, outscoring the Titans 17-13.
Britta DeMar initiated the scoring momentum with a fast-break layup at 8:30, widening the gap to 29-26.
Reanna Hutchinson contributed significantly, adding a layup at 7:30 and later sinking a 3-pointer at 4:10, pushing the home team's advantage to 39-28. The Titans responded with a 3-pointer at 3:01, but UW-Eau Claire's consistent scoring, including two free throws by
Karsyn Bauman with 22 seconds left, secured their lead going into the final quarter.
The Blugolds secured a decisive 65-54 victory over Oshkosh in the final quarter, with
Reanna Hutchinson leading the charge. She opened the scoring with a layup and followed with a 3-pointer at 9:13, contributing significantly to the team's momentum. Despite the the visitors adding points, UWEC maintained its lead through strong free throw shooting by
Kyla Overskei, who converted four in the closing minutes.
Olivia Witkowski's layup with 25 seconds remaining solidified the home team's win, outscoring UW-Oshkosh 22-17 in the fourth quarter.
Reanna Hutchinson led with 15 points, converting 6 of 9 field goals and adding four rebounds.
Kailey Tulachka contributed a season-high 12 points, making 5 of 7 shots and collecting four rebounds.
Kyla Overskei tallied 14 points, successfully converting all eight free throws and recording one block.
Olivia Witkowski finished with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Blugolds hold a record of 13-9 overall with a 3-8 mark in WIAC play. UWO stands at 20-2 overall and 9-2 in the WIAC.
The next challenge for UW-Eau Claire arrives on Saturday, Feb. 14, as it travels to face UW-Whitewater. The game is set to tip off at 3 p.m. at Kachel Fieldhouse in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
