EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire fell to UW-La Crosse , 76-69, in a tense, overtime contest at the Sonnentag Event Center. The game featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes, with the Blugolds scoring 38 points in the paint and converting 15 fast-break points to keep the matchup close. La Crosse capitalized on 22 free throw attempts, ultimately securing the victory in overtime.
The game commenced with La Crosse scoring an early layup at 9:39, setting the pace for the visitors. UWL maintained their momentum with a three-pointer at 8:30, contributing to a 20-12 lead by the end of the quarter. The Eagles added a significant three-pointer at the buzzer to close the quarter. For the UW-Eau Claire,
Reanna Hutchinson and
Olivia Witkowski each scored crucial layups, but the home team trailed after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, UW-Eau Claire made a concerted effort to close the gap against La Crosse.
Reanna Hutchinson's missed jumper was quickly followed by
Kyla Overskei's offensive rebound and successful tip-in, contributing to the home team's 16 points in the quarter.
Olivia Witkowski added a layup and two free throws, while
Kailey Tulachka's fast-break jumper from
Britta DeMar's assist narrowed the margin to two points, 28-26, with 2:37 remaining. Overskei's layup tied the game at 28-28, but the Eagles' jumper with 1:16 left helped UW-La Crosse regain a narrow lead, ending the quarter ahead 30-28.
In a tense third quarter, UWEC managed to outscore the Eagles 19-17, maintaining a close contest.
Britta DeMar opened the scoring for the Blugolds with a layup, tying the game at 30 with 9:11 remaining. Hutchinson's assists were pivotal, as she set up key plays, including a three-pointer by
Kyla Overskei that put UWEC ahead 33-32 at 8:29.
Olivia Witkowski contributed significantly with multiple layups, including one at 6:28 that gave UWEC a brief lead. The quarter concluded dramatically as DeMar hit a three-pointer with just 4 seconds left, leveling the score at 47-47.
The fourth quarter saw a tightly contested battle as UWEC and UWL ended the quarter tied at 63-63.
Reanna Hutchinson made an early three-pointer for UWEC, putting it ahead 50-49 at 9:35.
Kyla Overskei added another three-pointer to extend UWEC's lead to 53-51. UW-La Crosse responded with a series of successful free throws, maintaining the close score line. With only seconds left on the clock, the Eagles' offensive rebound and layup tied the game at 63, forcing the game into overtime.
In the final period, La Crosse overcame the Blugolds with a 13-6 scoring advantage. UWL hit a three-pointer at 4:28, giving them a 66-63 lead.
Reanna Hutchinson tied the game with a three-pointer at 3:48. However, the Eagles countered with a three-pointer at 2:35, pushing the lead to 71-66. Despite a late jumper from
Kailey Tulachka for UWEC, La Crosse maintained its lead and sealed the game with free throws, finishing with a 76-69 victory.
Olivia Witkowski led the team with a season-high 18 points, converting 8 of her 12 shots from the field.
Reanna Hutchinson contributed 12 points, making five field goals, including two from beyond the arc.
Kailey Tulachka added 10 points while securing five rebounds and recording a block.
Kyla Overskei finished with 11 points, hitting two 3-pointers and collecting six rebounds. Notably, the team totaled 69 points, surpassing their season average of 57.56, and made 5 three-point field goals, above their season average of 3.44.
UW-Eau Claire finishes their season with an overall record of 13-12 overall and 3-11 in WIAC play. The Blugolds will miss the WIAC tournament by one game.
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