UW-L Drops Second Straight Conference Game

For Immediate Release: Saturday, December 13, 2008

Eau Claire, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse men's basketball team dropped to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC with a 71-66 loss at UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon in Zorn Arena. The Blugolds improve to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the league.

The Blugolds led throughout the first half, including scoring nine of the first 10 points. UW-L cut the lead to 11-7 on Trevor Stratton's three-pointer with 13:05 left in the opening half, but UW-Eau Claire scored the next six points to lead by 10. The Blugolds led by as many as 11 points in the first half before taking a 34-26 halftime lead.

UW-L trailed 47-35 with 14:18 remaining after Colin Boone's layup for UW-Eau Claire and the Eagles still trailed 53-42 with 10:12 left. UW-L then went on a 14-3 run to force a 56-56 tie with 5:45 remaining after Tony Mane hit a three-pointer. Mane scored 11 of the Eagles' 14 points in their run to tie the game.

The Eagles took their first lead of the contest at 59-57 on another Mane three-pointer with 5:09 left before the Blugolds scored the next six points to lead by four. It was tied at again at 64-64 with 1:08 left after a Mane jumper, but Dan Beyer gave UW-Eau Claire the lead for good on a layup with :34 remaining. The Blugolds ended the game scoring seven of the final nine points.

Mane led UW-L with 25 points, finishing 10-of-23 from the field, including three-of-seven from three-point range. He was two-of-three at the free throw line. Stratton finished with 16 points, hitting three-of-six three-point attempts. He also added six rebounds.

UW-L shot 35.9% from the field, including 42.1% (eight-of-19) from three-point range. The team was 12-of-18 (66.7%) at the line.

Boone led UW-Eau Claire with 17 points, going six-of-six from the field (one-of-one from three-point range) and four-of-six at the free throw line. Jordan Kappen finished with 13 points, Beyer 12 and Amadou Fofana 10. The Blugolds shot 51.1% from the field, including 42.9% (three-of-seven) from three-point range. UW-Eau Claire was 22-of-35 (62.9%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, December 20 at fourth-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) at 3 p.m.